The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #116600   Message #2505424
Posted By: McGrath of Harlow
01-Dec-08 - 08:02 PM
Thread Name: Origin of the word 'gig'
Subject: RE: Origin of the word 'gig'
I can't see how engagement, with a hard g followed by a soft one, could give rise to the word "gig" with its two hard g's.

The same kind of problem arises with the French word "gigue" which is pronounced in the same way as its English equivalent, jig.

One suggestion occurs - could it possibly be related to "giggle"? Getting a gig can be a bit of a laugh, after all...