Oi! You can say what like about my children but never criticise my semantics!!

OED: "a hired soldier in foreign service"

It comes from the Latin merces, reward.

And of course it's been extended by metaphor to anyone who does anything purely for the money - even lawyers get accused of being mercenary from time to time. So of course non-foreign (in a nationality sense) footballers get called mercenaries, durr. But its origin is firmly rooted in foreign nationals fighting for money. And it's not racist to call someone a mercenary just because they're foreign.

FWIW I don't think we have any mercenaries ie cynical players who don't care about the club. Well maybe Shitty Ricky. Bassong isn't a mercenary doing it just for the money - he's trying his bollocks off. But it's not racist to call him a mercenary.

Posted By: Old Git on May 12th 2016 at 11:26:37

Message Thread

*Foreign mercenaries* (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 08:40:28
- I don't think it was meant that way (NCFC) - Yellalee, May 12, 11:02:37
  - I respect your view Lee. (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 11:10:39
    - But omitted other black players? That's why it doesn't make sense to me. (n/m) (NCFC) - Yellalee, May 12, 11:20:06
      - Well you don't have to dislike *every* black player (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 12:07:03
      - Details (n/m) (NCFC) - Old Git, May 12, 11:41:22
- and this is exactly why everybody despises you norway (n/m) (NCFC) - South stand corner, May 12, 10:17:00
  - Haha (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 10:27:05
    - Rik from The Young Ones wades into the discussion (NCFC) - South stand corner, May 12, 10:37:47
      - Yep - it was definitely not you being called out the other day (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 10:40:39
        
        as I said, middle class guilt (NCFC) - South stand corner, May 12, 10:46:22
  - What, for calling out casual racism? (NCFC) - Old Man, May 12, 10:23:32
    - Mercenaries are ALWAYS foreign (NCFC) - Old Git, May 12, 10:49:26
      - wib (n/m) (NCFC) - the Tilt Man, Apr 1, 19:16:48
      - Interesting citations to back up your (incorrect) semantic argument (NCFC) - Old Man, May 12, 10:57:26
        
        Oi! You can say what like about my children but never criticise my semantics!! (NCFC) - Old Git, May 12, 11:26:37
        
        If that original usage of mercenary counts, then "foreign" is a tautologous modifier (NCFC) - Old Man, May 12, 11:41:43
        
        Well I guess because of the extent of the metaphorical usage you now have foreign and (NCFC) - Old Git, May 12, 11:55:11
        
        Details (n/m) (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 11:02:23
      - Keep up OG (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 10:54:59
    - he wasn't doing that though (NCFC) - South stand corner, May 12, 10:36:02
- xenophobia (NCFC) - Tombs, May 12, 08:52:16
  - happy buffday Tomblybobs (n/m) (NCFC) - Ralf Scrampton, May 12, 09:57:39
  - Happy birthday (n/m) (NCFC) - happy clappy hughes, May 12, 09:22:44
  - Happy Birthday. What are you doing in Londons? (n/m) (NCFC) - Adster, May 12, 09:09:13
  - Xenophobes... (NCFC) - Rob NCFC, May 12, 09:07:15
  - Happy birthday mate x (n/m) (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 08:59:39
  - Catism (NCFC) - Yellalee, May 12, 08:54:29
    - wahey! cheers Lee 🐱 (n/m) (NCFC) - Tombs, May 12, 08:56:34
- Not racist just ill informed (n/m) (NCFC) - Adster, May 12, 08:50:48
  - No... racist. (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 08:59:03
    - Is it National Virtue Signalling Day or something? (n/m) (NCFC) - Old Git, May 12, 10:33:54
      - Mate (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 10:41:51
    - Interesting who you leave Ollsen or Mbokani out of you accusations. (NCFC) - happy clappy hughes, May 12, 09:22:10
      - What do you think of Pinto? (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 09:36:38
        
        If you look at my post history (NCFC) - happy clappy hughes, May 12, 09:45:18
        
        *Into the side* (n/m) (NCFC) - happy clappy hughes, May 12, 09:45:36
      - Or Tettey for that matter. (n/m) (NCFC) - happy clappy hughes, May 12, 09:25:06
    - Brady and Klose at least have been very good. I think foreign mercenaries applies to (NCFC) - Adster, May 12, 09:08:06
      - Precisely (NCFC) - norway, May 12, 09:34:49

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