to be appalled when 'intelligent' people speak of 'pikeys' and ' gypos'

[debs40]

I live in a small provincial cathedral city. It is a white, Daily Mail/Torygraph reading kind of place.

OK, I can sort of live with that even if it is all church schools and 11+. I've lately been taken aback by the easy resort to using terms such as 'chav', 'pokey' or 'gypo' on relation to anyone who seems less well off or intelligent. These people are police officers, teachers or immigration officers too!

AIBU to think this is dated and offensive? No wonder. Jimmy Carr always has a tour date here!

that is appalling riven

don't think the peeps in salisbury are much different from the majority of places in uk

I don't think 'chav' necessarily refers to a 'working class etc' group - I agree with LostVagueness, it is a social group that people identify with. I work in a very poor area - poorest in London - and I can't think of any 'chavs' in my area at all. However, when I think of those like the Beckhams and the Rooneys, and all the 'WAGS'.... with much more money than sense.... well, that's when I think of 'chav'.... money can't buy you 'class', IMHO ... (and I don't think 'class' is an upper class, snooty way of living / thinking.... just ...herrrmm.... can't explain it now, but I know what I mean!)

Agree, Riven. He sounds vile.

On the insult issue: I can take being called 'gypsy' (because I am), but 'gyppo' and 'pikey' are both offensive to romany ears (or other travellers for that matter). FWIW, like black people, gypsies also distinguish between what they call each other (which might be what are perceived to be the really offensive terms) and what other people can call them.

Also, I've heard these terms used in a very threatening way to people who couldn't defend themselves (there is a reason a lot of gypsy men become very good boxers/fighters).

'chav' just means 'boy' to me, so my poor ds is a chav whether he likes it or not...

I've seen Jimmy Carr live (not my choice, he was the host at a works do). IMO his humour is definitely prejudiced - he only mocks vulnerable groups like gypsies, people with disabilities. If he was truly not racist/sexist/disablist (is that a word?) he would be having a go at EVERYONE. And he doesn't.

Very nasty piece of work who is, sadly, quite a good comedian so has used his talent to convince many people he is being ironic. When he isn't. At all.

I agree with sausagenmash's understanding of the term chav - I think of lots of Burberry clothing when I hear the word. I didn't know its real meaning referred to 'boy'. What are its origins?

Nevr got into Jimmy Carr - from the very little I saw of him, I thought his delivery was very wooden and scripted.

I read recently that Irish traveller men as a group have the lowest average life expectancy in all of Europe - less than 50yrs.

technically he's a good comedian as in highly-skilled. Sadly he mis-uses this talent to produce and promote bigotry.

So you can call someone pig ignorant over the paper they read and that is ok, not judgey, a grown up comment, but you can't call a chav a chav......wow mumsnet gets better by the day

Kimi - I think the issue is more the views that certain papers promote, and how the one sidedness of a particular newspaper's reporting can then inform the views and outlook of its readers. Of course, for many people, the paper they read will not be the only source for forming their views - however, for many other people, it is.

I don't recall anyone being described as pig ignorant on this thread because they read a certain newspaper. although I may have missed it - off to have a look.

Kimi
The hypocrisy of these threads are so funny

Apparently so, Kimi. And it's OK to generalise that you "hate" DM readers. What, the whole lot of them? Surely one or two of them lead decent lives.
And did anyone read soem of the pompous, unpleasant comments Justine got from Guardian readers after her article on Friday? So it's not just DM readers..

Riven sadly some people find that kind of "humour" funny.
as we knoe from what we see on mn, some people actually believe it to be true.

Agree with kimi. People who pile in with abusive and nasty insults about others whose politics/reading habits they don/t agree with are just the same as those who use the terms pikey/gypo etc.
No better, no worse.

What on earth is a pikey?

(The Telegraph is fab, btw).

Riven - 'Roma' is the general term, but English gypsies often use 'Romany' for themselves. (Basically, 'Rom' just means 'man'...)

The Irish travelers speak a different language (there were already travellers in Ireland when the Roma got there), but there are common words. Anglo-romany language is like Romany with English grammar, so although I can get by talking to the ladies in London selling the Big Issue with their kids we have to wave our arms around a bit.

(FWIW - DM reading is a lifestyle choice, being disabled/born in a different culture/a woman etc isn't...) And you're daft to make a habit of reading a newspaper if you completely disagree with it. Hence the insults... )

'pikeys' live on turnpikes (ie travellers/roma)

'chav' is romany for boy... (And involves no Burberry!)

(So don't nick our words, music and fashion and then insult us )

I didn't know the origin of chav was roma, in that case I think that ned is a far better word! I feel I should also revise my opinion of the word pikey, I've gone right off it.

'Ned' is a great term.

By noonki on Sat 31-Jan-09 19:01:34
sorry you lost me when you equated being intellegent with reading the Mail/telegraph!

No surprise that they are pig ignorant.

Riven

This is a good page for info on the Roma (and for Roma)