- Rah
Rah is a term with multiple meanings. It may be a word used for
cheering shortened fromhurrah . It may also be a derogatoryBritish English slang term for a young upper/upper-middle-class person.ports cheer
The word may originate from an impersonation of the affected pronunciation of the word 'yes' as 'yah', or a shortening of the exclamation 'hurrah'. [ OED 1:st ed vol VIII page 111.] Other possible rah speech probabilities are the stereotypical posh use of the word 'rather' and the rah's laugh being 'Rah ha ha'
It may also be a shortening of "Hoorah Henry".Fact|date=April 2008
Rugby union fans, or even the game itself, are sometimes known as "rah rah" [ [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,6903,1351093,00.html Rugby union: Robinson leads the rah-rah dance | Sport | The Observer ] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/1158307.stm BBC SPORT | RUGBY LEAGUE | No weeping for Wendell ] ] [http://www.playtheball.com/features/wilson26.asp] . The term may derive from an application of this usage.It is said in many quarters to come from the cheers the supporters of the old public school
Radley College , who, when supporting at sports fixtures, shout "rah-rah-radley!" [ OED supplement.]Derogatory British slang
"Rah" does not have wide currency outside of British universities and amongst the older students at some British private and grammar schools. Its use is generally limited to universities that have larger contingents of privately educated students. Prominent examples are the universities of
University of Bath , Cambridge, Durham,Royal Holloway, University of London , Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield Newcastle, Exeter, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Oxford, St Andrews, York and theRoyal Agricultural College . It is possible the term is not so widely used elsewhere because cores of wealthy, privileged students are less visible and less likely to form in universities based in large, socially diverse cities.Alternative names
"Yah" is used in some Scottish universities, such as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and St Andrews, and its etymology is the typical way in which this social group say "yah" instead of "yes".
ee also
*
Sloane Ranger
*Preppy
*Chav
*Classism
*Reverse snobbery External links
* [http://www.durham21.co.uk/archive/archive.asp?ID=609 "Rah-spotting", an article discussing the stereotype, from Durham21.co.uk]
References
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