Re: "gypped"

["R. Bentz Kirby" <bocelts@usit.net>]

There's lots of "gypsys" here in SC.  They even made Dateline for
some home repair scam they were running.  They have their own
community and names.  I think there was some kind of child bride
scandle too.  I think they are called the Travellers.  But, what has
this to do with the 1999-2000 season?  I don't know.

Josh Ozersky wrote:

> "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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--
Bentz Kirby
bocelts@usit.net
http://www.public.usit.net/bocelts/