Spide

A spide (also known as steek, particularly to the younger generation), is a pejorative stereotype, in Northern Ireland, especially in Belfast, of a person who has a particular dress code and attitude. Spides are often young, unemployed, male adults. The term predates "chav" (originally slang from south-east England, now widespread in the UK media) by at least a decade, and while the description is similar, it is not identical. The female version of spide is "millie", this name is decades old and is a reference to girls who used to work in the Belfast mills but now refers only to the spide counterparts. Many negative perceptions are associated with the stereotype. These include allegations that they engage in anti-social behaviour, joyride, and often consume alcohol and/or drugs underage. They are also often seen as boy racers, who loiter in car parks and public places playing music loudly from modified cars with up-rated hi-fis.

Other slang terms for "spides" include "smicks", "mokes", "steeks" and "jhants" The use of these terms often depends on the town, city or county within Northern Ireland.

Description

Spides dress very similarly to their Chav counterparts in England; many wear fleeces and polyester jackets from designer outdoor sporting brands such as Berghaus, Bench., Henri Lloyd and Helly Hansen, large amounts of jewellery (mostly consisting of necklaces, sovereign rings and loose fitting bracelets and watches), tracksuits (often worn with sleeves rolled up), white or black trainers (often Nike Air Max BWs or TNs) and baseball caps tilted at a 40 degree angle with tight beaks. Many sport thin, unformed mustasches which are often jokingly referred to as "barcodes", and have "Short back and sides", "Mullet" or "Skinhead" hairstyles, often stylised with stripes and/or Swooshes. Their preferred music is often Trance, Techno, Hard House and Bouncy House.

Dialect

Spides are known for having thick Belfast accents. They often tut between sentences, and put emphasis into pronouncing words. Common words include "lawd (lad)", "fawkin' (fucking)" and "like".

Origin of the name

The name is thought to have originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s. During this time "tartan gangs" were popular in Belfast. Due to the tartan patterns of their jeans, they gained the nickname "spidermen", later shortened to "spide". While the tartan gangs of the time were closely associated with the Loyalist groupings of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Ulster Young Militants (UYM), the term spide is applied to youths from both the loyalist and republican communities, and appears to be wholly without sectarian bias. Spides may support the paramilitary organisations of their background, such as the UDA or IRA.

The name may also have originated as a reference to elbow or neck spider web tattoos before it gradually gained a more general meaning to cover young people from working class areas.

See also

• Ah beng (Singapore/Malaysia)
• Arsim (Israel)
• Bogan and Hoon (Australia and New Zealand)
• Chav (England)
• Dres (Poland)
• Gopnik (Russia)
• Naco (Mexico)
• Ned in Scotland
• Skanger (Ireland)
• White Trash (United States)
• Cigany (Hungary)
• Boy racer

External links

• The Spide Generator