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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2007Nigel
Hi, experts on Australian slang, What is a Nigel or nigel? According to Cassell's Dictionary of Slang it stands for a "friendless male", derived from the "proper name Nigel seen as quintessentially upper-class and vapid". Frankly, this entry is a bit puzzling to me. What sort of person would be called (a) nigel? A snobbish, selfish man, a stupid or narrowminded one? Your comments would be much appreciated. Ho  SignatureIf you mail me direct take the ho out of freesesho@web.de > What is a Nigel or nigel? According to Cassell's Dictionary of Slang it > stands for a "friendless male", derived from the "proper name Nigel seen as > quintessentially upper-class and vapid". Frankly, this entry is a bit > puzzling to me. What sort of person would be called (a) nigel? A snobbish, > selfish man, a stupid or narrowminded one? > Your comments would be much appreciated. An "Upper-Class Twit" (UCT). A toff. A snob. > > What is a Nigel or nigel? According to Cassell's Dictionary of Slang it > > stands for a "friendless male", derived from the "proper name Nigel seen [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > An "Upper-Class Twit" (UCT). A toff. A snob. What we used to call a chinless wonder when I was a lad. athel In 50 years in Oz, I have never come across this term. Perhaps the original users were "Nigels" > Hi, experts on Australian slang, > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > -- > If you mail me direct take the ho out of freesesho@web.de >In 50 years in Oz, I have never come across this term. >Perhaps the original users were "Nigels" Or Legin. >Hi, experts on Australian slang, > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >selfish man, a stupid or narrowminded one? >Your comments would be much appreciated. It isn't all that common. If I heard it, it would be like calling someone "a bit of a Cec" (for Cecil) or a Trevor or something like that. The name varies. The implication is that these names are not typically those of your red-blooded, fair dinkum, ocker male so the owner would be more vapid, a bit of an outsider, not one of the lads. It hints at milksoppery but doesn't entail it. The class implication is not direct as Australians don't really worry about that sort of thing, usage-wise that is. We dress any class consciousness as other points of difference. SignatureRichard Bollard Canberra Australia To email, I'm at AMT not spAMT. > Hi, experts on Australian slang, > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Ho A variation is Nigel No-Friends. He tucks his shirt into his undies. Nigel is the antithesis of Bruce. Stupot |
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