I go along with the enGAGEment theory, but as most dictionairy entries pre-date me I can't really comment.
Where does "the crew of the captain's gig " come into this ?
I first heard the expression from an under-employed folkie looking for work, at the Unity Theatre Folk Club, in about 1968. Does that help ?
Of course young people, like my daughter, use it as a description of an event they're going to, as opposed to an event they're playing in, which is what I'd use it for.
Interesting question. I first heard this term in the sixties. I thought it was a word that came from the Hippy Era. Maybe from the USA. In those days I never heard it in conjunction with the ITM scene. It was only when I went playing with Jazz/Rock/Pop musicians in the early seventies that it became part of my vocabulary. Nowadays I hear it been used in conjunction with any job musical or non musical.
Doesn't take us much further, I'm afraid, but this is the answer given by one of today's great authorities on the English language, Michael Quinion, in reply to a similar question asked on his website worldwidewords.org: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-gig1.htm
Here's something I found on an askjeeves.com search. I don't speak French to know if this is accurate or not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally, gig `a musical performance' likely comes from French gigue `a ball or dance,' from Middle French giguer `to dance.' Jig (the verb) likely comes from the same source (with influence from earlier jig `move up and down').
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The crew of the captain's gig"
I can help with this, at least, GP.
"GIG, a light, narrow ship's boat, built for speed,......rowing four or six oars single-banked......it had.........two short masts which could be shipped when required........"
(The Oxford Companion To Ships And The Sea)
The captain of a ship would have had his own gig for going ashore or visiting other ships. The crew would consist of four or six oarsmen and a cox'n
to steer and give orders. Readers of Patrick O'Brian and the like will have encountered the term.
The other explanation, stemming from a wheel or "tombola drum" bears looking into. Perhaps the tombola developed into the bodhran, which, of course, is always required at a gig.
It was explained to me once by a musician friend that in the music hall variety shows in the old days a band would always be playing as the audience were settling in to their seats, waiting for the main show to start. This band was known as the “get it going” band and that was shortened to Gig. So…..it’s an acronym for “get it going”.
I can confirm only one of the alternative definitons from personal experience: spears.
The reference to gig as a spear or harpoon is still in use in some regions of North America -- specifically, in my youth I had often heard of "going frog-gigging", usually followed by an invite for a frogs legs dinner..
On thing I've learned about etymology is that explanations relying on acronyms are almost always wrong, especially if the word predates WW2., as "gig" for egagement does.
I'd heard this explanation somewhere (can't remember where). Sounds dubious to me, but I thought I'd throw it into the debate anyway!
In America back in the 20's (or thereabouts), some musicians were setting out to go to their evening's performance. As they were about to get in the car, one said "Hey, what kind of a gig is this?", referring to the car (a throwback to the horse-drawn carriage days - see above). The other musicians thought he was talking about their forthcoming engagement, and somehow the name stuck!
Unless of course is the Gaelic word 'gig' meaning a part of the female anatomy, so called because you get fzcked by agents and promoters, though not in any traditional music scene of course, where all agents and promoters are dedicated hardworking people motivated solely by concern for their artists and love of the music.
Reel Player's explanation above makes sense. And the one that says it could have originated from "gigue" makes sense too. But the "engagement" theory doesn't make any sense to me.
Gig? That's easy - all one-syllable words were defined by Ogg the caveman over a hundred thousand years ago.
Take for instance the word "syllable". Ogg didn't define that one.
As we all know, Ogg made sure all his favourite words had "g" in them. One of his first was to describe his little four legged friend that attracted the fleas out of his beard - he called it "Dog". Once he saw Dog pushing his nethers backwards through the dirt and coined the word "god" to describe anything a bit odd (another of Ogg's words). He later had a closer look and coined the word "worms".
Ogg also came up with some of our other favourites like "stick", "log", "whack", jump", "jig" and "larf". Often he'd get the other cavemen arround the fire at night to whack logs with sticks, jump around and have a larf before retiring with a friend for some jig.
Mozle, that's brilliant! It must be the answer.
I'd send it to Michael Quinion at www.worldwidewords.com. He's a lexicographer who likes a bit of fun in his speciality.
Why is a GIG called a GIG
Why is a GIG called a GIG
Question posed to our band the other night and no one could answer it...anyone know..?
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Dave_
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
I have no idea. but it's a lot less pretentious than "Concert" or "Performance"
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Backer
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
i dont think there's anything pretentious about 'concert' if that's what it is. it's just more specific
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by saltybrian
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
short for "engagement" I always thought
now I shall see what the gods of google and the wizards of wiki have to say
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Bren
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the origin is unknown, but the word started being used in the 1920's.
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by seisflutes
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
hmm - not a lot.
this was the best of a rum bunch:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-gig1.htm
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Bren
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Named after a "gig" bag, obviously.
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Not much more help, but there's this
http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/more/311/
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Reverend
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
... because it's not a session.
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by llig leahcim
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
I go along with the enGAGEment theory, but as most dictionairy entries pre-date me I can't really comment.
Where does "the crew of the captain's gig " come into this ?
I first heard the expression from an under-employed folkie looking for work, at the Unity Theatre Folk Club, in about 1968. Does that help ?
Of course young people, like my daughter, use it as a description of an event they're going to, as opposed to an event they're playing in, which is what I'd use it for.
