The jig is up
Edward LaBonte
refering to the lynching of blacks in the old south. I assume that this
is an urban legend but I can't convince her of it. I didn't find
anything in the faq about it nor could I turn up anything in a web
search.
--
Ed LaBonte e...@NOSPAMlabonte.com
http://ed.labonte.com
McCaffertA
writes:
>Edward LaBonte <e...@NOSPAMlabonte.com> wrote:
>>I heard from my girl friend that this phrase derived from racist slang
>>refering to the lynching of blacks in the old south. I assume that this
>>is an urban legend but I can't convince her of it. I didn't find
>>anything in the faq about it nor could I turn up anything in a web
>>search.
>
>The OED entry for "jig" sez:
> 5. A piece of sport, a joke; a jesting matter, a trifle; a sportive
> trick or cheat. the jig is up (or over) = `the game is up', it is all
> over. Now dial. or slang.
Also shows up as "jouk" (or something like that) in Scots.
Lee Ayrton
On Wed, 10 May 2000, Edward LaBonte wrote:
> I heard from my girl friend that this phrase derived from racist slang
> refering to the lynching of blacks in the old south. I assume that this
> is an urban legend but I can't convince her of it. I didn't find
> anything in the faq about it nor could I turn up anything in a web
> search.
Do an inter-library loan requisition for the Facts on File "Encyclopedia
of Word and Phrase Origins" (ISBN 0-8160-3266-1) and show her that the jig
that is up is an Elizabethan slang term for a prank. (page 370).
Further etymological research is left as an exercise for the reader.
John Francis
McCaffertA <mccaf...@aol.comment> wrote:
>In article <8fca7k$9ch$1...@panix2.panix.com>, bra...@panix.com (Bo Bradham)
>writes:
>
>>>I heard from my girl friend that this phrase derived from racist slang
>>>refering to the lynching of blacks in the old south. I assume that this
>>>is an urban legend but I can't convince her of it. I didn't find
>>>anything in the faq about it nor could I turn up anything in a web
>>>search.
>>
>> 5. A piece of sport, a joke; a jesting matter, a trifle; a sportive
>> trick or cheat. the jig is up (or over) = `the game is up', it is all
>> over. Now dial. or slang.
>
> Also shows up as "jouk" (or something like that) in Scots.
That proves it, then. The English always used to say "the Jock is up"
when they were hanging yet another scot for sheep rustling.
--
John "why do sheep rustle? They're covered in wool!" Francis
hillbilly
the dance is over(the JIG is up)O.K.
>
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hillbilly
McCaffertA
<atoz3333...@yahoo.com.invalid> writes:
>How about trying an Irish JIG and when the dance is over(the JIG
>is up)O.K.
Except, you know, that might be folk etymology, is all.
Wendy Payne
Edward LaBonte wrote:
> I heard from my girl friend that this phrase derived from racist slang
> refering to the lynching of blacks in the old south. I assume that this
> is an urban legend but I can't convince her of it. I didn't find
> anything in the faq about it nor could I turn up anything in a web
> search.
>
Andy Walton
Ayrton <lay...@connix.com> wrote:
:On Wed, 10 May 2000, Edward LaBonte wrote:
:
:> I heard from my girl friend that this phrase derived from racist slang
:> refering to the lynching of blacks in the old south. I assume that this
:> is an urban legend but I can't convince her of it. I didn't find
:> anything in the faq about it nor could I turn up anything in a web
:> search.
:
:Do an inter-library loan requisition for the Facts on File "Encyclopedia
:of Word and Phrase Origins" (ISBN 0-8160-3266-1) and show her that the jig
:that is up is an Elizabethan slang term for a prank. (page 370).
I didn't see the below in the FAQ, and Deja isn't responding tonight.
Sorry if it's redundant.
It's worth mentioning at this juncture that a recent trend in folk
etymology is finding racist origins of seemingly benign terms. It's been
claimed that "picnic" was derived from "pick a nigger," because lynchings
were supposedly a normal part of an afternoon's entertainment. It's a load
of codswallop, but that doesn't stop a lot of well-meaning people from
trying to convince their friends to stop using the word.
One common version is this one, which I've seen verbatim on quite a few sites:
This e-mail is being sent to you as a public service anouncement and
as information in the form of a little known black history fact. This
information can also be found in the Black African-American Archives
at the Smithsonian Institute. Although not taught in American Learning
institutions and literature, it is noted in most Black history
professional circles and literature that the origin of the term
"picnic" derives from the acts of lynching Black African-Americans. The
word "picnic" is rooted from the whole theme of "Pick a Nigger". This
is where whites would "pic" a black person to lynch and make this into
a family gathering. There would be music and a "picnic". ("nic" being
the white acronym for "nigger"). Scenes of this were depicted in the
movie "Rosewood". We should choose to use the word "barbecue" or
"outing" instead of the word "picnic".
A debunking from a Smithsonian research fellow can be found at:
http://www.takeourword.com/Issue032.html#Sez%20You...
