12 Everyday Words You Use That Are Actually Racist
5. Gyp
Someone might be walking down the street and realise they have been overcharged for their sausage roll, so they'll turn and say: "I've been gypped out of my money." It appears on first hearing to be a harmless statement - but in actual fact it draws from extremely racist connotations. Not only does it derive from calling Eastern European Romani immigrants "gypsies" because they supposedly looked like Egyptians, it is even more offensive due to the fact it has further derogatory meanings. Racial stereotyping that the Romani people supposedly cheated and swindled money from people brought about the use of "gyp" as a verb or a noun. So next time, just say: "I've been swindled out of my money" instead, yeah?
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
Someone might be walking down the street and realise they have been overcharged for their sausage roll, so they'll turn and say: "I've been gypped out of my money." It appears on first hearing to be a harmless statement - but in actual fact it draws from extremely racist connotations. Not only does it derive from calling Eastern European Romani immigrants "gypsies" because they supposedly looked like Egyptians, it is even more offensive due to the fact it has further derogatory meanings. Racial stereotyping that the Romani people supposedly cheated and swindled money from people brought about the use of "gyp" as a verb or a noun. So next time, just say: "I've been swindled out of my money" instead, yeah?