Hyper-Gyp

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Hyper-Gyp also known as Speed-Pyke is a humorous patois mockery of the Irish dialect used amongst travelers in the UK, more commonly known as Pikeys. It has long been used to mock the fast and almost coded Irish dialect they speak. In general it is any fast-paced, slurring of words which makes them unclear, usually with only a few key-words being decipherable for humourous effect. The tone is often aggresive or accussing, which in itself is a derogative satire of the British perception of travellers.

[edit] Origin

The terms were once synonymous and became more popular after the release of the film Snatch in 2000 when Brad Pitt created and used his own form of Hyper-Gyp for the role of Mickey O'Neill.

Hyper-Gyp and Speed-Pyke are thought to have been coined by online satirists Leyton Jay and Phil Rankin shortly after Snatch's release. As media and film students they wrote several serious papers on the film's representation of British life to an American audience as well as several short satirical films and radio comedies involving Hyper-Gyp. These works were showcased and revered at Rankin's college in Redhill and on the now-defunct film site flicksblitz.com.

[edit] Speed-Pyke

Since the rise of Chav culture, Speed-Pyke has had resurgence in usage. Originally meaning the same as HyperGyp, it can now be considered a mockery of the way in which Chavs communicate, especially if the Irish accent is discarded and the pace is increased to take on a babbling quality. Little Britain character Vicky Pollard is said to speak in Speed-Pyke as is the character 'Lauren Cooper' in The Catherine Tate Show.

Depending on the context Speed-Pyke can have an aggressive overtone as originally envisaged, or a foolish and ignorant overtone. These mirror the two main perceptions of Chavs in Britain, being too stupid to know better or delighting in being violent and culturally subversive.

[edit] See also