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Is the word 'pikey' offensive?


  3. Mr_Costello
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In his Daily Mail column, Des Kelly wrote: "To consider pikey a racial slur is as stupid as believing the word 'hippy' has racist connotations, or that 'hoodie' is offensive"

- Would you agree?
Mr_Costello

5 responses // Is the word 'pikey' offensive?

  • Words are words. Things will continue to be offensive until people let go of these stigmas.
    iknew
  • I always think it's up to the group being described to define what is offensive. If they think it is, then we shouldn't use that word.
    rebbill
  • Pikey is very particular to England and meaning of the road.

    Irish Gypsies find the term offensive.
    Purdey
  • I often use the word to describe something that is a bit cheap or rubbish looking
    jonbrooks
  • Irish travelers are called Knackers by the majority of the population.

    it's because back in the day, they fixed, pots and pans and other knackered stuff, then would travel to the next town and so on.
    When modern life made it more economical to just buy a new kettle/pot whatever, there way of life became outdated.
    Which leads to the high level of crime in traveller communities.

    Nowadays, some people are making it out to be an offensive, term, and it probably doesn't help that Knacker is interchangeable with scumbag when talking about settled people.

    Tinker is another common name, which stems from the same reason, I don't think it has the same negative connotations, for example a parent might call their child a little tinker if the were messing.

    I think traveller is the safest name to use.
    Owwmykneecap

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