Origin of verb 'to gig?'

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: bassen
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 03:11 PM

Good morning class.

Etymology is sometimes more guesswork than the experts like to admit. My english reference books give the french "gigue" as the origin for "jig"; my french reference books give the english "jig" as the origin for "gigue" in the meaning type of dance, type of tune. However, they refer to an older meaning of the word "gigue", that being an early medieval stringed instrument, one or two strings, played with a bow. This word is given as "probably germanic" in origin, which is often etymologyspeak for "Gee, I dunno". But little bells are ringing. In nordic tradition a gige (GUEE guh) or gigja (GIG yah), was a simple stringed instrument, played with a bow, possibly as a drone accompaniment to saga recitations, or improvisational poetry "kvad". They're mentioned in the sagas, Landnámabok, among other places. In a few western norwegian dialects, gigja was the word used for a regular violin until the middle of the nineteenth century. And a player of this instrument would "gige", as a fiddler fiddles, in English.

"Gig" in english is given as derived from the Middle English "gigge" whirligig, spinning top which again is given as "probably Old Norse in origin". The root of "gigja" seems to be a word meaning to move back and forth, reflecting the use of the bow. In other words, jig and gig probably have the same root. Ultimately, the word is traced as follows: old norse "geiga", move at an angle, swing to the side; also, swaying the upper body. (An old term from the Shetlands, giglet, is cited: this meant: staggering about, gesturing with the arms…maybe that's where gigging really originated…) My books give all kinds of indogermanic and gothic roots, but they're given with asterisks which, if I recall correctly, is neonlighted-on-a-Las-Vegas-scale etymology for "We're really reaching here" so I won't bore you guys with those.

Mister Spaw, when you've finished with your nap, I'd appreciate a written resumé of my lecture, by the end of the day please. Thank you.

P.S. Re gig meaning a boat. I would guess that gig as a vernacular term for the vulva was the key. There's a parallel in norwegian maritime terms, at least. That type of boat was known in norwegian as a "kunte" or a "fitte", which are vernacular norwegian for the vulva, but these words are now no longer in use. I mean can imagine bellowing out, "Sailor, take the skipper ashore in the c***", you wouldn't last a day.

P.P.S I'm not an etymologist. But after having worked in museums for 20 some years, I'm used to speaking at length on subjects about which I know absolutely nothing...

bassen

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: northfolk/al cholger
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 04:16 PM

I'll pass up the obvious question about this gig thread transliterating to...Gee string, and ask all of you to now help me understand what a gigabyte is?

Sorry, but by now most of you know that there are a few of us that won't pass any opportunity for word play...the simpler the better.

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: sophocleese
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 05:28 PM

northfolk/al cholger, I suppose the quickest response to "What is a gigabyte?" is "Eat me." Very big grin.

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: WyoWoman
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 05:58 PM

Bassen -- I'm a journalist. We possess much the same skill. I call assignments in which you know nothing about the topic but are expected to produce 20 column inches in tomorrow's newspaper a "Gulp 'n' Go." You take a deep breath, grab your notebook, find whatever reference material you can, gulp and GO!!!"

To Northfolk, I would say, "Saturday night out..."

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 06:50 PM

Bassen, greetings, I can assure you some of my sailors would have bellowed "take the C*** ashore in the skipper" Yours, Aye. dave

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Micca
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 07:25 PM

Dave Shouldn't that be "take the C*** ashore in the punt"( except in Ireland where the punt has turned into the currency) and sophocleese you have a wonderfully dirty mind. I applaud you ma'am. Since I am up to my oxters in Robert Heinlein cf Tamara's song thread " Have you ever noticed how much the resemble orchids?" Lazarus Long

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Dave 9the ancient mariner)
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 10:47 PM

Quite right Micca I was'nt thinking cause I've been drinking Bushmills tonight and making a nuisance of myself somewhere else, just got back. TTFN Dave

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: _gargoyle
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 11:13 PM

My experiences....gigging aka jigging....for frogs in northern Maine has been.....

They will jump for ANY bait (may-fly, royal-coachmen, black-knat, brown-wooly, or grey-ghost) they are presented with.

Frogs are like women in heat, they will do a gig with a(policeman, professor, proctologist, or pimp) aka the first available lure.

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Art Thieme
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 12:15 AM

From my personal experience, I finally decided the noun "gig" and the verb "to gig" comes from the synonym for laughing quietly'----GIGGLE.

Whenever I'd ask what the job paid, they would tell me and I would "GIGGLE". Then I'd walk the 35 miles to our shanty under a bridge and tell Carol what they had offered me to play 8 sets a night. She, too, would start to giggle ---- but not so quietly. The sounds soon took on a distinctly eerie and pathological tone. After about 20 minutes those squawkings turned into (morphed into) what always sounded like deep and heartwrenching sobs to my ears.

To this day I've never gotten over it.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: sophocleese
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 01:44 AM

Giggling quietly Art. Micca I think there are many who would agree that I have a dirty mind but not as many who would call it 'wonderfully' dirty. Thank you. I have followed this thread with delight as it has rambled and so far the only conclusion I can come to is; gig - a job, especially a booking for a jazz musician, probably Old Norse in origin. Which just starts up some wonderful imagery. Grendel on sax is one, with Grendel's mother quelling too disrespectful audience members.