I won't recap the points made at the above URL. They're pretty much dead on.
And the actual derivation can be found at:
http://www.takeourword.com/et_n-p.html#picnic
I've seen a few places in Southern cities named "Nickajack" -- streets,
parks, etc. The most prominent is Nickajack Lake, a TVA creation near
Chattanooga. The volkish wisdom is that this was a latter-day
bowdlerization of "nigger Jack." A cursory Web search found no online
sources to vorify or debunk.
The common thread is the belief that Black history in America has been
buried or distorted -- which is true enough on its face. Because of that
history, the "things THEY don't want you to know" tales find a ready
audience, and the derivation of any word that starts with N is suspect.
There's also a strong parallel to the "rule of thumb" kerfuffle.
Andy "sorry for being so niggardly with my cites; or am I niggling?' Walton
--
"I've been down so long that down don't worry me." -- Billie Holiday
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andy Walton * att...@mindspring.com * http://atticus.home.mindspring.com/
Bruce Tindall
>I've seen a few places in Southern cities named "Nickajack" -- streets,
>parks, etc. The most prominent is Nickajack Lake, a TVA creation near
>Chattanooga. The volkish wisdom is that this was a latter-day
>bowdlerization of "nigger Jack." A cursory Web search found no online
>sources to vorify or debunk.
William Powell's "North Carolina Gazetteer" lists three place names
in that state containing the word "Nickajack", but alas gives no
etymology.
B "glad to be of help" T
--
Today is the first day of the rest of the twentieth century.
Bruce Tindall :: tin...@panix.com
Lee Rudolph
>Andy Walton <att...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>>I've seen a few places in Southern cities named "Nickajack" -- streets,
>>parks, etc. The most prominent is Nickajack Lake, a TVA creation near
>>Chattanooga. The volkish wisdom is that this was a latter-day
>>bowdlerization of "nigger Jack." A cursory Web search found no online
>>sources to vorify or debunk.
>
>William Powell's "North Carolina Gazetteer" lists three place names
>in that state containing the word "Nickajack", but alas gives no
>etymology.
Well, why didcha look at George R. Stewart's _American Place Names_,
which comes down squarely on "Indian, probably Cherokee, meaning
uncertain"?
Can't imagine why them Indians would call a lake "uncertain", but
there you go.
>B "glad to be of help" T
L "m3 t00!!1!" R
Mark D. Lew
> Can't imagine why them Indians would call a lake "uncertain", but
> there you go.
Probably along the same lines as those stories where the newcomer to the
area asks, "What's the name of that such-and-such?", and the native answers
"I don't know".
According to my reading, some such stories are voracious but others aren't.
mdl
Rambler III
> In article <8fkgsj$ohb$1...@panix.com>, lrud...@panix.com (Lee Rudolph) wrote:
>
> > Can't imagine why them Indians would call a lake "uncertain", but
> > there you go.
>
> Probably along the same lines as those stories where the newcomer to the
> area asks, "What's the name of that such-and-such?", and the native answers
> "I don't know".l
I don't know = kangaroo?
--
Rambler III
“Each person who tries to see beyond his own time would face questions to which
there cannot be absolute answers.” Felicia, The Illustrated Man, Ray Bradbury
Charles Wm. Dimmick
> >William Powell's "North Carolina Gazetteer" lists three place names
> >in that state containing the word "Nickajack", but alas gives no
> >etymology.
>
> Well, why didcha look at George R. Stewart's _American Place Names_,
> which comes down squarely on "Indian, probably Cherokee, meaning
> uncertain"?
I seem to remember a Cherokee Indian village named Nickajack
which was attacked and destroyed by a bunch of Tennessee
settlers at one point. Perhaps one of our members living in
central Tennessee can do some research and get back to us.
There is also a book called Nickajack, written by a
"native American", but I know nothing about it.
Charles Wm. Dimmick
Rambler III
I believe Nickajack Creek and Cave in East Tennessee are now under one of
the TVA lakes [Nickajack Lake?]
According to USGS,
Nickajack (historical)
GA
Cobb
pop place
335012N
0843232W
Mableton
Nickajack Creek
GA
Cobb
stream
334719N
0843115W
Mableton
Nickajack Gap
GA
Walker
gap
345416N
0852257W
Hooker
Nickajack Gap
GA
Whitfield
gap
344836N
0850800W
Nickajack Gap
Nickajack Park
GA
Cobb
park
334855N
0843032W
Mableton
Nickajack Creek
NC
Macon
stream
350837N
0831835W
Corbin Knob
Nickajack Gap
NC
Macon
gap
350708N
0831958W
Scaly Mountain
Nickajack (historical)
TN
Marion
pop place
345945N
0853630W
New Home
Nickajack Branch
TN
Smith
stream
362104N
0855758W
Carthage
Nickajack Cove
TN
Marion
valley
345910N
0853604W
New Home
Nickajack Dam
TN
Marion
dam
350015N
0853710W
Sequatchie
Nickajack Lake
TN
Marion
reservoir
350015N
0853710W
Sequatchie