Sheep-shagger (also spelt sheepshagger or sheep shagger) is a derogatory term, most often used to refer to Welsh people, implying that the subject has sex with sheep. [1] In a court case in Wales, the use of the term directed at a Welsh person was ruled to be a "racially aggravating" factor in a disorderly conduct offence. [2] It has been used in South Africa to refer to Australians and by Australians and New Zealanders to refer to one another. [3]
The use of the term sheep-shagger to refer to a Welsh person has arisen from the prevalence of sheep and sheep farming in Wales. [1] It is often viewed as offensive in Wales,[ citation needed ] for the same reason [4] [5] as it is in South Africa to refer to Australians. [6] In response to complaints over the use of phrase, in an Australian television advertisement for Toyota, the New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority determined the phrase was not viewed as offensive by the majority of New Zealanders. [7] [8]
At football matches in England, supporters of Welsh teams as well as Welsh players are often called sheep shaggers in football chants from opposing fans. [9] [10] [11] It is also used in Scotland to refer to supporters of Aberdeen. [12] In 2001, Cardiff City signed English player Spencer Prior and jokingly included a contract clause that he would be obliged "to have a physical liaison with a sheep", in response to their fans being called sheep shaggers. [11]
The name "Sheep Shaggers" has been used for at least two football fanzines – those for Bedford Town and for football in Western England. [13]
Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield routinely dealt with sheep-related heckles from gig audiences (including shouts of "sheep shagger", bleats and stuffed toy sheep thrown onstage) with the stock response ‘Yeah, we shag ‘em, then you eat ‘em!" [14]
In Prestatyn, the phrase was the subject of a 2013 court case, after Anthony Taaffe of Bolton, Greater Manchester, when staying at a holiday park in Gronant called an off-duty policeman and security staff "a bunch of sheep-shaggers". Taaffe asserted that the phrase was simply "a term for people living in the countryside", but pleaded guilty to racially aggravated disorderly behaviour and to a second, similar offence, when he called a police officer a "Welsh sheep shagger". He was fined £150. [2] [15]
The term four-letter word serves as a euphemism for words that are often considered profane or offensive.
Gringo (masculine) or gringa (feminine) is a term in Spanish and Portuguese for a foreigner. In Spanish, the term usually refers to English-speaking Anglo-Americans. There are differences in meaning depending on region and country. In Latin America, it is generally used to refer to non-Latin Americans. The term is often considered a pejorative, but is not always used to insult, and in the United States its usage and offensiveness is disputed.
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Emily Anne Taaffe is an Irish actress based in South London.
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'Their judgment was another setback for Donald. It is official: in New Zealand, the term "sheep shagger" is not offensive. You may speculate just why that might be.'
Aberdeen fans are known as 'sheep shaggers' by fans of southern teams.