# The evolution of words? \[Meaning of juggalo\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 19, 2018, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760 "2018-11-19T02:53:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760/21 "2018-11-21T17:36:18Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > What is a Juggalo? I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760/22 "2018-11-21T17:39:50Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > I did an electronic search of the NY Times and other newspapers. The word never appeared until it was used in relation to the band. Google Ngram viewer finds no examples in books at all. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760/23 "2018-11-21T20:07:16Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > What is a Juggalo? [Juggalos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juggalo) are fans of the hip hop group Insane Clown Posse (and, apparently, other groups on their record label). Apparently, during a show, a member of the group referred to the audience as Juggalos, and the name stuck. (Amusingly, given the discussion in this thread about the OP’s recollections, the Wikipedia page on Juggalo has, in its header, the note “Not to be confused with Gigolo.”) ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760/24 "2018-11-21T20:42:19Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > I believe we have a response from Insane Clown Posse on that: Thanks Hermitian, that is a compelling riposte. The band put their case forward well, with your emendations and I take their views on board. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760/25 "2018-11-21T20:57:48Z")
Okay, we’re all aware by now that a Juggalo is a fan of the ICP. However, here’s another angle on how the word might have been formed. When I worked at an auto parts plant (retired in 2003,) I worked with a guy who tacked “-alow” on to the end of some factory-based insults. I asked him what it meant; he explained it meant the lowest form of that. For example, a rattalow is a worm who tells the boss what you did, and a suckalow is the worst kind of person who sucks up to the boss. I’ll add that he had a rather bitter attitude, and in his view having an ordinary conversation with the boss was sucking up. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760/26 "2018-11-21T20:58:52Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > Nitpick: Tory is not a pejorative term. Tories regularly use it of themselves. > > Trivium: It’s one of the relatively few English words that comes from the Irish language. > > Bizarre fact: Its original sense (in English) was “a dispossessed landowner who has turned to banditry”. Un-nitpick: we’re talking etymology; and the use of Tory was originally perjorative. _The term was thus originally a term of abuse, “an Irish rebel”, before being adopted as a political label in the same way as “Whig”._ [Tory - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tory); or, if you prefer: ['Conservative' or 'Tory': What's in a name? - BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30899534) BTW: Irish words in English are not\* that\* rare - a smidgen of googling blows that idea to smithereens. 😉 > **[List of English words of Irish origin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Irish_origin)** > > This is a list of English-language words from the Irish language with links provided to pronunciation in all three primarily Irish dialects, spoken by native Irish speakers, provided by Foras na Gaeilge. > **[List of Irish words used in the English language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Irish_words_used_in_the_English_language)** > > Irish language words used in English in modern Ireland without being assimilated to English forms include: > Other, more informal terms include: j ---
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2018, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760/27 "2018-12-03T07:33:43Z")
I apologize for not coming back sooner, Thanksgiving and lingering family kept me from the internet. I was listening to a political rant today on television and a word was used that smacked me in the head. **Bibliophage** and **LowSignalToNoise** are absolutely spot on, jingoist is indeed the word I have been trying to remember! Thank you all for responding, it has been driving me absolutely mad trying to remember! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolution-of-words-meaning-of-juggalo/824760.md?page=1)