Bloody hell read the postings. Why would I be from the far right and complaining about references to the use of the word ‘gyp’.
Travellers are not the same as Gypsies. Travellers are Irish. Gypsies came here from India 500 years ago.
‘Giving you Gyp’ is used as an expression by non-gypsies to refer to trouble, pain, hassle etc. It’s in direct reference to whenever Gypsies are around there’s always trouble/hassle etc and therefore used as an expression to refer to pain, trouble etc. e.g. ‘oh my tooth is giving my gyp’
Being ‘Gypped’ is used by non-gypsies to refer to having been conned. “I’ve been gypped.” Similar to above but obviously in relation to the stereotypes of Gypsies being con artists etc.
Many Gypsy words have been taken into the English language.
Gadgie – in the north of England.
Pal – all over the UK.
And I guess the latest word used is chav.
Romany words have fallen into local slang or as you put it, colloquialism. Hence, NE people claiming gadjie as local slang while it is descended from Romany. I’ve had many NE people claim it is their local slang word.
It goes the same with Gyp. I’ve had a few friends use the word infront of me and knowing full well I’m Romany but did not realise ‘Gyp’ referred to Gypsies/Romanies. And they were using it as a reference to pain. And guess what, they were from the south, the midlands, and the north so bang goes the theory of it being local northern slang.
If you can stand there and say truthfully that you weren’t using it in cultural reference to Gypsies then fair enough I’ll be happy to say you weren’t being directly racist and that you were using it without the knowledge of the cultural baggage associated with its use. Just because its claimed a word is of local use, it doesnt mean its the case.
We used to use the word Jew in reference to people being tight with their money. Only later when I found out what a Jew actually was did I stop using it in reference to money.
