4 ms·
> I hate to say it but Linus does seem—as one of the top 14% most vulgar users on GitHub—to be a tad foul-mouthed (with a particular affinity for filthy words l
by kenny_r 13y ago
> I hate to say it but Linus does seem—as one of the top 14% most vulgar users on GitHub—to be a tad foul-mouthed (with a particular affinity for filthy words like 'mick').
Is mick a filthy word? Linus probably often refers to a kernel developer named Mick, which then earned him this spot in the top 14%.
- qwerta 13y agoOther explanation is that Linus is a racist and most linux developers are Irish :-) Honestly I lived in Ireland for 7 years but I never heard of this word. I wander if they included other offensive words such as 'root' (in australia) or 'bush' :-)
- vacri 13y ago'root' is only offensive if you're described as a 'dud' one ;)
- JonnieCache 13y agoIt's a racial slur against the irish. Somehow I doubt that's how linus is using it though.
- Peroni 13y agoIt's a racial slur against the irish. - Only in the US. If you were to call an Irish person a mick anywhere outside of the US you'd be met with a confused look and them re-introducing themselves with their actual name.
- DanBC 13y agoEDIT: I was wrong! See Peroni's reply below. I leave my incorrect reply here. {{It's a slur in England. I guess it's probably dangerous to call people micks in Ireland and Northern Ireland.}}
- Peroni 13y agoIt really isn't. I'm Irish born & raised and have lived in London now for the last 4 years and not only have I never, ever heard the term used in a derogatory manor, I can't imagine any context where a fellow Irishman would take offence.
- gadders 13y agoTBH I'd say Paddy was more common in the UK as a term for the Irish, but neither are as common as Jock (Scottish) or Taff (Welsh). I'd say even Septic beats it (Septic Tank = Yank).
- Peroni 13y agoPaddy is definitely a lot more common but a bit weak on the scale of racial slurs.
- gadders 13y agoNot Irish, but as an Englishman I'd say it's maybe on a par with being called a Pom or a Limey (which offends me not at all).
- lifeisstillgood 13y agoListerine. As in : I'm not Listerine but GitMo horrifies me. Listerine is a anti-septic mouthwash in UK, where we have a definite Establishment streak of undeserved superiority re: our American cousins Listerine -> Anti-Septic -> Septic-tank -> Yank -> Yankee -> American Translation: I'm not anti-american but GitMo horrifies me. c.f. QI Xl episode
- caf 13y agoThese sorts of words can be highly localised. There was an Australian TV show called "Spicks and Specks" (named after a Bee Gees song), and Apple wouldn't let them put an app of the same name in their App Store because it's apparently offensive in the US.
- k-mcgrady 13y agoI've heard it outside the US too. However I'd say it's one of the least offensive terms for an Irish person (I'm Irish).
- willvarfar 13y agoAs a Brit, I've never heard of it meaning that. Is it as in "taking the mick"? Taking the Mickey Bliss -> Taking the [censored for fear of turning up in the top 17% of vulgar HNers] --> related to it being slang for being Irish? Maybe not then.
- gamache 13y agoNo, it's completely unrelated to rhyming slang. I believe it comes from the "Mc" which often begins Irish surnames.
- BellsOnSunday 13y agoIt's more likely because Mick/Michael is such a common Irish name, as in Paddy.
- tankenmate 13y agoMc is actually more common in Scottish names (it means son of, and short for Mac), Ó (or Ua) is more common for the Irish (means grandson or less commonly progeny of).
- mattdw 13y ago'Mick' is slang for Irish; it's a racial slur. Your theory seems more likely.
- areski 13y agowhen you are Linus Torvalds, you have to be able to violate a bit the code of conduit :) I loved it when he gives a finger to Nvidia : http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/06/torvalds-nvidia-linux/ http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/06/torvalds-nvidia...
- equalsione 13y agohttp://www.amazon.com/Asshole-Rule-Civilized-Workplace-Surviving/dp/0446698202 http://www.amazon.com/Asshole-Rule-Civilized-Workplace-Survi...
- stck 13y agomick is not on the list of recognized swear words: https://github.com/dfm/osrc/blob/master/ghdata/static/swears.txt https://github.com/dfm/osrc/blob/master/ghdata/static/swears...
- neqo 13y agoIt was 20 days ago: https://github.com/dfm/osrc/commit/c104c9eeb7d03f26b2c7acb580679a4ab08938af https://github.com/dfm/osrc/commit/c104c9eeb7d03f26b2c7acb58... It seems that their cache is a bit too aggressive :)
- arethuza 13y agoCould be from "taking the mick" - which is rhyming slang (Mickey Bliss).