jizz

[Baker, John]

Actually, the online OED does list "jizz" as an alternate form of "jism."

I notice that the OED's "jizz," a term used by birders to denote the overall impression given by a bird (or other animal or plant), is somewhat similar in meaning to "gist," in its meaning of the substance or pith of a matter, the essence or main part.  Is there any possibility of a derivation of "jizz," in the birder meaning, from "gist"?

I toyed in my mind with the possibility that "jism" derives from "gist."  The dates don't really work very well.  The OED traces this meaning of "gist" back only to 1820, although I imagine that could be antedated; the older legal meaning, the real ground or point (of an action, indictment, etc.), is dated to 1711.  "Jism" goes back at least to 1842, and that probably could be antedated as well.  That's a big change in both meaning and pronunciation to occur in only 22 years or so.

But it does seem at least somewhat plausible that the birder use of "jizz" could derive from "gist."  The meaning is similar, the pronunciation is not that different, and the dates work.


John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Victor Steinbok
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2012 5:00 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: jizz

OED has "jism", but no "jizz" or "jissom", not even as alternates. But
there are two quotes that mention "jissom" and they are quite unambiguous.

Jism 1. is "energy". Jism 2. is "semen, sperm".

     VS-)


> On Feb 19, 2012, at 11:05 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>
>> HDAS defines "jizz" as semen. Well documented but far more recent.
>>
>> Speaking as s a reasonably well-read person, I've never encountered
>> the OED meaning.
>>
>> JL
> Yeah, I think there'd be some taboo avoidance at work in that case.  The same process hasn't quite reached Santorum yet, but other forces are at work there.
>
> LH
>> On Sun, Feb 19, 2012 at 10:21 AM, Stephen Goranson<goranson at duke.edu>  wrote:
>>> OED has an entry for jizz, n., "The characteristic impression given by an a=
>>> nimal or plant." The OED articles on jazz do not include jizz as a variant =
>>> spelling, though some late texts suggest it may be. The OED's first two quo=
>>> tations for jizz are from a 1922 book. That book reprints a 1921 article in=
>>> the Manchester Guardian, Dec. 6, 1921, p. 14, col. 1 [*1]. "Jizz" occurs m=
>>> ore than a dozen times in the article, four of which appear in OED. An exam=
>>> ple from the article and not in OED: "....all the pose, attitude, and habit=
>>> -character is lost, when the bird becomes a [dead] specimen. Its jizz is go=
>>> ne."
>>>
>>> Other appearances of jizz:
>>>
>>> GB copyright entries: 5535. Brown (It. E.) That jazz jizz jazziest hug. 180=
>>> 50. 1920, pub 1921
>>> More editions
>>> GB jizz 1913 Saturday evening post [Philadelphia Graham?] v185 issue 6???[I=
>>> don't have this volume to check, and did not confirm at HT--is anyone inte=
>>> rested in checking?]
>>> HT p481 ...dancer.  Have you seen "Hullo Jizz-Jazz"The strand magazine. v.5=
>>> 7 1919 Jan-Jun. p482  stage box for Hullo Jizz Jazz,....
>>>
>>> Stephen Goranson

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