Talk:scum
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Rfv-sense "police officer(s)". The cites would have to unambiguous in showing that the police officers in question weren't just being called reprehensible people. —Μετάknowledgediscuss/deeds 23:52, 11 December 2015 (UTC)
- I'm pretty sure I have heard this usage on TV and in films. It would be very time-consuming to search for quotes, so I'm going to carry on building the dictionary instead. Feel free to remove the definition. SemperBlotto (talk) 08:32, 12 December 2015 (UTC)
- It is a specific case of #5 in any event, as it's never use in a neutral or positive tone. I tend to feel this does exist but if cited I feel it might be redundant anyway. Renard Migrant (talk) 13:05, 12 December 2015 (UTC)
- Sure, but is it used in such a way that the listener knows it's the police that are being referred to that way, and not someone else the speaker dislikes? The term pig can mean any dirty and/or gluttonous person, but when someone says "Here come the pigs" it's clear they mean the police and not just anyone dirty and/or gluttonous. But if I were watching a TV crime show and a criminal said "Here comes the scum", I would simply interpret that as "Here comes someone I detest" and not necessarily the police. But if there are English speakers who would know right away that the police specifically are meant, then it should get a separate listing. —Aɴɢʀ (talk) 14:06, 12 December 2015 (UTC)
- In the UK, the filth is common amongst the criminal classes to mean the police. I've never heard scum used in this way, although I daresay the police have been called that at times. SpinningSpark 16:40, 15 December 2015 (UTC)
- Sure, but is it used in such a way that the listener knows it's the police that are being referred to that way, and not someone else the speaker dislikes? The term pig can mean any dirty and/or gluttonous person, but when someone says "Here come the pigs" it's clear they mean the police and not just anyone dirty and/or gluttonous. But if I were watching a TV crime show and a criminal said "Here comes the scum", I would simply interpret that as "Here comes someone I detest" and not necessarily the police. But if there are English speakers who would know right away that the police specifically are meant, then it should get a separate listing. —Aɴɢʀ (talk) 14:06, 12 December 2015 (UTC)
- It is a specific case of #5 in any event, as it's never use in a neutral or positive tone. I tend to feel this does exist but if cited I feel it might be redundant anyway. Renard Migrant (talk) 13:05, 12 December 2015 (UTC)
- No evidence has been found. RFV failed. —Μετάknowledgediscuss/deeds 08:29, 14 February 2016 (UTC)