Glancing through the BBC news this morning, I came across this article about an escaped criminal - Michael Wheatley - a violent fellow who had been serving a life sentence yet was being held most recently in an “open prison” from which he easily absconded. He had been allowed “out” and never returned.
A British MP is quoted in the article as saying, “whoever had allowed Wheatley out of prison was ‘a berk’.”
Given that “berk” was used by an MP, and was not ‘blacked out’ by the BBC, I assume the word is not considered overly vulgar. On the other hand, its etymology is said to derive from Berkshire Hunt, i.e. rhyming slang for cunt. Colour me surprised.
So, I ask - are people generally aware of berk’s origin? Would you use ‘berk’ when speaking to a stranger? Your teacher? Your children?
As with many Cockney terms, this one originated some decades ago (30s? 40s? 50s?). The word has therefore become less and less insulting with time. So back in the days it was probably extremely insulting, but now it’s not such a big deal as its origin has been largely forgotten. There was a thread about this same word (spelt differently in the OP) some time ago.
I’ve heard the same origin, despite its link with the Everest of offensive language the term itself is pretty mild, along the lines of ‘prat’ or ‘pillock’. Not sure what what its US equivalent would be (somewhere around the lines of ‘jackass’ probably), but it’s definitely below the level of a curse word.
Notice your link just describes it as ‘informal’, rather than ‘vulgar slang’ or offensive. It’s an odd one, even as Cockney rhyming slang goes, as Berkshire is pronounced pretty much as ‘Barkshire’, and berk is closer to (and is occasionally spelled) ‘burk’. The connection isn’t obvious at all, which is possibly partially why it’s not very offensive.
It’s somewhat old fashioned now anyway, I’m not sure when I last heard it in the wild.
Totally agree, to me it’s like calling someone a ‘twit’. I can’t imagine anyone much younger than my Dad using it though. It’s one of those words people use(d) when they didn’t want to swear, like saying ‘blinkin’ instead of ‘bloody’.
It’s only the “Everest of offensive language” in the States. Elsewhere in the English-speaking word, the c-word is much less offensive, and more widely used. And, oddly, more often applied to men or inanimate objects than women.
In the UK I can’t think of many other words more offensive, with the exception of racial epithets. Of conventional curse words (note that berk does not even merit a mention on that list) it’s certainly seen as very high in severity, if not number one.
Yeah, I’d say for the majority it would be number 1 too (hence my confusion at BrotherCadfael’s post, but depending on the audience I could see maybe a homophobic or disability slur causing more upset.
Yes. It doesn’t seem to be as offensive as it is in the US, but it’s still our most offensive word.
Still, the etymology of berk is now pretty much disconnected from the rhyming slang origins, so it’s nothing like saying c*nt (bowlderised for the sake of nanny filters). It even has a different meaning.
It’s one of those little inconsistencies - rather like how “bugger off” is less offensive than “fuck off” despite the probably more taboo nature of the activity described in the first of these.
