[Vocabulary] 'Pillock' vs. 'muppet' vs. 'berk'

[GrandLizard]

Greetings!

Is there any difference, some kind of gradation, between the words stated above? The lexemes are definitely derogatory, yet are they that offensive or are they affectionate, or something else?

Thank you!

 

[Rover_KE]

muppet – mildly offensive

berk – moderately offensive

pillock – seriously offensive

 

[emsr2d2]

muppet – mildly offensive

berk – moderately offensive

pillock – seriously offensive

I'm genuinely surprised that you put "seriously offensive" for "pillock". I use that word all the time, and all I mean by it is "bit of a silly person". I wouldn't be remotely offended if someone used it to refer to me.

"Berk" is either moderately or very offensive depending on whether you know the Cockney rhyming slang it comes from. I use "berk" to mean "idiot" as do most people these days but I suppose if I directed it at someone who knew that in rhyming slang it's "Berkely Hunt", they'd be well within their rights to be extremely offended.

 

[GoesStation]

In case anyone is interested, none of these words exist in American English. Nobody would have a clue what you meant if you used them here.

 

[jutfrank]

I really don't think it's a good idea to try to grade these words like that.

Offensiveness caused depends on so many factors.

 

[SoothingDave]

We do have Muppets here, but it's nothing offensive.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

In case anyone is interested, none of these words exist in American English. Nobody would have a clue what you meant if you used them here.

That'd be me, boss.