Paddy?

major bill

Do people on Boards.ie find this word offensive?

Reason why i ask is that it normally doesnt bother me as its just a name but watching some program on E4 tonight, a competition to find Britains next top Hairdresser:o(was doing something in kitchen so wasnt arsed changing channel) and i overheard the presenter(Abbey Clancy) say something along the lines of ''fellow paddy orla'' when talking about a Belfast hairstylist styling the Irish girl out of the saturdays hair and it just struck me as a bit OTT like since when did the word 'paddy' become acceptable to say on reality tv considering words like Yid are now been considered anti-semitic in Britain.

Im far from PC but what do others think..why make names unacceptable and others acceptable?

btw feel free to slag away for watching it:P:o

Jesus Wept

Saw something similar on tv this week, can't remember where. It's pretty crass.
Silly cunts.

hondasam

I find it offensive when anyone other than an Irish person say's it.

mikemac

results are hidden on your poll

Can you fix this or maybe ask a mod to do it?

Yeah, I've been called Paddy when I worked in Yorkshire and didn't like it one bit

Along with "so Irish" when ever a mistake happens. And I hate seeing this on boards. Government makes a mistake and posters say "that's so Irish". Hate that

OPENROAD

major bill wrote: »

Do people on Boards.ie find this word offensive?

Reason why i ask is that it normally doesnt bother me as its just a name but watching some program on E4 tonight, a competition to find Britains next top Hairdresser:o(was doing something in kitchen so wasnt arsed changing channel) and i overheard the presenter(Abbey Clancy) say something along the lines of ''fellow paddy orla'' when talking about a Belfast hairstylist styling the Irish girl out of the saturdays hair and it just struck me as a bit OTT like since when did the word 'paddy' become acceptable to say on reality tv considering words like Yid are now been considered anti-semitic in Britain.

Im far from PC but what do others think..why make names unacceptable and others acceptable?

btw feel free to slag away for watching it:P:o

:eek::eek: yea right, sure

Hank Scorpio

Lived with a lad from England and he used to use it alot, didn't particulary like it. Never said anything though

major bill

hondasam wrote: »

I find it offensive when anyone other than an Irish person say's it.

aye but thats like the whole nigg*r scenario..why should it be acceptable for one group of people to say and not for others?

Kojak

It wouldn't really bother me, tbh.

sure most of the time, irish people say "paddy's day" for the 17th of march.

Oranage2

Can we be sure that the contestant name wasnt just Patrick Orla? Common enough up north

Wolfe Tone

Yes it is offensive, and is often used, especially in England, in a derogatory way.

OPENROAD

Thing is if we call another nationality by a nickname and someone says it is offensive, then the world has gone too PC etc... but if some other nationality does it to us, then we start saying it is offensive etc..

Jesus Wept

Kojak wrote: »

It wouldn't really bother me, tbh.

sure most of the time, irish people say "paddy's day" for the 17th of march.

That's not really the same, the guy's name is St Patrick and Paddy is a version/variant of Patrick.

Mahou

Kojak wrote: »

It wouldn't really bother me, tbh.

sure most of the time, irish people say "paddy's day" for the 17th of march.

Paddy is short for Patrick:eek:

Unpossible

feelingstressed wrote: »

results are hidden on your poll

Can you fix this or maybe ask a mod to do it?

Yeah, I've been called Paddy when I worked in Yorkshire and didn't like it one bit

Along with "so Irish" when ever a mistake happens. And I hate seeing this on boards. Government makes a mistake and posters say "that's so Irish". Hate that

Complaining about what people write on boards thats
no.... must...not .... finish

major bill

OPENROAD wrote: »

Thing is if we call another nationality by a nickname and someone says it is offensive, then the world has gone too PC etc... but if some other nationality does it to us, then we start saying it is offensive etc..

Thats a good point but what makes Nigg*r anymore differant than Paddy, Taff and jock like a person would never say on telly ''fellow Paki''.

As i said i wouldnt normally care as its just a name but why should it allowed be said on reality tv.

OPENROAD

major bill wrote: »

Thats a good point but what makes Nigg*r anymore differant than Paddy, Taff and jock like a person would never say on telly ''fellow Paki''.

