Ned is a derogatory term applied in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
to
hooligans
Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events.
Etymology
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a ...
, louts or
petty criminal
A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than adm ...
s.
[BBC News - Neds make it into the dictionary](_blank)
, 9 June 2005, reporting definition in ''Collins English Dictionary''; retrieved 8 May 2006
Early use of term
The ''Oxford Living Dictionaries'' dates the term to the early 19th century. Examples are plentiful through the 20th century. Former Chief Constable of Glasgow Sir
Percy Sillitoe
Sir Percy Joseph Sillitoe KBE DL (22 May 1888 – 5 April 1962) was a chief constable of several police forces. He changed the role of radios, civilian staff, and women police officers within the police. He was later Director General of MI5, ...
noted use of the word by gangs and police in the 1930s.
Leader columns of newspapers in the 1960s featured the term in relation to teenage gang violence.
[Stirling Observer counties edition, "Stop the Rise of the teen-ager" July 1960] In a 1962 book, the crime writer and broadcaster
Bill Knox referred to stolen cars turning up after having been taken "by a bunch of neds who want transport for some house-breaking job". He publicised the term more widely in his 1970s police report series ''Crimedesk'', made and broadcast by
STV.
In his 1975 novel ''Rally to Kill'', Knox described "neds" as Glasgow's "tag for small-time hoodlums", saying that "neds" and their families from the
Gorbals
The Gorbals is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, on the south bank of the River Clyde. By the late 19th century, it had become densely populated; rural migrants and immigrants were attracted by the new industries and employment opportun ...
had been rehoused elsewhere in the city, "taking their violence with them to the new areas".
A 1982 analysis of crime fiction notes Knox's 1977 novel ''Pilot Error'' describing
Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police was the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council areas of Argyll and Bute, City of Glasgow, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshir ...
as being unconcerned about "neds" getting hurt in a fight as long as no one else is affected and translates the term as "Glasgow slang for
hoods".
In his 2002 autobiography ''
Granny Made me an Anarchist
Stuart Christie (10 July 1946 – 15 August 2020) was a Scottish anarchist writer and publisher. When aged 18, Christie was arrested while carrying explosives to assassinate the Spanish caudillo, General Francisco Franco. He was later alleged ...
'', the Glaswegian writer
Stuart Christie
Stuart Christie (10 July 1946 – 15 August 2020) was a Scottish anarchist writer and publisher. When aged 18, Christie was arrested while carrying explosives to assassinate the Spanish caudillo, General Francisco Franco. He was later alleged ...
described the Glasgow "Neds" as preceding the
Teddy Boy
The Teddy Boys or Teds were a mainly British youth subculture of the mid 1950s to mid 1960s who were interested in rock and roll and R&B music, wearing clothes partly inspired by the styles worn by dandies in the Edwardian period, which Savil ...
s of 1955 as a hangover from the poverty of the 1930s. These "Neds" had long hair parted in the middle and smoothed down with
liquid paraffin, commonly with a
"dowt" tucked behind their ear as a fire hazard which in
urban legend
An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...
had resulted in one "Ned" getting severe burns. He describes them as slouching along with their elbows projecting aggressively, wearing a white silk scarf tucked into their tightly buttoned jacket, and carrying a
cut-throat razor
A straight razor is a razor with a blade that can fold into its handle. They are also called open razors and cut-throat razors. The predecessors of the modern straight razors include bronze razors, with cutting edges and fixed handles, produced b ...
in its breast pocket. Over this, on outings for a fight or a dance, they allegedly wore an old
tweed
Tweed is a rough, woollen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture, resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is usually woven with a plain weave, twill or herringbone structure. Colour effects in the yarn may be obtained ...
overcoat
An overcoat is a type of long coat (clothing), coat intended to be worn as the outermost garment, which usually extends below the knee. Overcoats are most commonly used in winter when warmth is more important.
They are sometimes confused with ...
with weapons such as hatchets or hammers concealed in the lining. According to Christie, the "Teds" who followed them also had a reputation for wild behaviour, but were too concerned about their clothes to engage in aggression.
