When it comes to speaking English - Irish and American folk often do it in completely different ways, as recently pointed out by Conan O'Brien. Some words have entirely different meanings, including this one.
Sure there's like a 95% crossover between the two, but every now and again you'll hear a word that means something completely different to both groups of people.
The word 'savage' is definitely one of those words, as it seemingly has multiple meanings across the world.
Savage has a number of definitions if you ask Oxford dictionary. It can mean 'fierce, violent, and uncontrolled', 'severe', or 'brutal'.
In Ireland however, it means the complete opposite in large parts of the country. Many counties in Ireland will see its residents using the word 'savage' to describe something good.
To many it essentially just means 'great', or 'good' at the very least. If somebody asked how a concert was, or if they were happy with a Christmas presenet, they may say 'savage'.
It's something that's heard both in the capital and in rural parts of the country, and while there's no clear origin or history, it is still said quite frequently.
In America, 'savage' is taking on a new meaning thanks to a popular song by Megan Thee Stallion (with Beyonce jumping on a remix to take the song to the next level, fame wise).
The song itself is called 'savage', but this one is far easier to explain. This comes from the female rapper insisting that she is indeed ruthless and cut-throat, so while the word has changed meaning slightly thanks to this song, it certainly remains very similar to its actual definition.
In Ireland, as we often do, the word was flipped on its head entirely. So if you're in Ireland any time soon and someone describes your shoes or your outfit as 'savage', don't worry. It's a compliment.
Comments
Post a Comment