Ned (Scottish)

"Neds" redirects here. For the 2010 film, see Neds (film).

Ned is a derogatory term applied in Scotland to hooligans, louts or petty criminals, latterly with the stereotypical implication that they wear casual sports clothes. Such usage in Glasgow dates back to the 1960s or earlier.

Early use of term

The Oxford English Dictionary dates the term to the early 19th century. Former Chief Constable of Glasgow Sir Percy Sillitoe 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. 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 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 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, the Glaswegian writer Stuart Christie described the Glasgow "Neds" as preceding the Teddy Boys 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 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 in its breast pocket. Over this, on outings for a fight or a dance, they allegedly wore an old tweed overcoat 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

Neds and "ned culture" are associated with violence, particularly in poorer housing schemes constructed on the periphery of towns or cities in the post-war era. These lack the social facilities of city centres where former working-class areas have been redeveloped, and gangs of bored youths hang around isolated areas drinking and taking drugs. They are likely to carry knives as part of a culture of violence leading to Scotland having a higher murder rate than England, though gun crime is rare and the murder rate is significantly lower than that in the United States. Common slang terms are to "chib", stab with a knife or sharp weapon, and "a square go" meaning a fair fight between two individuals.

One folk etymology for Ned is that it stands for "Non-Educated Delinquent," a backronym which arose long after the word "ned" came into use. In 2003, the Scottish Socialist Party MSP Rosie Kane tabled a question to the Scottish Parliament condemning use of the word "ned", which she said was degrading and insulting to young people as it stood for non-educated delinquent.

A 2011 study using ethnography as a methodology of linguistic research found working-class adolescent males in a high school in the south side of Glasgow deploying a number of distinct social identities: as well as those identified as "neds" by themselves and others, pupils were grouped as "alternatives" (sometimes called "Goths" or "Moshers") who enjoyed rock music and wore black clothes, "sports" who enjoyed football and rugby and wore trainers and sports clothing, and "schoolies" who generally did not play sports but played musical instruments. Unlike other groups, the "neds" socialised in the street rather than being engaged in the school culture. 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, and many in the study distanced themselves from the stereotypes. The "ned" group were just as concerned about violence and crime as the others.

In 2007, it was reported that in Glasgow the term Tea Boy had become an increasingly popular alternative to "ned". "Tea mobile" (a play on mobile phone corporation T-Mobile), a reference to a ned's automobile, had also spun off from this term.

In Dundee the Roma 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 parts of north east England (particularly Newcastle upon Tyne) gadgie retains its Roma meaning.

British psychologist Adrian Raine 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.

By 2006 the term chav from the South of England was used across the United Kingdom, with ned often seen as the synonymous Scottish term. Other local terms are "schemies" in Edinburgh and "scallies" in Liverpool.

In popular culture

Neds became a staple of Scottish comedy, and neddish characters feature in sketch shows such as Chewin' the Fat, Still Game, Limmy's Show and Burnistoun.

Neds is a 2010 film by director Peter Mullan which won best film at the San Sebastian Film Festival in September 2010.

See also

• Chav
• Flaite
• Football casuals
• Gopnik
• Skeet (Newfoundland)
• Suedehead

External links

• Chewin the Fat - Neducation