2 definitions by bigdaddysugarkane
yes, it has Germanic roots...but it is derived from the 14th century word Fokken (phonetically similar) which was used primarily in animal husbandry to describe the act of cattle procreation...
by bigdaddysugarkane May 17, 2011
the REAL origin of the term "redneck" derives from the WVA, Kentucky coal-mining communities where union labor was not only frowned upon, but members were openly beaten, shot at, and kept from working...so the union began distributing red bandanas for the miners to wear to show that they were union supporters...so "rednecks" was both a derogatory (from the ownership side) and a badge of honor (from the miners side)...and seeing as how a third of the miners were African-American (they too were called rednecks)...it has nothing to do with being outside and getting sunburned...and what's even more funny is when trying to explain to a young black youth that if he were mining coal in that region in the early 20th century, he too would be called a redneck...
by bigdaddysugarkane May 17, 2011