As i said i wouldnt normally care as its just a name but why should it allowed be said on reality tv.

Fair enough point,however going by memory on previous AH threads, I certainly find it that way when it comes to shouting PC card.

However personally speaking I don't find it offensive at all, quite the opposite in fact, suppose it all comes down to context.

Jesus Wept

hondasam wrote: »

I find it offensive when anyone other than an Irish person say's it.

That's why you're my honky.

Unpossible

feelingstressed wrote: »

What's your point?

sigh, it was meant as a joke. It was meant to suggest that I was trying my best not to write "thats so irish". I promise to try better next time.

byrner88

haha bill watching hairdressing programs. go on ya sausage muncher ha

hondasam

The-Rigger wrote: »

That's why you're my honky.

Thanks should we hug now

major bill

byrner88 wrote: »

haha bill watching hairdressing programs. go on ya sausage muncher ha

Feck theres always one i know that would see this post:pac:

OPENROAD

What about calling Americans "Yanks" ?

Mahou

In a bar in Heathrow airport with horse racing on years ago. Got chatting to a Londoner and he says "You Paddies are great jockeys"
My brain wobbled on hearing this and I said "Yes, horses are good"

Aoifey!

Wouldn't bother me at all. I guess maybe if it was used as an insult, but it'd be a pretty shite insult.

Jesus Wept

hondasam wrote: »

Thanks should we hug now

Complicated handshake + fist bumb.

OPENROAD

Mahou wrote: »

In a bar in Heathrow airport with horse racing on years ago. Got chatting to a Londoner and he says "You Paddies are great jockeys"
My brain wobbled on hearing this and I said "Yes, horses are good"

Funny have never experienced that myself in London. The only time I have got it was from an American.

southsiderosie

OPENROAD wrote: »

What about calling Americans "Yanks" ?

Not the same. That word may be used in a pejorative way, but there is not a history of repression and power imbalance behind it.

Excedion

Eh paddy isnt one that annoys me no. I find it hilarious when people take the piss of the misconceptions, one rpg game i played had ireland in it and everyone was a leprechaun called patrick. it was just so hilariously ridiculuous when they tell you to go talk to patrick...

Anyway no. The only thing that annoys me a bit is the whole shock and awe thing american tourists have when i dont wear an aran sweater and live in a thatched roof cottage

hondasam

The-Rigger wrote: »

Complicated handshake + fist bumb.

Done

TaraFoxglove

Kojak wrote: »

It wouldn't really bother me, tbh.

sure most of the time, irish people say "paddy's day" for the 17th of march.

Paddy is short for Patrick.

I only recently found out that 'Mick' was/is a derogatory term for Irish people used by Americans.

major bill

TaraFoxglove wrote: »

Paddy is short for Patrick.

I only recently found out that 'Mick' was/is a derogatory term for Irish people used by Americans.

Its used in Britain aswell!!!

machete happy

I find it irritating because of its derogatory context. It was first used by the British media in the 1700s to portray paddy as the Irish muck savage simpleton. Political historians have published works on the British newspapers sterotyping of the Irish during the period 1700-1900s, an interesting book is ''The eternal Paddy: irish identity and the British press'' by Michael de Nie.
So yes, naturally I find being called a Paddy offensive given its unsavoury orgins and still present derogatory colonial undertone. :pac:

Lanaier

machete happy wrote: »

I find it irritating because of its derogatory context. It was first used by the British media in the 1700s to portray paddy as the Irish muck savage simpleton. Political historians have published works on the British newspapers sterotyping of the Irish during the period 1700-1900s, an interesting book is ''The eternal Paddy: irish identity and the British press'' by Michael de Nie.
So yes, naturally I find being called a Paddy offensive given its unsavoury orgins and still present derogatory colonial undertone. :pac:

Indeed but thats not it's origin.

It's origin is a nickname for "Patrick" or "Padraig", all that propaganda stuff came later.

Paddy Cow

hondasam wrote: »

I find it offensive when anyone other than an Irish person say's it.