Ned culture
In 2003, the
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP; gd, Pàrtaidh Sòisealach na h-Alba; sco, Scots Socialist Pairtie) is a left-wing political party campaigning for the establishment of an independent socialist Scotland.
The party was founded in 1998. It c ...
MSP
Rosie Kane
Rosemary "Rosie" Kane (née McGarvey) (born on 5 June 1961 in Glasgow) is a Scottish Socialist Party politician. She was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow Region from 2003 to 2007.
Political history
Introduction to pol ...
tabled a question to the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
condemning use of the word ned which she said was degrading and insulting to young people as it stood for non-educated delinquent.
This is a widespread
folk etymology
Folk etymology (also known as popular etymology, analogical reformation, reanalysis, morphological reanalysis or etymological reinterpretation) is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a more famili ...
, but appears to be a
backronym
A backronym is an acronym formed from an already existing word by expanding its letters into the words of a phrase. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology. The ...
arising long after the term came into use.
A 2011 study using
ethnography
Ethnography (from Greek ''ethnos'' "folk, people, nation" and ''grapho'' "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject o ...
as a methodology of
linguistic research
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
found working-class adolescent males in a high school in the south side of Glasgow deploying a number of distinct social identities:
* those identified as "neds" by themselves and others
* "alternatives" (sometimes called "
Goths
The Goths ( got, 𐌲𐌿𐍄𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰, translit=''Gutþiuda''; la, Gothi, grc-gre, Γότθοι, Gótthoi) were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Europe ...
" or "
Moshers") who enjoyed rock music and wore black clothes
* "sports" who enjoyed football and rugby and wore trainers and sports clothing
* "schoolies" who generally did not play sports but played musical instruments.
Many pupils in the study distanced themselves from the stereotypes. Each group had a characteristic way of speaking and used this to create social identity. Those in the "ned" category, for example, lowered tones in words such as "cat" and extended the vowels. This in itself was insufficient to identify someone as being a "ned": consideration of clothing and social activities was also needed. Both the "neds" and the "sports" had an attitude of enjoying engaging in physical violence while the "schoolies" avoided violence, but antisocial behaviour was often only carried out by a small minority of adolescents. The "neds" were just as concerned about violence and crime as the other groups, but, unlike them, socialised in the street rather than being engaged in the school culture.
an
Full Report
In Dundee, the
Roma
Roma or ROMA may refer to:
Places Australia
* Roma, Queensland, a town
** Roma Airport
** Roma Courthouse
** Electoral district of Roma, defunct
** Town of Roma, defunct town, now part of the Maranoa Regional Council
*Roma Street, Brisbane, a ...
word ''gadgie'' (
a non-Roma man) has been used historically; however, ''ned'' has been introduced by popular culture. In all other parts of Scotland and in parts of northeast England (particularly Newcastle upon Tyne), ''gadgie'' remains current with its Roma meaning.
British
psychologist
A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how indi ...
Adrian Raine
Adrian Raine (born 27 January 1954) is a British psychologist. He currently holds the chair of Richard Perry University Professor of Criminology & Psychiatry in the Department of Criminology of the School of Arts and Sciences and in the Departmen ...
has expressed contempt for what he feels is the glorification of ned culture in the Scottish media. He has also opined that ned culture is closely correlated with
psychopathy
Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent Anti-social behaviour, antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and Boldness, bold, Disinhibition, disinhibited, and Egotism, egotistical B ...
.
By 2006, the term
chav
"Chav" (), also "charver", "scally" and "roadman" in parts of England, is a British term, usually used in a pejorative way. The term is used to describe an anti-social lower-class youth dressed in sportswear.
*
*
*
* "Chavette" is a related te ...
from the South of England was used across the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
with ned often seen as the synonymous Scottish term. Other local terms are "schemies" in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
and "scallies" in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
.
In popular culture
Neds became a staple of Scottish comedy and neddish characters feature in
sketch shows such as ''
Chewin' the Fat
''Chewin' the Fat'' is a Scottish comedy sketch show, starring Ford Kiernan, Greg Hemphill and Karen Dunbar. Comedians Paul Riley and Mark Cox also appeared regularly on the show among other actors such as Gregor Fisher and Tom Urie.
