[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Rorkimaru

You're definitely right that that's how it got into general use but I think semantic change has moved it beyond that for a lot of people. I can still see how members of the traveling community would find it horrendously insulting though, regardless of content so I'm a firm believer that it shouldn't be used. I was more so trying to show what he meant rather than excuse his language. Like even reading your examples in my head I see a different group of people when you say that word because they've been essentially disassociated for me. However given how it came into language it does have a bad history. I mean I've met travellers and worked with some and they were nice to me. I understand other people have different experiences but we can't call them all good or all bad, they're people.

I honestly don't believe Mark was referencing the traveling community but it is still filthy language to use and I don't support it.

That's fair enough