To ask what a 'numpty' is where you live and if it's offensive?

[Eeepsh]

Around here (South East) it means being a bit of a twit and is usually used with affection but I use it about my son and someone from East Anglia area was horrified!

Just wondering if it's a regional thing.

My, how we laughed

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Similar to you, like “Wally” or similar. I’m in Scotland

I live in Cambridgeshire and I don't think its offensive. I would use it about myself when I've done something dopey, and I would use it about someone else when I really want to call them an idiot but that would be too harsh and upsetting.

Lancashire - done something a bit daft but without any malice. Mild ribbing not offensive.

My mum says twat and tosser, she doesn’t know what they mean. I think she thinks they are, like, erm, numpty. 😂

That happened to me too....ohhps

Scottish here. Said with affection eg. If someone had put their jumper on inside out or had turned up at the swimming pool without their swimming costume.

To someone you know who's been foolish it's a bit of a term of endearment, but could be taken to be offensive if it's used and there's an underlying issue. Wouldn't use it about anyone other than someone I know well who realises they have been a bit of a twit/foolish/forgetful etc not suitable for acquaintances, general colleagues/local community etc. Know your audience basically. Remember many expressions of the passed are now deemed offensive

I live in Scotland and up here numpty is an affectionate term for an idiot.

Yes, I’m also in the NW and it’s a harmless term, being daft, silly.

East Anglia here, I understand it to mean the same as you do, a bit of a twit but harmless with it, the 'if he had a brain he'd be dangerous' type. Having said that some people here can be a bit odd, I'm originally from the NW, so maybe I've missed something.

East Anglia here, same usage as yours!

North East... an affectionate term for daft lass/ daft lad, said with a smile,

Hampshire. Good natured one-off ribbing.

Goodness, you must be trying hard to misunderstand

My point is that no one's life chancea are determined by affectionate ribbing as a child but I guess you never called your children silly billies or daft sausages either, they are all if the same level

Before reading MN I'd never seen twat used so generally, as you say in the North it's a much more offensive word. However on MN I've seen the casual use of many words that really surprised me, very Kenneth Tynan!

I once said to a parent that her dearest daughter tended to fool about too much in class, the mother went raging to the Head that I'd called her precious a fool.

It's one of the few words that you can use directly to your best mate or a relative that you're fond of. There's absolutely nothing to take offence at. You use it when you both know that one of you has been daft, and it's just a minor error with no great disaster resulting. You're basically both laughing at the error.

"You put salt in the cake mix instead of sugar? You numpty! 😂 "

North West maybe?

We live in London and it is as you said and IMO it is not a regional thing but possibly someone feeling a precious.

Norfolk here Numpty is an affectionate way of saying daft and said with a smile 😊

Akin to barmpot in Lancashire maybe.

Means a bit daft and not even remotely offensive… usually affectionate

Im in the midlands.I view it in the same way as you do OP. My children's grandad used to call them a numpty eveytime they did something silly. My eldest who is autistic has hung on to this word and uses it alot in the same context his grandad used to.
His school had a new building and the headteacher went to multiple wrong classrooms before finding the right one, he explained this to the kids and my son said,' oh you numpty.' He was told it was offensive and given a detention for using the word

Means a daft person, usually said with jest or affection