I've lived in the heart of Red-neckville for twenty years and never heard the term. As it is a long standing legitimate term with no racist overtones, I can only guess that it is one of those things that people think long and hard to find a way to be offended by it.
And my silly answer is:
If they are moving in 3/4 time, to a fairly fast tempo, they are prolly Jigs. At a slower tempo they might be Waltzes. If the 3/4 is further tortured to a 6/8 and sprightly done (with more than one), a Tarantella.
A "fixture" seems a sad name for a dance.
BTW: The guy who mentioned the differentiation in nomenclature - he's called an "asshole".
Regards, Tom Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania 19428
I remember it being used racially when I was growing up in Kentucky. It had been some 50 years since I'd heard it used that way until last year when someone even older than I used it that way.
I agree that most folks have never heard the racial slur, so it's an ovrreaction to object to "jig" used in either of it's normal definitions.
Don't forget about slip-jigs, reels, airs, slow airs, marches, strathspeys, strathspey airs & polkas
So it's in the dictionary. So is "buggywhip". And your point is?
I've lived mostly in NV, NC, and TN, and I've heard it a good deal, as a racist term mostly in its full form but sometimes the shortened form, in lots of discourse--guess I've been keepin' worse company....
I don't see any harm in "jig" when the context is obviously mechanical, but then again I'm not black and I don't have to worry about being sensitive to those kinds of names. I won't presume to say what should or should not be a sensitive issue for someone else.
If the context were in doubt I'd be happy to use the word fixture if that makes someone else less defensive. No skin off my back...
Trying to keep my dogmas unfixed, H
So any word that can be rearranged to mean a racial term should not be used. Who comes up with this idiocy?
One of my closest friends is an older black man. It's been said that this group is the most sensitive because they have lived through a very deameaning time and were the primary targets.
Knowing I work with wood and have often used the term "jig" in his presence. He sees the term for the context that it was delivered and takes no offense. Of course, he can only speak for himself and I agree with the person that said he could use the term "fixture" just as easy if it will spare feelings. While I think that political correctness can go to far, we all have to decide which side of the mountain to die on and this just isn't a show stopper for me.
Don
Well, I thought that people might want to know the definition for reference. Didn't know you were gonna stick a 2x4 down your panties and turn it 30 times.
Hi CW,
I'm not sure what you mean by "rearranged" so I can't speak to that.
I'm in love with Norma Loquendi (pace Safire) and historical linguistics, though, so my interest in the many different ways that words acquire and change meanings has its practical uses.
I despise political correctness, which I *think* is what you're referring to. My point speaks to a simple "do unto others..." approach. That, and the fact that I grew up with minorities as friends, has taught me not to pretend a knowledge of what should or should not make someone else offended, until I understand them sufficiently.
I'm not, BTW arguing for the abolition of the word jig, as you'll note from my original post. I was just explaining why another WW might have made the point he did with a knowing glance.
H
Is it? Do you have any interesting sources to substantiate that, or is that just folk etymology?
I have a dictionary with a pretty good amount of etymological information, and it says nothing about the jig/jigaboo relationship in reference to any of the definitions for "jig (1)" such as the dance (from /gigue/), a joke, blah blah, "a device for guiding a tool or for holding machine work in place." It has the jig/jigaboo thing for "jig (2)"
(American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed. BTW)
Main Entry: 1jig Pronunciation: 'jig Function: noun Etymology: perhaps from Middle French giguer to frolic, from gigue fiddle, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German gIga fiddle; akin to Old Norse geiga to turn aside Date: circa 1560
1 a : any of several lively springy dances in triple rhythm b : music to which a jig may be danced 2 : TRICK, GAME -- used chiefly in the phrase the jig is up 3 a : any of several fishing devices that are jerked up and down or drawn through the water b : a device used to maintain mechanically the correct positional relationship between a piece of work and the tool or between parts of work during assembly c : a device in which crushed ore is concentrated or coal is cleaned by agitating in water- in jig time : in a short time : QUICKLY
"the jig/jigaboo relationship in reference to any
That confused the hell out of me.
BWAHAHAHAHA I guess those "English as a second language" classes aren't working out for you huh?.
Jig: A trolling bait, consisting of a bright spoon and a hook attached
fits, eh?
"PM6564" wrote in news:YRrDb.289$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com:
I suggest you check your facts on this one. There is nothing in Websters' Unabridged to suggest this. The ethnic slang is a missappropriation of the word jig. I suppose if racist started calling dark skinned people ding- dongs that hostess should rename their product.
Quite true and I would most appreciate it if you would clip to show who actually wrote this.
From
Both Webster's and the OED (much more helpful in this as in most things) attribute the use of either jig or jigaboo as a derogatory racial slang word to the early half of the 20th century. I used the Webster's online version. It seems obvious to me that the term came from 19th/20th century white preoccupation with black dancing forms, "jig" being a common word for certain dance forms. I suspect that quickly, owing to broader cultural forces, the term took on a derogatory tone.
The ethnic slang is not a "misappropriation", at least not in the way that historical linguists view semantics: that's precisely how many words have acquired their meanings--in just the way you imagine unimaginable ("ding-dong"). Negro and gay immediately come to mind. If "ding-dong" were to become a slur I would bet money that Hostess would rename.
I sympathize if you think that the names for foods (or whatever) should be straightforward, but that's not how words have, historically, acquired meaning. For food specifically, check out Louisville author Martha Barnette's book, "Ladyfingers and Nun's Tummies" for an interesting look at cuisine etymologies. I'm careful to note that you say "should", which indicates your favor of prescriptive definitions--to which I too am partial--but at some point you have to allow that many if not most words acquire meanings indepent of prescriptive reasoning.
H.
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