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Interesting question. I first heard this term in the sixties. I thought it was a word that came from the Hippy Era. Maybe from the USA. In those days I never heard it in conjunction with the ITM scene. It was only when I went playing with Jazz/Rock/Pop musicians in the early seventies that it became part of my vocabulary. Nowadays I hear it been used in conjunction with any job musical or non musical.
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Free Reed
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
It had oreviously been discussed over at Mudcat Cafe. Of the whole thread, I likethis explanation the best:
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=16724#160017
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
They're nuts, over there. Not like us, over here.
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Bren
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
I agree, Bren. This padded cell is a better colour........
# Posted on July 2nd 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Doesn't take us much further, I'm afraid, but this is the answer given by one of today's great authorities on the English language, Michael Quinion, in reply to a similar question asked on his website worldwidewords.org:
http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-gig1.htm
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by lazyhound
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Here's something I found on an askjeeves.com search. I don't speak French to know if this is accurate or not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally, gig `a musical performance' likely comes from French gigue `a ball or dance,' from Middle French giguer `to dance.' Jig (the verb) likely comes from the same source (with influence from earlier jig `move up and down').
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by nofrets
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
maybe its an enGAGEment and a Jig combined
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by WannabeWhistler
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
"The crew of the captain's gig"
I can help with this, at least, GP.
"GIG, a light, narrow ship's boat, built for speed,......rowing four or six oars single-banked......it had.........two short masts which could be shipped when required........"
(The Oxford Companion To Ships And The Sea)
The captain of a ship would have had his own gig for going ashore or visiting other ships. The crew would consist of four or six oarsmen and a cox'n
to steer and give orders. Readers of Patrick O'Brian and the like will have encountered the term.
The other explanation, stemming from a wheel or "tombola drum" bears looking into. Perhaps the tombola developed into the bodhran, which, of course, is always required at a gig.
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by oldstrings
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
According to my dictionary a gig is also a 'small, light two-wheeled carriage pulled by one horse'.
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by kuec
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
nothing to do with sheela-na-gig?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheela_na_Gig
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Then there's the Great Gig in the Sky which we all spiral towards...
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by the wounded hussar
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
It was explained to me once by a musician friend that in the music hall variety shows in the old days a band would always be playing as the audience were settling in to their seats, waiting for the main show to start. This band was known as the “get it going” band and that was shortened to Gig. So…..it’s an acronym for “get it going”.
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by reel player
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
I can confirm only one of the alternative definitons from personal experience: spears.
The reference to gig as a spear or harpoon is still in use in some regions of North America -- specifically, in my youth I had often heard of "going frog-gigging", usually followed by an invite for a frogs legs dinner..
Yum.
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by Rook
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
On thing I've learned about etymology is that explanations relying on acronyms are almost always wrong, especially if the word predates WW2., as "gig" for egagement does.
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by Bren
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
I'd heard this explanation somewhere (can't remember where). Sounds dubious to me, but I thought I'd throw it into the debate anyway!
In America back in the 20's (or thereabouts), some musicians were setting out to go to their evening's performance. As they were about to get in the car, one said "Hey, what kind of a gig is this?", referring to the car (a throwback to the horse-drawn carriage days - see above). The other musicians thought he was talking about their forthcoming engagement, and somehow the name stuck!
Hmmmm...!
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by Mike C
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Unless of course is the Gaelic word 'gig' meaning a part of the female anatomy, so called because you get fzcked by agents and promoters, though not in any traditional music scene of course, where all agents and promoters are dedicated hardworking people motivated solely by concern for their artists and love of the music.
# Posted on July 3rd 2007 by c.g.
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
...giggle
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by morning star
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
OH the irony
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by WannabeWhistler
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Reel Player's explanation above makes sense. And the one that says it could have originated from "gigue" makes sense too. But the "engagement" theory doesn't make any sense to me.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by G. Marzo
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
My keyboard is now covered with coffee ---
"giggle"....
GIG-gle.
Brilliant.
Wonderful you are, MS.
# Posted on July 4th 2007 by Rook
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Oh pishah, Mr. Rook.
I'll bet you say that to all the goils. (blush blush).
# Posted on July 5th 2007 by morning star
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Gig? That's easy - all one-syllable words were defined by Ogg the caveman over a hundred thousand years ago.
Take for instance the word "syllable". Ogg didn't define that one.
As we all know, Ogg made sure all his favourite words had "g" in them. One of his first was to describe his little four legged friend that attracted the fleas out of his beard - he called it "Dog". Once he saw Dog pushing his nethers backwards through the dirt and coined the word "god" to describe anything a bit odd (another of Ogg's words). He later had a closer look and coined the word "worms".
Ogg also came up with some of our other favourites like "stick", "log", "whack", jump", "jig" and "larf". Often he'd get the other cavemen arround the fire at night to whack logs with sticks, jump around and have a larf before retiring with a friend for some jig.
These events he called "gig".
# Posted on July 10th 2007 by Mozle
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Mozle, that's brilliant! It must be the answer.
I'd send it to Michael Quinion at www.worldwidewords.com. He's a lexicographer who likes a bit of fun in his speciality.
# Posted on July 10th 2007 by lazyhound
Re: Why is a GIG called a GIG
Yes.......... Ogg was a good egg. But..... even though I'm
dyslexic, even I believe in doG.
# Posted on July 10th 2007 by morning star