"gypped"

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

"gypped" is in fact taken from "gypsy."  But since
there seems to be so little animus or for that matter
contact with gypsies any more, it has lost its
meaning.  (Although there are probably still gypsy
enclaves in parts of New England.)  For what it's
worth, gypsies historically were highly deserving of a
term meaning "to swindle,"  and probably considered it
a compliment within their own value system.  Unlike
racist epithets that presume inbred character flaws,
gypsies were a highly insular society whose folkways
proudly and explicitly endorsed swindling, theft and
prostitution -- much like the Irish "travellers," who
live together as an organized crime enclave.  You can
be romanian without being a gypsy, but you can't be a
gypsy -- at least not an unassimilated one -- without
being involved somehow in the gypsy lifestyle.  That
is my understanding of it, anyhow.  No doubt some
grandson of gypsies currently attending Tufts will
maintain that their reputations have been blackened.
;)

--- Douglas342@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 8/31/99 5:34:23 PM Pacific
> Daylight Time, norine@sover.net 
> writes:
> 
> > that expression came from the old days when people
> heated water and cooked 
> in 
> > kettles - when it was black it was either old or
> dirty.  I never thought of 
> > it as meaning anything else - never in my life did
> I consider it a racist 
> > remark, and I've used it often. 
> 
>     Dorine hits it again!  But I do have to concede
> that I think the term 
> "gypped" probably does have some connection with
> gypsies.  (In fact, I just 
> spent about 20 minutes trying to find some
> dictionary that says that "gyp" 
> comes from "gypsy."  Not quite, but the 1913
> Webster's defines gypsy as 
> being, essentially, a thief/swindler, nad several
> tribes . . . etc.  Dang, 
> one can waste lots of time out there and do dumb
> stuff like subscribe to a 
> "word of the day" list...)
> - Doug, taking bets on whether the Clippers will
> give Mo Taylor the max.  
> right.
> 
> 

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