Brad Pitt and the Pikey Culture: a Look at the Shelta Language

If you're a Brad Pitt fan and have seen the new cult classic, Snatch, then you're already familiar with the Pikey language.  The term “pikey” is a pejorative, slang term used mainly in the UK to refer to Irish Travellers, Gypsies, and people of low social class.  The Irish of the "pikey" culture, however, refer to themselves as “Pavees,” and call their language (which is neither Irish nor English) Shelta.  Brought to the US during the late 19th century, the derivative “piker” is used even today in Appalachian America to refer to someone who is stingy.  Found in old English, "pikey" has long been associated with itinerant life and constant travel, with pikey directly derived from "pike," which during the 16th century meant to "go away from, to go on" and related to the words turnpike (toll-road) and pike-man (toll-collector).  Read more . . .