''Chewi ...
'',
''
Limmy's Show
''Limmy's Show!'' is a Scottish surreal comedy sketch show broadcast on BBC Two Scotland, written, directed and based on the 2006 podcast Limmy's World of Glasgow by Brian "Limmy" Limond, who stars as himself and a variety of characters in a s ...
'', and ''
Burnistoun
''Burnistoun'' is a Scottish comedy sketch show broadcast by BBC Scotland, written by the comedians Iain Connell and Robert Florence. The show was produced by The Comedy Unit.
The series is set in a fictional Scottish town called Burnistoun i ...
'', and sitcom ''
Still Game
''Still Game'' is a Scottish sitcom, produced by The Comedy Unit with BBC Scotland. It was created by Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill, who played the lead characters, Jack Jarvis, Esq and Victor McDade, two Glaswegian pensioners. The characte ...
''. Scottish
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
River City
''River City'' is a Scottish television soap opera that was first broadcast on BBC One Scotland on 24 September 2002. ''River City'' follows the lives of the people who live and work in the fictional district of Shieldinch. In November 2017, a s ...
'' has featured neds such as Shellsuit Bob.
''
Neds'' is a 2010 film by director
Peter Mullan
Peter Mullan (; born 2 November 1959) is a Scottish actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his role in Ken Loach's ''My Name Is Joe'' (1998), for which he won Best Actor Award at 1998 Cannes Film Festival, 2000's '' The Claim'' and all thr ...
which won best film at the
San Sebastian Film Festival in September 2010.
A 2020 Graeme Armstrong novel, ''The Young Team'', set in
Airdrie, North Lanarkshire
Airdrie (; sco, Airdrie; gd, An t-Àrd Ruigh) is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It lies on a plateau roughly 400 ft (130 m) above sea level, and is approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of Glasgow city centre. , the town had a ...
a few miles east of Glasgow and narrated by a
gang member
A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...
in the
local dialect
Local may refer to:
Geography and transportation
* Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand
* Local, Missouri, a community in the United States
* Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administra ...
, focuses on the 'ned culture' of the region in the early 21st century.
The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong review – a swaggering, incendiary debut
Jude Cook, The Guardian, 13 March 2020
See also
*Chav
"Chav" (), also "charver", "scally" and "roadman" in parts of England, is a British term, usually used in a pejorative way. The term is used to describe an anti-social lower-class youth dressed in sportswear.
*
*
*
* "Chavette" is a related te ...
*Flaite
''Flaite'' () is a Chilean Spanish slang used to define urban youth of aggressive attitude who are linked to vulgar habits and crime. The stereotype of the ''flaite'' is from a low socioeconomic background, can be a delinquent, travel in groups, an ...
*Football casuals
The casual subculture is a subsection of association football culture, football culture that is typified by football hooliganism, hooliganism and the wearing of expensive designer clothing (known as "clobber"). The subculture originated in the U ...
* Dres
* Glasgow gangs
*Gopnik
A gopnik (russian: гопник, gopnik, ; uk, гопник, hopnyk; be, гопнік, hopnik) is a member of a Juvenile delinquency, delinquent subculture in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and in other Post-Soviet states, former Soviet republics ...
*Skeet (Newfoundland) The noun skeet in Newfoundland and Labrador English is considered to be a pejorative epithet. Though it has never been formally defined in the Dictionary of Newfoundland English, it is used as a stereotype to describe someone who is ignorant, aggre ...
*Suedehead
"Suedehead" is a 1988 single by English singer Morrissey, released on 15 February 1988. Co-written by Morrissey and former Smiths producer Stephen Street, the song was Morrissey's first solo release after the Smiths break-up. Morrissey was in ...
References
External links
{{wiktionary, ned
Chewin the Fat - Neducation
Class-related slurs
Scottish words and phrases
Stereotypes of the working class
Working-class culture in the United Kingdom
Youth culture in the United Kingdom
Socioeconomic stereotypes