IF YOU EVER go on holiday in the South West, chances are you’ve been called this word – but maybe not to your face.
The word ‘grockle,’ which means tourist in English, is a term that the locals use to describe tourists who are causing problems or disrupting the daily lives of the residents.
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This slang term is only used by West Country people, especially those from Cornwall’s coastal regions. Devon Somerset is a Somerset.
It’s mostly thrown around in a dismissive way to describe visitors who are perceived as being overly touristy, intrusive, or ignorant of local customs.
Not everyone who uses the phrase does so in such a way.
A grockle is often used in a humorous or lighthearted way to refer to visitors.
While some deem it a term of endearment for visitors, others believe it is an offensive – even borderline racist – term that should not be used so freely in modern society.
Where does the term grockle originate?
It’s unclear where this term originated, but one theory suggests that it was influenced by the Swiss clown Grock who became famous in the 1950s.
A resident in Torquay may have said that the visitors were like little Grocks, or “grockles”, because of their snobbishness and clownish behavior.
One theory is that it comes from the cartoon strip ‘Danny’s Grockle’ in the Dandy comic, where the Grockle looked like a small dragon.
The following is a list of Devon Live, a local The word “Man” is a term that describes a person who has a certain ability. The term was used as a name for an elderly woman visiting Torquay in one particular season.
In the 1960s, the term was used by many characters from the television series The South West. Film The System is set during tourist season in Torquay, Devon.
The West Country is not only known for its grockle.
Cornish have a different word for tourists. It is called emmet, and it has the same meaning.
These are more rude words that British tourists use abroad.
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