"Eurotrash" is a term for certain Europeans, particularly those perceived to be socialites, stylish and affluent. Eurotrash is often used as a collective term for such European expatriates in the United States or other areas with a concentration of wealthy Europeans. Some consider Eurotrash as a derogatory term, whereas others see it as a humorous, ironic description of themselves or others. There have been discussions in various forums to clarify its intent, with a majority view that the original meaning was not intended to imply impoverished or trashy Europeans, or be the European equivalent of "white trash".[1][2]
Among the early printed uses of the term was in the early 1980s, when Taki Theodoracopulos, a wealthy Greek living in New York City, wrote a newspaper column titled "Eurotrash" in The East Side Express.[3] The term was also used into the 1990s, with American band Cracker releasing a single called "Euro-Trash Girl". The song's narrator describes a dissolute life, drifting across Europe in pursuit of an "angel in black," the titular Euro-trash girl.
See also
- Anti-Europeanism – Political term for opposition to Europe
- Eurotrash (TV series) – British television series on Channel 4
- Guido (slang) – Derogatory term for working-class Italian Americans
- Nouveau riche – Term to describe newly enriched persons
References
- ↑ "what-does-eurotrash-mean". Guest of a Guest. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
- ↑ "eurotrash". Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster. 2002. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
- ↑ Julia Chaplin (2002-12-08). "A New Eurofestation". The New York Times.