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Micca
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 05:58 AM

Perhaps its a band looking for a gig " Beowulf and the Grendels" on Tour, BTW Dave Its called Old Bushmills because it is milled from genuine old bushes, thats why tthe first thing you say when woken next day is " Leaf me alone"

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 08:33 AM

Micca, I am afraid to say it was seven year old rum that I used to water the Bushmills down that did me in last night. I hope I have'nt posted anything I am going to have to do pennance for? Off to look. Yours,ayyyyeee. Dave

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Little Dorritt
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 05:44 PM

This thread has probably provided us with more information than any of us needed to know! I do remember being similarly troubled by the word 'frig' which I used regularly when I worked in computers, but which had a very different (and sexual) meaning when I was growing up.Similarly, I once remembered seeing an episode of Mork and Mindy when a character was called Mr Wanker - I was with my parents at the time and my mother nearly passed out -two countries divided by a common language eh!

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 06:04 PM

Little Dorritt,I am sure Robin Williams was fully aware of the term Wanker when doing the show, it was obviously one "pulled" over on the USA censor. (no pun intended) Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: poet
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 06:27 PM

I am surprised that no one made reference to what was traditionally offered to british and american soldiers in the middle East. psst tommy/yank you want Jig a Jig with my sister/brother only half a Crown/dollar. I think "never mind the quality feel the width" maybe.

I apologise for the next bit but 1948 Oxford Dictionary defined Prick (old English) sharpening stone for Scythe and sickle. and Cu.. as a small soft leather bag attatched to the belt to keep it in.
What a great thread you do know your all barmy dont you.(big Grin).

Graham (Guernsey)

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 09 Jan 00 - 06:57 PM

Many years of wanking on the planking, and frigging in the riggin, you become barmy that way mate. Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: BDenz
Date: 10 Jan 00 - 04:11 PM

It's very hard to laugh quietly at work -- when guffaws wanted to come out while reading this topic [Em pulled me in here -- it's all HER fault], I had to turn them into coughs.

You guys are funny.

And no, Em, you are not the lone lech.

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 09:55 PM

Old fun thread.
The term "gig" with respect to an engagement for musicians first appeared in the journal "Melody Maker," in 1927 and 1927.
1926- One popular 'gig' band ....
1927- The seven-piece combination does many 'gigs' in SE London, but is hoping to secure a resident engagement in Leamington...
From the OED, 1987 supplement and in later complete editions.

Looks like the Brits are responsible. Is anyone familiar with the "Melody Maker"?

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Ebbie
Date: 22 Feb 03 - 11:45 PM

Darn- I've forgotten Little Dorritt's name now but you said, "I once remembered seeing an episode of Mork and Mindy when a character was called Mr Wanker - "... That reminds me of what Mork often called Mindy: "Pooter". In the colloquial, dialectical German I grew up with, Pooter was a "little fart."

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Bernard
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 08:45 PM

The explanation I read years ago (but can't remember where) is that the term originated in the Harlem ghetto amongst blues players. A paid booking and 'God Is Good' - hence 'gig'...

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: cunningoldcelt
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 10:10 PM

The way I heard things when I was a small lad in London just after the war was that in the days of music hall (vaudeville to those across the pond) performers like Marie Lloyd could play anything up to five or six halls in an evening. Apparently their acts were only about ten or fifteen minutes long. A normal cab was too wide to get arpound the alleys and back streets of London, so the artist would have a light two wheeled gig and driver waiting outside the stage door to whisk them off to the next hall.
As to the anatomical side, amusing at least but a bit far fetched.

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Frankham
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 05:57 PM

I think the term is definitely "African American". It comes from the jazz musician. Wonder if the term has something to do with "getting away with something."(Being paid for doing something that was less than musically demanding.) There was a period in the era of be-bop where a "gig" might be looked at as a necessary evil. A "general business" or "casual" gig would not feature innovative jazz since it would be over the heads of the clients. A wedding gig or a dance gig would be seen as a way to finance the practice time of a dedicated jazz musician who would play at a session. Later, sessions seem to turn into paid gigs. A lot of the late 50's musicians had a disdain for "general business" or "casual" gigs. This changed pretty soon when the "bread" ran out. Even to this day, though, there are jazz players who still think it beneath them to take a "GB" or "Casual". "General Business" is back East whereas "Casual" is California.

Frank Hamilton

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: harvey andrews
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 06:23 PM

The way I heard things when I was a small lad in London just after the war was that in the days of music hall (vaudeville to those across the pond) performers like Marie Lloyd could play anything up to five or six halls in an evening. Apparently their acts were only about ten or fifteen minutes long. A normal cab was too wide to get arpound the alleys and back streets of London, so the artist would have a light two wheeled gig and driver waiting outside the stage door to whisk them off to the next hall.

This is my understanding also. Before music hall there were the singing rooms and artistes would do three or four in one night and a gig would be hired to drive them around for the evening.

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 06:53 PM

Gargoyle-
"The Doctor's Lament" tickled me many years ago, which is why it's been in DigiTrad for a long time now. With line breaks.

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: michaelr
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 07:14 PM

Aha, COC -- now we're getting somewhere. Thanks for that bit of info; it seems the most likely origin.

To elaborate on bassen's Nordic-language lecture: a fiddle or violin is called a geige (GUY-ga) in German.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Origin of verb 'to gig?'
From: Gurney
Date: 27 Sep 03 - 01:36 AM

Further meanings of the word, in 'GIG' spelling:

A machine for raising cloth, to prepare for dressing.
A boat.
A silly, flighty person.
A machine for winnowing corn.
To hasten along.
A top. A decoy for birds.
A cock. Or maybe a pig's foot. (?)
A fiddle.
To talk or chatter.
A hole in the earth to dry flax in.

As was pointed out above, a hard-working word.