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The Term Knacker - Irish fans please confirm

JillyAJillyA Posts: 2,205
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in Big Brother #1
I read on a different website the other day in connection with a completely different matter that the term"knacker" in Ireland refers to a member of the travelling community. Can any Irish fans please confirm whether that is correct and if that is the case should BB be warning Marc over calling Harry a knacker?
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    lee_mcclearylee_mccleary Posts: 670
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    #2
    Yeah its a term for travellers and theyd knock you out for saying it to their face.
    He shouldnt be warned though.
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    Stefano92Stefano92 Posts: 66,393
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    #3
    Not really. Marc himself is from that community and it's a common word.
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    KT_DogKT_Dog Posts: 6,385
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    #4
    I've heard the term spoken by our west-land cousins too... I believe it's just a version of 'chav'.
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    JillyAJillyA Posts: 2,205
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    #5
    But why shouldn't he be warned - he was using it in a derogatory way and therefore in a racist manner surely?
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 525
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    #6
    Salv* wrote: »
    Not really. Marc himself is from that community and it's a common word.

    Is he? I keep hearing this but couldn't get confirmation on it.
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    Sorcha_27Sorcha_27 Posts: 138,852
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    #7
    Salv* wrote: »
    Not really. Marc himself is from that community and it's a common word.

    He's not a traveller
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 209
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    #8
    Irish slang for Chav.
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    lee_mcclearylee_mccleary Posts: 670
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    #9
    KT_Dog wrote: »
    I've heard the term spoken by our west-land cousins too... I believe it's just a version of 'chav'.

    Worse than chav, alot.
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    Stefano92Stefano92 Posts: 66,393
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    #10
    TeenieTina wrote: »
    Is he? I keep hearing this but couldn't get confirmation on it.

    I read that he lived in a caravan before he went to study Chemistry and Bio.
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    chloedancerchloedancer Posts: 6,486
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    #11
    yeah it can be used for travelers but is more commonly used towards "scumbags" from what ive heard
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    sheils1sheils1 Posts: 16,297
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    #12
    JillyA wrote: »
    But why shouldn't he be warned - he was using it in a derogatory way and therefore in a racist manner surely?

    oh please, why all the racist shite.:o:o
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 209
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    #13
    Urban Dictionary top result.

    TOP DEFINITION
    knacker
    Incestuous, boxing, sovereign ring wearing, tracksuited shaven headed scumbags. Girls wear bellytops (Even if they're 15 stone), guys are small, jewelry and violence are rampant. Enjoy having children with sisters, looking at you with squinty eyes and scaring people. In many places refers to SCUMBAGS in general, and good travellers are not covered by the word - depening where you're from.
    "C'mear yow, give oos a fooking Yaro boss or I'll fooking box ya" said the knacker.

    :D
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    cahcah Posts: 24,689
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    #14
    JillyA wrote: »
    But why shouldn't he be warned - he was using it in a derogatory way and therefore in a racist manner surely?

    Harry is clearly not from the Travelling commuinity so therefore he was not being Racist towards her..i'm puzzled you think he was :confused:
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    PetroliciousPetrolicious Posts: 577
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    #15
    He basically called her an old **** snd he'd be right to.
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    erin_perin_p Posts: 25,091
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    #16
    I goggled and got this
    However, in modern usage, especially in Ireland, the word has come to describe both those from lower-class backgrounds who tend to engage in anti-social behaviour, as well as those of an Irish Traveller background. In this sense, the usage of the word "knacker" is akin to the usage of the term "chav" in England and ned in Scotland.
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    Stefano92Stefano92 Posts: 66,393
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    #17
    lee_mccleary wrote: »
    Worse than chav, alot.

    But I don't get why Marc gets all the wrath when she has said equally bad things too.

    Smash his face in? The C word. That's OK because she's a girl? Maybe why Helen got away with it.
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    KT_DogKT_Dog Posts: 6,385
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    #18
    Salv* wrote: »
    I read that he lived in a caravan before he went to study Chemistry and Bio.

    My Uncle Terry lives in a caravan and he's not a knacker... I mean he's on the sex offenders register and thinks Jesus talks to him through traffic lights... But he's not a knacker. So think on.
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    PootmatootPootmatoot Posts: 15,640
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    #19
    Short for knacker's yard, and yes, in Yorkshire at least, it's a derogatory term for travellers, as a play off their horses and the rag and bone trade.
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    JillyAJillyA Posts: 2,205
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    #20
    Because I thought that using derogatory terms against the travelling community was now considered as heinous as using the N word and inappropriate these days. Emily was evicted for using the N word.
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    erin_perin_p Posts: 25,091
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    #21
    KT_Dog wrote: »
    My Uncle Terry lives in a caravan and he's not a knacker... I mean he's on the sex offenders register and thinks Jesus talks to him through traffic lights... But he's not a knacker. So think on.

    sorry but reading that made me spit my coffee out :D:D

    Post of the night
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    jj2jj2 Posts: 4,135
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    #22
    It's someone who collects dead animals , but it is also used as an insult meaning low class person , who might steal anything that isn't nail down
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    pjh8pjh8 Posts: 4,175
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    #23
    Same as chav, less offensive version of scumbag..
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 386
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    #24
    It's slang for scumbag.
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    SneakyBooSneakyBoo Posts: 7,850
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    #25
    lee_mccleary wrote: »
    Yeah its a term for travellers and theyd knock you out for saying it to their face.
    He shouldnt be warned though.

    You could really use it towards anyone as long as they are not from the traveller community because then it is offensive and as you say they would belt the face off ya for it. Loads of Irish people use it to insult each other as a bit of banter don't you know :D
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    SneakyBooSneakyBoo Posts: 7,850
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    #26
    KT_Dog wrote: »
    My Uncle Terry lives in a caravan and he's not a knacker... I mean he's on the sex offenders register and thinks Jesus talks to him through traffic lights... But he's not a knacker. So think on.

    Oh Jesus H Christ :D:D:D
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