Rah 1651435 226080102 2008-07-16T19:07:28Z Sephiroth BCR 621952 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/194.42.145.6|194.42.145.6]] (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) :''This article is about a slang term. For other meanings, see [[RAH (disambiguation)]].'' '''Rah''' is a term with multiple meanings. It may be a word used for [[cheering]] shortened from [[hurrah]]. It may also be a derogatory [[British English]] slang term for a young upper/upper-middle-class person. ==Sports 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'.<ref> OED 1:st ed vol VIII page 111.</ref> 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" <ref>[http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,6903,1351093,00.html Rugby union: Robinson leads the rah-rah dance | Sport | The Observer<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/1158307.stm BBC SPORT | RUGBY LEAGUE | No weeping for Wendell<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> <ref>http://www.playtheball.com/features/wilson26.asp</ref>. 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!" Rah int. and sb. U.S. apethic for Hurrah. Citation 1894 # Rah-rah adj. vith hyphens pertaining to college and collegiate. <ref> OED supplement.</ref> ==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 Cambridge|Cambridge]], [[Durham University|Durham]], [[University of Bristol|Bristol]], [[University of Nottingham|Nottingham]], [[Edinburgh University|Edinburgh]], [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], [[St Andrews University|St Andrews]] and the [[Royal 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 university cities, such as [[Edinburgh]] and [[St Andrews]], and its etymology is the typical way in which this social group say "yah" instead of "yes". ==See also== {{wiktionary}} *[[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== {{reflist}} [[Category:Social groups]] [[Category:Stereotypes]] [[Category:Subcultures]] [[Category:Interjections]]