The evolution of words? [Meaning of juggalo]

I don’t know.

Google Ngram viewer finds no examples in books at all.

Juggalos 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.”)

Thanks Hermitian, that is a compelling riposte. The band put their case forward well, with your emendations and I take their views on board.

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.

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; or, if you prefer: 'Conservative' or 'Tory': What's in a name? - BBC News

BTW: Irish words in English are not* that* rare - a smidgen of googling blows that idea to smithereens. :wink:

j

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!