That's right. It's our word :mad: It doesn't actually bother me :P

OPENROAD

Paddy Cow wrote: »

That's right. It's our word :mad: It doesn't actually bother me :P

dey tuk our words :mad:

Paddy_Smith

No, I don't care to be honest.

hatrickpatrick

It's my name.

Azureus

Doesnt bother me in the slightest.
My thesis was pretty much about this-national indentity in relation to art representations/terminlology like paddy/n*gger, and it happens in every society as does stereotyping. The nice thing about Irish people in my opinion is that we kind of embrace these things and take the piss with them, where a lot of other cultures tend to get all high and mighty/defensive. Then again, maybe we are just too lazy to bother with all that

Joey the lips

I have a cousin in england who named his child paddy. Not patrick but paddy. So go figure. It must be the irish equiv of naming your child hubert or something (sorry hugh)

anyway we might be paddies but they are english B.....abes?

Predator_

Its the same as calling someone a 'paki'. Of course its offensive.

Biggins

Jay Kay (of Jamiroquai) when we'd meet called me it as a tease and rib pulling but there never is no maliciousness in it, rather said in an understanding of friendship, one close enough to take the friendly pee out of each other - and we do.
I take no insult from it directly - it ALL depends (in each instance) in the context and conditions, mood, etc of which its used - just like any other word.

Coriolanus

Harden the fúck up. Were not a nation of pussies.

WindSock

Like everything else it depends on the intent behind it. I hate the its our word thing, we call it paddys day, so what. I think this is a case where 'oh well we can't say Paki' or whatever, therefore we must have our own word to get offended by.

Skerries

i think we should boycott China as it is full of Paddy fields!

up for anything

Azureus wrote: »

Doesnt bother me in the slightest.
My thesis was pretty much about this-national indentity in relation to art representations/terminlology like paddy/n*gger, and it happens in every society as does stereotyping. The nice thing about Irish people in my opinion is that we kind of embrace these things and take the piss with them, where a lot of other cultures tend to get all high and mighty/defensive. Then again, maybe we are just too lazy to bother with all that

No, that's not it. It's because we're too hungover and busy looking for the nearest open pub to be bothered.

Biggins

Biggins wrote: »

Jay Kay (of Jamiroquai) when we'd meet called

There's either a good story here or Biggins needs to be taught about dream versus reality again.

sbsquarepants

I have no problem whatsoever being refered to as a paddy.
I'm sick of all this political correctness, it doesn't matter what someone calls you if they don't like you - whatever they call you is, by default, a derogatary term.
If some racist hillbilly hates black people for example - he hates them whether he calls them níggers or if he calls them perfectly lovely people of dark complexion or whatever the politicaly correct term is. The word doesn't matter the INTENT does.
If Jay-Z for example, a man i greatly admire, is happy enough to call himself a nígger then he should be happy for me or for anyone else to call him one too (he probably wouldn't be, but i think he should), and by the same token he can call me a paddy without any problems. I think if more people adopted this stance there would be a lot less racial tension in the world.

ISDW

I lived in the UK for years, don't find it offensive, my Dad was always called Paddy in work, I think some people thought that was actually his name:rolleyes: A lot of his mates used to call him Paddy McGinty, just messing, I think Val Doonican might have had something to do with that?:P

It is different though to the word Paki, that is a derogatory word used for people from the Indian sub-continent, not just for people from Pakistan, I think its a racist term.

sh1tstirrer

What about silly surnames that they have in the UK like Shufflebottom, Ramsbottom, Ball, Daft, Cock, Pratt and theres plenty more silly surnames.

Lando Griffin

Not really bothered with it, we would be the first to use it to our advantage for instance Paddy Wagan tours. Hardly a group of racist tourists travelling around Ireland.
What I do not agree with is the Charliville cheese add on telly, showing us to be a load of dancing idiots wearing peak hats and Aran jumpers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypMYqT9sXTE

rainbowdrop

The thing is, when English people call you 'Paddy' or use the phrases 'that's a bit Irish' (stupid) or 'having a paddy' (having a tantrum), they don't actually mean to be derogatory cos most of them don't know that it is offensive. I'm sure most of them, if they knew they were offending you would stop using the word/phrase. They just don't know that we don't like it.