Quote:
Originally Posted by Wizardmerlin
discuss..............
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Okay I will bite.
Yes, in North America it's just a different context/expression/saying and doesn't have nearly the highly-sensitive 'thought-speak' creepy political correct weirdness.
My Dad was also called a 'gypsy' and people who move frequently 'gypsy around' and you can say 'my family were gypsies' more like a verb than a noun. Nothing derogatory about it. Frequently moving across country is very common in the USA and often a sign of a successful or admirable career.
For a derogatory angle. We might say 'Gypped'. You bought a car only to find it had no engine. You got 'gypped'.
The internet once told me this does come from 'gypsy' and implying gypsies will cheat you (or sell you shoddy things etc).
However,
Having said that, nearly nobody who says 'gypped' or 'what a gyp!' (bad deal) has any idea of its origin. Its long since divorced itself from original connotations.
However it would be funny if Tara whatsername did say
"Wha.. I totally got gypped!".
So all of the UK could have front-page headlines, apologize to 'travelers', make big self-depreciating 'liberal white guilt' compensations and feel the need to remove some of their own rights to show everyone how they are even now.
Because its hilarious and sad watching an entire country do that.