When I was younger, I used to get into trouble for using words and phrases that I had heard on the playground or in the classroom, but didn't have a clue what they meant. I would hear an insult, jibe, or colourful adverb that I thought sounded quite cool, remember it, use it in conversation, and inevitably land myself in a lot of grief.
I remember calling a boy at church a 'sex maniac' on one occasion. On the playground at junior school I approached a dinner-lady and told her that my friend was being a 'cunt', and I'll never forget the occasion when, at the age of 5, I announced to my family at the dinner-table that I'd had a hard day and was feeling 'fucking tired'.
I had thought that I'd left this undesirable trait behind, but in recent weeks it has reared its ugly head. A friend at work referred to me as a 'numpty'. I thought it sounded like a quirky little insult so have been using it myself. Problem is, I have no idea what a 'numpty' actually is.
Could anyone enlighten me? I really don't want to offend anyone!
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3 comments:
No idea what the official definition or origin of 'numpty' is. My understanding is it's a general term of mild abuse for someone who is either incompetent or foolish.
The thing you need at junior school is a (much) older sibling, who knows all the words, so you can go home and ask (parents are hopeless here.) I was the eldest so I have similar stories to you, usually about being laughed at cos I had no idea what I was being called at school.
I remember at school (age <10) being asked "are you a virgin"? Now, the only time I'd heard the word "virgin" at that point was in the context "virgin Mary". I was nothing like the virgin Mary. So I answered "No". Oh, was that the wrong answer.
I first discovered the word "numpty" when I was football coaching about 10 years ago - and most of the time I hear the term now it's normally in the context of a child who is rather ungainly and lacks basic coordination.
Thus to call an adult a "numpty" is to equate them with a bit of a spaccer ;)
(aaaah, now there's another one).
Here's a good resource for you:
Urban Dictionary
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