Currently playing a video game and a NPC called me this. It’s a pre-boomer term as I’ve always known. So, I thought it’d be fun to see who gets close to the definition.
Based entirely on trust-
Without googling it, wtf is a rap scallion?
EDIT: For clarification, I know it means onery and rambunctious youth, but what is it derived from. Like the origin of the term.
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According to Wiktionary, it’s from an embellishment on the word rascal to rascallion, and then from there mutated into rapscallion
Spoiler warning! If you searched wiktionary directly (or used Bing, DDG, etc.), you technically followed the letter of the rules, but certainly didn’t follow their spirit.
The first sentence in the title man……
I’m sorry I clearly can’t follow instructions and the word nerd in me took over I AM SO SORRY!!
I have the entire Wiktionary on my phone, offline, I use it constantly and had never even considered looking this word up. So, I mean, I didn’t Google it, technically I didn’t even use the internet or anything, but I definitely cheated (albeit accidentally)
It’s all good. No points were lost. 😂
And wait, you can put offline wiktionary on your phone?
Yeah, it’s an app called Aard 2 (pretty sure I grabbed it from Fdroid) and it can import database dumps from wiki-style sites, it’s made me a big hit at parties as you can imagine. Now you can be, too!
Dictionary blobs you can choose from: https://github.com/itkach/slob/wiki/Dictionaries
D’oh! I’m iOS. Sounds handy though!
Is it something like a bothersome/mischievous person?
Yeah. But what is it?
Ah i see. If I’m gonna guess:
Rap -> sounds like an older version of the word wrap. So to wrap something or something that’s intertwined.
Scallion -> sounds like it relates to a specific group of people or maybe even a certain type of animal. Maybe a snake like animal (thinking scales).
Putting that together, it’s a snake or snake like animal that wraps around you or others and it’s a bother to remove.
Am close at all or I’m playing tennis when the game is super Mario?
Well, originally, I would have had no idea. However, someone googled it.
A ne’er-do-well scalliwag of the utmost miscreant order.
I mis-asked the question. I mean, the origin of the term. Like where did it come from?
A scallion, skilled in freestyle hip-hop
The notorious Sca.lli.on.
Not to be confused with his cousin who smokes, the Rasp Ska lion
Lil’ Skallion, Skallionaire gang
One word. Rapscallion.
It’s a general insult, like ‘low life’ or creep’ or ‘sleazoid.’
An untrustworthy knave.
Right, but… origin. How didn’t come to mean that? What does it mean outside of the derogatory?
A scallion is an ocean fairing creature. So… what’s a rapscallion? And why is it bad?
A scallion is a green onion. A scallop is an ocean-faring creature.
This is why one shouldn’t post on social media while on ADHD meds after not sleeping in almost 24.
spoiler
A rake, a knave, a cur, a lout, a scoundrel.
A rogue, a ne’er do well, a persona non grata
A bounder, a cad
A hoodlum
Don’t forget “a blackguard”
Roustabout rambler.
For the origin of the word, I’m guessing it either has something to do with bad breath, or is a repurposed term from another language, likely mispronounced or misunderstood by English speakers.
Someone googled it. Thought would be fun, but I guess it’s over.
People will have to scroll down to see their comment, so I think it will still be fun. :)
I thought it was fun. After looking it up myself I learned:
Spoiler
I was definitely wrong, but got one aspect partially right. Rascallian came from rascal, which was originally a French word (rascaile) for the “people of the lowest class, the general mass; rabble or foot-soldiers of an army” source
Close! Awesome job! I don’t think I’d have gotten anywhere near that. I was already confusing it with scallops. LOL.
You may have just invented a new villain for Aqua Man, Rapscallopian, the heavily armored terror with unstoppable freestyling flow.
Like his hands aren’t already full with Mantis Shrimpman.
Usually applied to a rambunctious and disobedient child.
I know that much. But what is it derived from is what I meant.
If you’re looking for guesses about the etymology, I’m guessing it shares an origin with “rascal”.
That’s a green onion with hella flow, put them on the record.
I do not know what this means, it it sounds like you have a lot of conviction in it.
Hella flow = A rapper or orator who is very proficient and makes it seem effortless.
Put them on the Record = They should be included on our upcoming album.
I’m almost certain it’s a fancification of the word rascal. Like some dude in 1750 said ‘what’s rascal short for?’ and his quick witted friend said rapscallion and yada yada now it’s a word.
I always thought it was Rab Scalliron who was a famous Glaswegian prankster from the 1700’s
Nah, you’re thinking of the guy that used to be funny in those Adam Sandler movies that is now a douchebag.
Well, I’m pretty sure it’s just one word for starters.
I’ve always read ‘rapscallion’ as a sort of youthful miscreant: an almost gender-neutral mildly negative label applied to a person lacking the wisdom of age who is engaged with some slightly rebellious activity.
The word died about the time of ww2, when most of those erstwhile rapscallions became war veterans or casualties.
Those rapscallions veterans would go on to call their children punks.
Edit: Just checked if YouTube had a supercut of WIlliam Shatner’s TJ Hooker calling kids “punk”", but alas: nothing.
Fair. But my wueseuj was to mean, why is it a bad thing? What is a rap scallion? Sort of one how “asshole” is a derogatory, and it’s… well, an asshole. No one wants to be one. So why is a rapscallion bad?
Most societies historically had some form of negative pressure applied to post-adolescents who refuse to accept adult responsibilities.
Of course, you said not to search so I’m just spitballing here.
A good a guess as any. Though someone googled it… ☹️
There was a travelling circus that had a lion, and during its performances they noticed it did much better if they played certain kinds of music. This lion was into rap and ska, so they called it rap-ska-lion and rapscallion describes its personality.
LMAO! We have a winner! I don’t care that it’s probably untrue. 😂
Someone who likes rapping but also ska and has a fursona of a lion.
Obviously.
A rapska’er if you will!
I got called this by an old guy back when i was a kid in the 90s. Im assuming it means cunt or something like that
Edit: Im in australia, everything means cunt at some point
LMAO!
I think it’s closer to ‘cheeky cunt’ on the ‘sick cunt’ to ‘dog cunt’ scale.
