Banter – often an excuse for taking the mick out of people.
‘Ah you can’t get bad about that we were just having a bit of banter!’
I think it’s easier to describe mocking as ‘banter’ if it’s back and forth. If two are participating.
An Eric Bantona and an Archbishop of Bant-erbury.
There’s less room for guilt if you were provoked.
In that way I think mocking is a lot like drinking alcohol – it feels better the more people are doing it.
But if the traffic is one way, if the mocking is unprovoked, then I have to say it sounds a lot like bullying.
I’m looking at you Derrick!
