Why does the UK have two things named faggot?
Posted by Beloafer@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 29 comments
Faggot- A British meatball made of pork liver, heart and belly
Fag- A improper way of saying a cigarette.
Why does the UK do this
spaceshipcommander@reddit
You mean the language which we invented? Surely your question is why do other countries butcher our language?
BladesMan235@reddit
lol English is basically a random hodgepodge of different languages that we decided to hack together and then get all snotty about
spaceshipcommander@reddit
That is a stupid argument. By that definition, so is everything else. Do you also claim French and Italian are the same thing? What about cake and eggs? Are they the same thing?
BladesMan235@reddit
Why is it a stupid argument? You’re getting snotty about somebody butchering the language we “invented” by basically mashing different languages together. Your snotty argument might hold some weight if it was completely developed from scratch. But in my view you can’t butcher something that’s put together by other butchers already.
cuccir@reddit
Etymonline is your friend!
Faggot originally referred to a small bundle of sticks (this use still applies).
It then became applied to the meatball, because it was made of a load of things bundled and tied together.
Fag in terms of cigarette is not a shorten ING of faggot, it's an old word for a small bit of cloth which may be related to flag
Beloafer@reddit (OP)
This is the best reply here
TheGoose995@reddit
No one calls a cigarette a faggot, nor would you call the food item a fag. So they aren’t the same
Beloafer@reddit (OP)
A cigarette is called a fag sometimes and a certain kind of meat ball is called a faggot
Crookfur@reddit
Oh it has more things called faggots...
A lump of peat for the fire, a bundle of sticks/kindling used to start a fire, a bundle of metal rods and a younger boy/servant (particularly in certain "public schools").
Basic reason is that its a old term for a bundle of stuff, to bundle stuff up or someone who tidies or bundles stuff.
From the greek phakelos via the French.
Funnily enough if you go from the Greek via Italian you end up at fascism...
c0tch@reddit
A fag smoking wise is a fag end a bit of old cloth.
A faggot the food is because of the way it was I assumed bundled together or maybe how it looked.
The origin term faggot is a bundle of sticks which you overlooked.
Both these things predate the terminology to call a homosexual that word. So maybe you should ask Americans why they used the word as a slur on homosexuals rather than the words origin which is much earlier you oaf.
Beloafer@reddit (OP)
Oh ok
One_Philosophy_6591@reddit
The word was in use before the slur was associated with it. It's been in use since the 13c to refer to a bundle of sticks. The food around the 1850s.
Acceptable-Smile8864@reddit
Well they are two different words so you can stop being all worried about it. They even have a different number of letters in case you hadn’t noticed.
Now for fun go and google “fagging”.
Fine-Huckleberry4165@reddit
They are not the same word. I have never heard faggot used for a cigarette. Fag and faggot are different words, just like bus and business are different words.
Mister_Cornetto@reddit
Can also refer to a branch/twig, or bunch of twigs.
Rest_In_Many_Pieces@reddit
Actually it's got 3, but the other one isn't an appropriate term to say or use.
Silver_Macaroon1875@reddit
4, if you include the original which is a unit of measurement.
jjgill27@reddit
That’s an Americanism though
sunheadeddeity@reddit
Three things: can be a bundle of firewood too.
Relevant_Natural3471@reddit
https://www.etymonline.com/word/faggot
https://www.etymonline.com/word/fag
AskUK-ModTeam@reddit
Some questions can easily be searched online in order to find an answer - including questions like "what should I see when visiting the UK?" or "what is the average salary of an X job?" or "what is living in Y like?" or "where can I buy X?" or "is Y product any good?"
AskUK is unable to be your search engine and the answers to these questions are easily found using basic research and internet-skills. If you struggle to find the result of your question using Google or other search engine, make sure that you use all the tricks and tips available and try again.
For visiting and tourist related suggestions, we suggest WikiTravel, WikiVoyage, or TripAdvisor. There also may be more regional subreddits such as /r/London or /r/Manchester that will provide better answers.
If you have already make all efforts to search online, please delete your post and re-ask the question including more detail about what you have looked for, found, or heard.
Pyriel@reddit
It doesn't. you're wrong.
Opposite_Radio9388@reddit
Dude, you know it's a slur. Don't write it.
tmr89@reddit
Redditor discovers polysemy! Their mind is soon to be blown when they find out the other cases
SpudFire@reddit
But that's not two things named faggot, that's bone thing called faggot and one called fag...
princewinter@reddit
Yes, that's the only word with multiple language in the UK good spot.
BreqsCousin@reddit
They haven't even got the wood definition.
OP if you're going to come up with excuses to say a rude word at least do your homework properly.
krsnxn67@reddit
Also, a bundle of sticks bound together.
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.