Skally?

Posted by Lewis on October 24, 2003

In Reply to: Senses have changed over time posted by GPP on October 24, 2003

: : : : : : "For instance, the scally craze, with its council estate chic -- white trainers, gold jewelry and a shell suit -- is set for a comeback." That came from the Guardian today. Pronunciation? Meaning? Thanks.

: : : : : Pronounced as in scallywag - with much the same meaning. Used mostly in and around Liverpool to refer to lovable rogue, street urchin sort of folk. Imagine someone auditioning for the role of John Lennon's disreputable uncle and you'll be in the right general area.

: : : : I wouldn't describe scallys as being loveable rogues, not as the term is used today. The two boys who tortured Jamie Bulger to death were scallys and I wouldn't describe them as loveable.

: : : There are the Harry Enfield/Paul Whitehouse characters Barry & Gary & ? - who are scallys - it is a market-stall fashion culture, involving shell suits/trackies, fags, gassy cheap lager, chunky jewellery and dodgy haircuts. (perms and mullets preferable).
: : : Maybe Joey Boswell counts as a scally too - but Twiggy from "The Royle Family" is also of that ilk. What do you call a scally from Manchester? (apart from words not deemed acceptable in polite company)

: : : I think that pseudo-American street culture has joined naff Northwestern British to create New Scally.

: : : It's crap.

: : Well that's concise.

: : I had no idea that 'scally' was such a serious word. My grandma used to call my brother and I scallywags when we were kids, whenever we were playing up. And she only used it when we were committing minor offences, like picking the best cherries off the cherry trees in their orchard, before the pickers got to them to send to market.

: Usual US spelling is 'scalawag'. From Cambridge Dict Amer Engl: "someone who causes trouble in a playful way, or a charming person who is slightly dishonest." This is the way your grandma was using it.

: But during post-Civil War Reconstruction, 'scalawags' and 'carpetbaggers' enriched themselves at the expense of the broken South. Carpetbaggers were northerners who traveled south to make their fortunes; scalawags were southerners sympathetic to the Union who cashed in.

: Current UK usage of 'skally' form appears to be more serious than nipping some fruit from a tree.

I grew up with the slighty naughty meaning - usually a 'scallywag' was an impish child not doing anything too harmful.

I note that you used the spelling "skally" - is this the new version to distinguish it from the more innocent use?

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