Reply #11: I was amazed that it was still being used.... [View All]

[Bridget Burke]

Ignorance of the meaning of an almost-obsolete word is no big thing.

It mostly shows up in histories of the British Civil War--used by the Puritans. And histories of the xenophobic Know Nothings of the 19th century. Nowadays, its usage is confined to certain areas of Northern Ireland.

But it has always been a term of extreme hostility to Catholics. More recently, to Irish Catholics.

When someone is informed that a term is rude & decides to stop using it--they are being polite! Thanks.