Why/How did the Bohemian ethnic group become essentially synonymous with “hippies” and a certain aesthetic? Are Gypsy, Romany, and Bohemian terms for the same group?
In: Culture
It was thought that Romani in France got there via Bohemia, so they became called Bohemians. From there, a certain type of lifestyle became called “bohemian” by associations (whether real or imagined) with what the Romani lifestyle was perceived to be.
“Gypsy” was mostly used as an offensive slur against the Romani, though that’s not aways the intent as it fell into more common usage. However, usage in contexts like “I got gypped!” always implied an intended offense – you’re using the word to mean something negative. It’s the equivalent of using “jewed” as a verb.
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