Using the word 'knacker'

williambonney

A knacker is simply a scumbag, no need to elaborate. But where does anyone hear the term traveller used for tinkers, except by the media and of course the odious pc brigade.

Dudess

I hear all kinds of people (PC or otherwise) of younger generations using the term "traveller" moreso than "knacker" or "tinker" - I think that sounds rather old-fashioned, something those of older generations would say. I'd sound like my 60-year-old mother if I used the term "tinkers". It probably depends where in the country you are too.
If I heard someone of my generation referring to "a bunch of knackers" I'd assume they were talking about skangers.

williambonney

I would never insult a tinker by calling him a knacker.

nobodythere

Every time someone says it I have to ask which one they mean, you can't really know any more

cooperguy

Knacker = scumbag in my books

You should have put a poll in the thread it would make it much easier to see what people think

Tha Gopher

daithifleming wrote: »

Bigot.

*yawn*

Jimminy jillickers Radioactive Man, I spot personal abuse!

Most people I know might say something like "hes a knacker" for a settled scumbag we know, whereas in traveller terms might say "these two lads, ya know, like proper knackers"

Given only 16% of travellers of working age have a job and they are dispropotionatelyt represented in the prison population, and that in all my years Ive only ever had one experience with them even mildly positive, the PC arguements wear pretty ****ing thin.

Holsten

I'd use it to describe both scumbags and pikeys, mainly just scumbags though.

Statso

Those fine people who render old horses into dog food and glue must feel awful insulted their profession is now another word for scumbags.

dsmythy

God im only 23 and i use knacker to describe travellers. I must be an old man at heart so. I've never used it to describe scumbags though. I mean a scumbag is a scumbag. Why the need for a different word?

Poxyshamrock

Scumbags = Knackers
Travellers = Tinkers

Boggles

Mairt wrote: »

and my younger brother actually went out with one

Jaysus!! I'd say it was more violence than sex.

The Queen

I usually use that word to give out to a friend who did something to annoy me - ie Ah you spilt my drink, ya knacker!

I call travelers itinerants (sp) or travelers.

orestes

I try to avoid saying the word knacker, I live in Tallaght so whether I'm referring to skangers or travellers wouldn't really matter since they would team up and kill me anyway.

Generally though I say knacker for scummer scumbag types and traveller for travellers

Is "traveller" not a subset of "knacker"?

slipss

If I was refering to someone that rendered horses I'd use the word knacker, genuinly thats the only time I'd use it, but I have never had the requirment and I have never used it. I call travellers travellers and I call scumbags scumbags or if refering to a particular scumbag sometimes I'd use the word thug. The reason I don't refer to travellers as knackers is the reason I don't refer to black people as negros, it's pathetically outdated, ignorant and offensive and is basically the realm of the purposfully beligerantly ignorant.

tallaght01

It's all about the context,

When my mate rang me the other day and said "About 50 ****in knackers have just moved into the field across the road from me, and their poxy greyhounds have eaten my cat", I knew he wasn't talking about a load of boys in white tracksuits living the great outdoor dream 50 yards from his house!

When I hear someone saying "I was at (insert name of nightclub) in town last night. Full of knackers", I don't suddenly imagine that bouncers now let members of the travelling communities into licensed premises.

EamonnKeane

Knacker is a compliment - it implies that travellers actually work

cherubaul

Knacker - a term i use in reference to members of the traveling community
Skanger/scummer/scobe - a stereotypical scumbag

Do i see a problem with this?
Quite simply put no i don't Skangers have made their own beds now they can lie in them i'm sure most agree causing untold misery to many people is worse than a derogatory name.

Secondly Knacker is a knacker is a knacker as long as i've been around and I don't care if the PC brigade have decided that its now an unacceptable term.

sure by calling them travellers/tinkers and the like youre still separating them from the rest of society anyway. And given their lifestyle they obviously want it that way.

Fighting Irish

Mairt wrote: »

Try keep this one civilised lads..

In what context do you use it?.

I've noticed on boards.ie and in young people in general its now used to describe scumbags and not members of the travelling community.

Through training I've built up good relations with traveller's, and my younger brother actually went out with one so I'd never use the word to describe them. However I did in the past, as did everyone else.

But now I'll often use it to describe scummer's of all kinds on the street.

So do we still associate the word with members of the travelling community or as a generic term for scummer's?.

I lol everytime something like this is brought up, people should be allowed say whatever the fu(k they want, when they want

red_ice

i use the word knacker alot - but only in jest.. i would call a scumbag a knacker but would also use it to describe a disgusting situation like...

"i saw a guy break his arm - it was knacker"
"some dirt bird squeezed a brown trout on the toilet lid - its knacker"

etc..

LuckyStar

I use tinkers for travellers and knackers for everyone else!

LuckyStar

slipss wrote: »

If I was refering to someone that rendered horses I'd use the word knacker, genuinly thats the only time I'd use it, but I have never had the requirment and I have never used it. I call travellers travellers and I call scumbags scumbags or if refering to a particular scumbag sometimes I'd use the word thug. The reason I don't refer to travellers as knackers is the reason I don't refer to black people as negros, it's pathetically outdated, ignorant and offensive and is basically the realm of the purposfully beligerantly ignorant.

Well aren't you great, good of you to talk to us "purposfully beligerantly ignorant" folks!

mildews

A knacker is a person in the trade of rendering animals that are unfit for human consumption, such as work horses that have died in harness or are too tired to work any more.[1] This leads to the slang expression "knackered" meaning very tired, or ready for the knacker’s yard, where old horses would be slaughtered and made into dog food and glue. The word is derived from the old Irish word for a horse (an each) pronounced on ack. From this is derived the word for a horse dealer (an eachoir) , pronounced on ack-ower anglicised to a knacker.

This is what I found on wickapedia. The use of Knacker to describe members of the travelling community was very common in the late 70s and early 80s when i was a kid, but seemed to die out with the pc generation.

arybvtcw0eolkf

slipss wrote: »

I don't refer to black people as negros

Well I might be completely ignorant here, but isn't that their proper race name and we're 'caucasians'?.

juuge

I always associate 'knackers' with testicles.
As in.. 'I gave him a kick in the knackers'......or if I'm tired.....'I'm really knackered'
The other kind I call 'pikeys'

Dinter

A knacker's anyone who thinks they're owed a living. Whether they're scumbags or travellers.

KingOfFairview

I wouldnt really use it, I'd say scumbags if thats what I meant... a lot of people do use it, but not in a racist way. I think you can generally tell by the tone and context how its meant

Degsy

When i was a kid travellers were called either "tinkers" or "gypsies"..both having historical roots.Now they're called "knackers" or "travellers".I call them Cream Crackers or just Creamers.
WScumbags used to be called knackers,too,then they were called Hoodies or Hoodahs,Trackers,Bogies or scumbags.Now they're just called scumbags..the best name for em!

Dyr

See its like this, a knacker is a traveller/smokie/cream cracker/pikey/gyppo

however it can be attributed to a ornery citizen for a specific reason as in "i can't believe ye just drank a can of dutch gold that was being used as an ash tray, ye durty bleedin knacker ye"

capiche?

Peared

For some reason its ok to call scumbags knackers but its not ok to call travellers knackers. You have to avoid calling the people the word is named for that word whilst lumping it on the skangers instead.

What happens when a traveller has a row with a skanger? (apart from bloodshed) Do they call each other f*ckin romas?