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It'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
by Peroni 13y ago
It'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).