# Is "Fenian" a banned word in the U.K.? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 21, 2006, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503 "2006-02-21T18:30:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2006, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/41 "2006-02-23T23:28:53Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/42 "2006-02-24T09:13:00Z")
If you’re Norn Irish it’s FEE-nyun, if you’re Southern Irish it’s FEE-nee-an. Short pronunciation guide for political parties with Irish names: Sinn Fein- Shin FAYN Fianna Fail- FEE-na Foil Fine Gael- FIN-ah Gayle ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/43 "2006-02-24T10:45:55Z")
If you’re in Glasgow and you use the word “fenian” in the wrong part of town, you’ll v. quickly find yourself in a world of trouble. ☹ A colleage at work is a regular at Old Firm games - he said the first time he was faced with 50,000 assorted Ranger’s fans screaming about killing “fenian scum”, it was a bit off-putting. One of the popular Rangers’ chants is: _Hullo! Hullo! We are the Billy Boys! Hullo! Hullo! You’ll know us by our noise! We’re up to our knees in Fenian blood, Surrender or you’ll die! For we are the Bridgeton Billy Boys._ Several government agencies tried to ban sectarian terms in their Scottish offices… > [@](#): > > GOVERNMENT staff have been threatened with the sack if they use sectarian words such as ‘Tim’, ‘left-footer’, ‘Hun’ and ‘proddy’. I imagine “fenian” would also be frowned upon. ([Home | The Scotsman](http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1365872002)) ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/44 "2006-02-24T11:43:43Z")
Report on attitudes to “fenian” in Glasgow - quite interesting reading. [http://tinyurl.com/qc4nv](http://tinyurl.com/qc4nv) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/45 "2006-02-24T15:10:53Z")
> [@Steve Wright](#): > > George Bernard Shaw was a _Fabian_. Different kettle of ghoti entirely. _snertle_ ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/46 "2006-02-25T00:01:15Z")
> [@](#): > > GOVERNMENT staff have been threatened with the sack if they use sectarian words such as ‘Tim’, ‘left-footer’, ‘Hun’ and ‘proddy’. Right, thanks to an earlier post I get “Tim”, and I knew about “proddy”. But doesn’t “Hun” mean a German, of the WWI period? what’s the sectarian connexion? and what’s wrong with sinister preference pedal locomotion? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/47 "2006-02-25T00:20:16Z")
“Tim”? Fascinating…how “fighting words” are so culturally dependent. Absolutely no reaction here, where we’re devoid of the context. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/48 "2006-02-25T00:43:31Z")
> [@Northern Piper](#): > > Right, thanks to an earlier post I get “Tim”, and I knew about “proddy”. But doesn’t “Hun” mean a German, of the WWI period? what’s the sectarian connexion? and what’s wrong with sinister preference pedal locomotion? Rangers fans, or Protestants in general, are called huns. I’m not entirely sure, but I think it’s implying that they’re Anglo-Saxons, and not Celts, as Irish Catholics would be. As for left-footed, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/49 "2006-02-25T00:45:14Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > “Tim”? > > Fascinating…how “fighting words” are so culturally dependent. Absolutely no reaction here, where we’re devoid of the context. FWIW, this is localised to Scotland, and the majority of the problem is in one city, Glasgow. Calling someone a ‘Tim’ in Manchester, England, for instance, would be seen as strange and not at all offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/50 "2006-02-25T00:59:10Z")
> [@Northern Piper](#): > > and what’s wrong with sinister preference pedal locomotion? A “left footer” is a Catholic. Something about Catholics using their left foot to push down the shovel when they dig. ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/51 "2006-02-25T01:03:44Z")
> [@Dominic Mulligan](#): > > As for left-footed, I have no idea. Is this not something as bizarre as what foot a field worker would use back in ye olde days in Ireland? Using either his left (Catholic, or maybe Protestant, not sure) or his right (vice-versa) to force the spade into the sod? No source for this, just something that’s kinda lurking… ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/52 "2006-02-25T01:10:27Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > A “left footer” is a Catholic. Something about Catholics using their left foot to push down the shovel when they dig. I’m one step behind… ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/53 "2006-02-25T01:24:47Z")
Bah. Catholic, Protestant, you’re all big-enders! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/54 "2006-02-25T15:48:49Z")
> [@mtk\_](#): > > I’m one step behind… Which foot did you take the step with? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/55 "2006-02-25T17:11:53Z")
What the heck is ‘Tim’ about? Something about St. Timothy? ---
**Author:** ![Zetetic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/74df32/32.png) [@Zetetic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zetetic)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2006, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/56 "2006-02-25T17:55:10Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > Which foot did you take the step with? The correct one, of course… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/57 "2006-02-27T10:36:17Z")
> [@Dominic Mulligan](#): > > Rangers fans, or Protestants in general, are called huns. I’m not entirely sure, but I think it’s implying that they’re Anglo-Saxons, and not Celts, as Irish Catholics would be When you understand the above, laugh at [this](http://www.portadownnews.com/25Apr05.htm) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/58 "2006-02-27T11:43:26Z")
[The rivalry.](http://media.putfile.com/rangers-at-celtic-park) Read the comments [for this video.](http://media.putfile.com/Glasgow-Rangers-Hooligans-in-Rotterdam) ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2006, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/59 "2006-02-27T13:14:11Z")
The foot thing is whether you kick a ball with your left or right foot- i.e. whether you play soccer and rugby or Gaelic games. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503/60 "2006-02-28T17:57:39Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > The foot thing is whether you kick a ball with your left or right foot- i.e. whether you play soccer and rugby or Gaelic games. Or something like that. Ah, I wonder if that’s it. Certainly I’ve heard the “left foot” thing, but have never understood it. Nor do I understand the “hun” one. Big mystery. Perhaps I should be thrown out of Glasgow. :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-fenian-a-banned-word-in-the-u-k/345503.md?page=4)