jig/gig

[Dennis Preston]

Wilson,

I suspect it never died; I unfortunately encountered in my earlier
wild on many occasions, admittedly not very much recently, although
occasionally in fieldwork. I suspect its infrequency in my current
life is not from lack of knowledge of those around me but from the
fact that it is university company I now generally keep.

dInIs

>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
>Subject:      Re: jig/gig
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Surely, "jig(aboo)" = black, colored, Negro, African-American, etc,.
>etc., has not been
>resurrected?! I don't think that I've ever heard it in the wild. I
>know it only from literature and the movies. Or am I mistaken in
>assuming that it ever died, in the first place?
>
>-Wilson
>
>On 9/18/07, Dennis R. Preston <preston at msu.edu> wrote:
>>  ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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>>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>  Poster:       "Dennis R. Preston" <preston at MSU.EDU>
>>  Subject:      Re: jig/gig
>>
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>  Could some ESA (ethnic slur avoidance) be going on here? I have seen
>>  younger people look nervous at uses of "jig" even when it clearly
>>  refers to a dance.
>>
>>  While on ESA's, the local (but expanding) East Lansing coffee outfit
>>  "Beaner's" has decided to become "Biggbys" (since it logo is a "Big
>>  B"). They want to avoid the slur of Hispanics (principally Mexicans
>>  and Mexican-Americans), and the change seems preemptive rather than
>>  reactive.
>>
>>  I'm not sure how they will avoid the stress pattern implied by
>>  "Biggby" (with weak stress on the last syllable) when they obviously
>>  want their new name to recall the logo, but wadn't no linguists
>>  consulted.
>>
>>  dInIs
>>
>>
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>>  >Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>  >Poster:       Laurence Urdang <urdang at SBCGLOBAL.NET>
>>  >Subject:      jig/gig
>>  >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>  >
>>  >What I would qualify for inclusion in the burgeoning list of
>>  >Fractured Idioms is the recently heard, "the gig is up."
>>  >   "The jig is up" has cites going back to the 18th century, but it
>>  >must be admitted that today, "the gig is up" has more meaning to
>>  >those familiar with the entertainment business.  Danse macabre there
>>  >somewhere?
>>  >   L. Urdang
>>  >   Old Lyme
>>  >
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>>
>>  --
>>  It should be the chief aim of a university professor to exhibit
>>  himself [sic] in his own true character - that is, as an ignorant man
>>  thinking, actively utilizing his small share of knowledge. Alfred
>>  North Whitehead
>>
>>  Dennis R. Preston
>>  University Distinguished Professor
>>  Department of English
>>  Morrill Hall 15-C
>>  Michigan State University
>>  East Lansing, MI 48824-1036 USA
>>  Office: (517) 353-4736
>>  Fax: (517) 353-3755
>>
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>
>
>--
>All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
>come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
>-----
>                                               -Sam'l Clemens
>
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--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
Morrill Hall 15-C
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48864 USA

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