Use of the 'H' word

[bluehaddie]

The Germans were called ‘H*ns’ by British newspapers before WWI due to their aggressive behaviour in China.

The word then stuck in the minds of ordinary people. It was the standard derogatory term for Germans during the Second World War.

Afterwards it gradually became a more general term of abuse. The writer Alan Spence - a Rangers fan from Kinning Park - describes a scenario where Rangers supporters refer to a barman by the word.

The meaning and use of words changes over time and most people who use ‘h*n’ will not be aware of its origins.

Yes its origins are nothing to do with Rangers and Celtic. When I was a boy it just meant "the enemy ". For example in Ayr the Ayr Bruins (formerly Ayr Rangers) fans used to sing "Go home, ya huns" at Fife Flyers or whoever. Ayr and Killie fans sung it at each other. And no doubt others. It doesn't offend me at all.

 

[Chief Rafferty]

Funny to see SF/IRA caught with historical tweets, they had the usual faux outrage when Doug Beattie of the UUP was caught out this week, not so funny now for the terrorists in suits.

 

[Melbbear]

Shoot every 19th Century Terrorist hun walking on the Queens highway. That’s what we used to sing in 60 and 70 s.

 

[Cowan_rfc]

Im glad that me and my pals can absolutely slaughter that mob and vice versa about football and everything in life.

Not for me to tell others what they can and cannot be offended by though.

 

[deedle]

You’re referring to an alleged article describing Rangers fans as “marauding huns”, which has been proven to never actually havd existed, except in the mind of a deranged celtic fan, when scrambling for a reason to justify that their sectarian slur is not sectarian. As usual when it comes to that type, it’s a lie and a myth.

What's being referred to is a Herald article by Ian Archer following crowd trouble involving Rangers fans at a friendly against Aston Villa in 1976. (Isn't it noticeable how few people seem to be familiar with crowd trouble involving Celtic fans from the 40s through to the 60s?)

I suspect he used the word in the full knowledge that it had become Celtic fans' favourite slur against Rangers - I had heard them using it years before.


Although claiming to be a Partick Thistle fan and coming from Maryhill (in which part of Maryhill did anyone speak like him?), it is clear that Archer favoured Celtic to the point where he began to demonise Rangers. He ended up showing himself to be a nasty racist on national TV with an attempted joke at Mark Walters' expense.

 

[Bluerhap]

I’ve reported a few on Twitter and every complaint upheld as the use of an anti religious slur.

 

[Gheorghe_Hagi]

Try asking them, if "hun" just means "Rangers fan", why do they refer to fans of this newco club The Rangers they always go on about as "huns" if there's no religious element to it and watch the cogs working in their wee minds as they try to dribble out actual words let alone a coherent argument.

 

[Wilkinsvolley]

Its definitely derogatory and its definitely a hate term - that much is beyond argument.

As to exactly what they are referring to when they use it, I always took it to mean 'Rangers fan'. This is mainly based on the fact that we used to call them 'H**s'. It wouldn't make any sense if we were calling them 'H**s' and 'H**s' = 'Protestants'.

Did the meaning change at some point ?

Yes, just like fen*an changed from being a Celtc fan to being a catholic.

 

[Wilkinsvolley]

Im glad that me and my pals can absolutely slaughter that mob and vice versa about football and everything in life.

Not for me to tell others what they can and cannot be offended by though.

You can’t without being arrested though. That’s the point.

 

[Coop1872]

Its definitely derogatory and its definitely a hate term - that much is beyond argument.

As to exactly what they are referring to when they use it, I always took it to mean 'Rangers fan'. This is mainly based on the fact that we used to call them 'H**s'. It wouldn't make any sense if we were calling them 'H**s' and 'H**s' = 'Protestants'.

Did the meaning change at some point ?

Not really sure the point you are making.
It wouldn't make any sense if we were calling them h*ns and h*ns = Rangers fans either.