being a redneck
2
9.9
- noun
- /ˈbiːɪŋ ə ˈrɛdˌnɛk/
- Slur
:
ser un paleto
- Being a redneck often means embracing a simpler lifestyle that values hard work and tradition.
- Oh, you're a redneck
Examples
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He's a redneck.
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In some circles, being a redneck is a term of endearment, highlighting one's connection to country life.
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You might be a redneck if...
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To be sure, there are worse things than being a redneck.
Academic text (1998) -
Frank wants to be a redneck.
Fiction book (2002) -
JEFF: You might be a redneck if you ride it for 50 cents.
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I never apologized for growing up poor being a redneck, which is what I am.
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I am a redneck
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He's been a redneck.
Blog text (10) -
Many people take pride in being a redneck, celebrating their rural roots and family values.
Synonyms
9
9.8
A person from the countryside who seems not used to city life
5
8.2
A person from the countryside who is inexperienced with city life
Antonyms
How Rural
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from 'being' (the state/condition of existing) + 'a' + 'redneck' (a rural, working-class person), so a learner who knows the constituent meanings can infer it denotes the state or identity of being a redneck. While 'redneck' carries cultural and sometimes pejorative connotations, the grammatical pattern is a straightforward NP denoting identity, making the overall meaning directly derivable from its parts.
Etymology
Being a redneck may come from an old image of farm and outdoor workers whose necks turned red after long days in the sun. That clear picture made the word redneck mean someone from a 'rural' or 'working-class' life, so 'being a redneck' means living that way or feeling proud of it.