What is a “git”, as in “You mangy Scots git!”?
In grad school I had an English prof., i.e. a prof. from England, and I asked him and he said, “Well…it’s not as bad as a ‘fuck-head’.” But never really answered my question. Can anybody help?
I’m sure we’ve done this one before, but it’s hard to search for. “Git” is an insult not to be used in polite company, but not at the top of the profanity scale. Apparently it was originally a contraction of “illigitimate” even though it’s pronounced with a hard g.
You might find this dictionary of English slang handy for future reference.
thought it was from “get”, same idea as illegitimate.
Yeah, “get” was more common where I grew up too but both are used. Hey, why have one version of a three letter word meaning “bastard” when you can have two? That’s English for you.
Good searching btw, Mjollnir. How did you manage that?
I did a search on ‘‘scouse.’’
Technically, its a pregnant camel…
No, really, except I can’t find a relevant cite at the moment.
Best cite I could find.
a git is somewhere between a twit and prat… An insult I would cheerfully use between close friends as in 'You Git! you took the last biscuit, I wanted that…"
No offense would be taken. On the other hand, saying to a stranger on the train “You git, that was my seat!” will most likely gain you a thrashing.
yeah - its definitely a milder version of “bastard” tat you would use when with your mates.
We brits invent new profanities everyday by the way, we do it to confuse you yanks.
It amuses us.
MUAHAHAHAHA
Everyone needs a hobby!
I wanna be a Brit!
The vulgar/comic magazine Viz has organised the ever-growing list of profanities into Roger’s Profanisaurus. Not for the faint-hearted. You have been warned.
Interestingly they omit “git”, presumably on the grounds that “get” is more commonplace.
Then shouldnt that be “you Yank gits” …? 
I’ve always thought it was a disrespectful way to refer to someone’s children (legitimate or not). For example, “I wouldn’t expect any better from his git.”
I also think slaveowners used the term to apply to the offspring of slaves…guess it made them sound less human. (“Who’s git is that?”)
The word is also used in Canada, but I’m not sure how common it is. Although everyone I’ve yelled it at seemed to understand what it meant