Is the term 'redneck' an offensive term?

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What is the meaning of 'Redneck'?
Definition of redneck. 1 sometimes disparaging: a white member of the Southern rural laboring class. 2 often disparaging: a person whose behavior and opinions are similar to those attributed to rednecks.
 
Redneck is a derogatory term chiefly, but not exclusively, applied to white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the Southern United States.[1][2] Its usage is similar in meaning to cracker (especially regarding Texas, Georgia, and Florida), hillbilly (especially regarding Appalachia and the Ozarks),[3] and white trash (but without the last term's suggestions of immorality).[4][5][6] In Britain the Cambridge Dictionary definition states: "a poor, white person without education, esp. one living in the countryside in the southern US, who is believed to have prejudiced ideas and beliefs. This word is usually considered offensive."[7] People from the white South sometimes jocularly call themselves "rednecks" as insider humor.[8]
 

Remy said:
I went to see Jeff Foxworthy over 20 years ago when he came to one of the casinos. He was funny. Lots of new material.

One of my favorite Rednecks of his: "If you've been married 3 times and still have the same in-laws, you might be a Redneck."
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if you have a working TV sitting on top of a NON-working TV... ya might...
 
jerry old said:
It is okay to use 'redneck,' it is not okay to use 'white trash.'
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what's the difference..why can't you ?...we don't have the term redneck here , but it means the same as underclass , or Chav which is commonly used to describe people that are as described on this forum

I wouldn't call anyone that to their face.. but when discussing a type of person we all know what is meant when we use those words in the UK
 
hollydolly said:
what's the difference..why can't you ?...we don't have the term redneck here , but it means the same as underclass , or Chav which is commonly used to describe people that are as described on this forum

I wouldn't call anyone that to their face.. but when discussing a type of person we all know what is meant when we use those words in the UK
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You call someone "white trash" to their face, you are looking for fight.

You call someone a redneck they may smile and say "darn Right"
 
hollydolly said:
what's the difference..why can't you ?...we don't have the term redneck here , but it means the same as underclass , or Chav which is commonly used to describe people that are as described on this forum

I wouldn't call anyone that to their face.. but when discussing a type of person we all know what is meant when we use those words in the UK
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Redneck may drink moonshine or even make it.

White trash would have a meth lab in their trailer.
 
J.B Books said:
You call someone "white trash" to their face, you are looking for fight.

You call someone a redneck they may smile and say "darn Right"
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I wasn't thinking of calling it to their face lol...

I remember years ago watching an interview with Roseanne Barr, while she was still at the top of her game in Roseanne, and she said.. ' I'm every American citizens nightmare, White trash with money ''
 
garyt1957 said:
Redneck is absolutely derogatory. The difference is, rednecks refuse to fall for that crap and be "hurt" and instead embrace it.
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Yeah.... try being a New Yorker or a Californian and walk into a country western dive bar then go up to some cowboy hat wearing drunk and say "Yo, redneck.... whussup??"

You'd probably end up swinging by the neck from a tree limb in the woods out behind the place.
 
Jim W. said:
Yeah.... try being a New Yorker or a Californian and walk into a country western dive bar then go up to some cowboy hat wearing drunk and say "Yo, redneck.... whussup??"

You'd probably end up swinging by the neck from a tree limb in the woods out behind the place.
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Well that's just stupid, I don't care who you are.

Unless of course the New Yorker says to his friends first.."Y'all watch this" before he walks up to the Cowboy.
 
I would say "redneck" is not an offensive term. Well, first, who is a redneck? Anyone, who............ And that is your answer. It is about behavior rather than based on racial , nor ethnic factors, even though most rednecks tend to be Caucasian. I would classify it as the same as liberal, conservative, progressive, etc.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I would say "redneck" is not an offensive term. Well, first, who is a redneck? Anyone, who............ And that is your answer. It is about behavior rather than based on racial , nor ethnic factors, even though most rednecks tend to be Caucasian. I would classify it as the same as liberal, conservative, progressive, etc.
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No. Redneck isn't about behavior. White trash is. Redneck is 'country' and isn't seen as an insult in the south, southwest, and western rural parts of the US ...probably the midwest as well. The exception to that is if it's meant as a slur by the person saying it.
 
J.B Books said:
Well that's just stupid, I don't care who you are.

Unless of course the New Yorker says to his friends first.."Y'all watch this" before he walks up to the Cowboy.
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Whether the act of doing that is stupid or not is beside the point.

The point is, that the term redneck is considered offensive or not offensive depending on who says it to who.
 
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