jig/gig

[Wilson Gray]

To quote the Stones quoting some random black guy, "Ain't that a bitch?"

-Wilson

On 9/18/07, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
> Subject:      Re: jig/gig
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Not only is it still around, but two contributors to UrbanDictionary.com spell it
>   "gigaboo."
>
>   So case closed there.
>
>   One defines it as "A discriminating term for a african american."  Note to future language historians: that means "discriminatory," which means "racist."
>
>   JL
>
>
> Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>   ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Wilson Gray
> 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
> wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> > Sender: American Dialect Society
> > Poster: "Dennis R. Preston"
>
> > 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
> >
> >
> > >---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > >-----------------------
> > >Sender: American Dialect Society
> > >Poster: Laurence Urdang
> > >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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--
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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