|
|
|
|
|
PikeyPikey is a pejorative slang term used in the United Kingdom. The term originally referred to a gypsy as a contraction of the word "turnpike", but in recent years the definition has become looser and it is sometimes used to refer to a wide section of the (generally urban) underclass of the country, particularly those on whom the lower middle classes look down. However, when used to refer to gypsies it clearly has racist connotations. Related terms for urban or suburban miscreants can be found in the dictionary entry for "chav". The popularity of these terms has grown since the 1980s, and their usage reflects serious and light-hearted issues arising from changes in British urban life rather than an increased need to characterize the lifestyle of travellers. Pikey has quite a different meaning from crustie - a word which became popular during the 1990s and refers to a kind of hippie traveller who rejects many aspects of modern society and identifies with the underground festival and protest culture. The Oxford Slang Dictionary indicates that the original usage dates back to 1847. Negative British attitudes towards "pikeys" (in this case meaning gypsies) were a running joke in the 2000 Guy Ritchie film Snatch. The American terms "trailer trash" and "white trash" are similar in the condescension and disdain with which they are used, though the stereotypes differ in some particulars. See also External links
|
 |
|
| Copyright 2005-2009 OnPedia.com. All Rights Reserved |
|
|