Quote:
Originally Posted by Niamh.
When I hear it used it's like "there's a load of knackers horses in that field over there" "There was a fight in the pub last night, it was a group of Knackers" etc etc but it's used to describe a scumbag also here but more like they're that scummy they may as well be Travellers which is just as bad really, if you know what I mean
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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.