This seems to be the closest forum to ask the question... where did the word "Gig" come from?

As in: Where is your next gig?

Main Entry: gig
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English -gyge (in whyrlegyge whirligig), of unknown origin
Date: 1570
1: something that whirls or is whirled: as aobsolete : top, whirligig b: a 3-digit selection in a numbers game
2: a person of odd or grotesque appearance
3 a: a long light ship's boat b: a rowboat designed for speed rather than for work
4: a light 2-wheeled one-horse carriage
OR
Etymology: short for earlier fizgig, fishgig, of unknown origin
Date: 1722
1 : a pronged spear for catching fish
2 : an arrangement of hooks to be drawn through a school of fish in order to hook their bodies
OR
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1926 <<<<<<<<
: a job usually for a specified time; especially : an entertainer's engagement <<<<<<
OR
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: circa 1941
: a military demerit
OR
Date: 1987
: gigabyte

Just check your Internet Dictionary.

Thank you for the information but it brings up a second question. What internet dictionary?

I am familiar with Photoshop, FCP, freehand, Illustrator, Go live and a few more. Anything else and I'm out. So here are two I already know the answer to but would like to see if this dictionary has them listed A. Why is it bad luck to whistle backstage & B. The true meaning and origin of the phrase "break a leg"?

I don't know of the Origin but I'll tell you what a theater guy told me. "Break A Leg" comes from the motion you make when you bow at the end of the show. Especially women bend their leg when they bow..known as "breaking a leg". MADE SENSE TO ME! If it ain't true... it's still cool story.

The term "Break a leg" came from an saying that was done way back in the Old time theatre performances. They would perform outdoor Theatre shows on a stage (which was built quickly with wood), and hopefully the patrons that came to see the show would like it enough that the show would stay for as long as it could, or until the stage would "break", hence, "break a leg" referring to the collapse of the stage. If a show was successful enough to "break a leg", then it was a good run. That's why when someone says "break a leg" which began in Theatre, it means "have a good show".

-Alpha

Internet dictionary; not a program you have to buy. Here is one of many available: http://www.m-w.com/

And this information comes from where? Sources?

Posted: Dec 22, 2007 6:39pm
Regarding whistling backstage -- whistling can be heard in the audience. The shrill sound of someone whistling will carry right out to the front. So, it's not only bad luck, it can get you fired!

Posted: Dec 23, 2007 1:06am
I really don't like to use the on-line dictionaries, even though the m-w dictionary is a lot better than dictionary.com, simply because the experience isn't as rich as looking through a real, honest to Pete, book, especially if the book is the OED.

If you have the OED, you need to look in the supplement, not the one in the back of the second volume of the photographically reduced one, but the second set of supplements. The advantage of the OED is that it gives you the actual literary reference of the first appearance of the word.

For "gig" as applied to work, the OED states that it is of unknown origin, but referred to one-night stands played by bands. The earliest known appearance in print was in Melody Makers magazine, 1926 (same date as above) in which the article quoted describes a 'gig' band that played from printed music.

Many words in common use today came from the jazz vernacular. "Chill" entered the English language from jazz musicians.

Yes, gig, is an jazz term. I believe I even heard it referred to by Louis Armstrong in an old 78rpm.

Dr. solar

Whistling Backstage:

Whistling backstage is something that in almost all traditional theatres is considererd the height of wishing bad luck upon the "stage".
This tradition began in New York in the late 1800's when Broadway was just beginning to present shows that were crewed largely by highly experienced sailors, all of whom were expert in the rigging of heavy items. At that time, it was only experienced sailors and their rigging knowledge that could effectively rig, move, and de-rig 1000 pound set pieces used in stage scenery.
Of course one of the primary methods sailors used to communicate on a ship was through the use of whistles.

The stage crew on any given show may have in fact just got off a ship in the weeks prior to their "gig" at the theatre.

(BTW, most of the very first members of The International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees were sailors......Local #1 New York City, who to this day staff all Broadway shows).

At the time, whistling was banned onstage in anticipation of a sailor/stagehand, accidentally hearing a whistle and presuming it to be a signal to move a heavy piece of flown scenery, and would do so not at the appropriate time, either onto another piece of scenery or worse, an actors head.........bad luck indeed!



Break A Leg:

I don't think there's a singular answer to this one.
There are many different descriptions of how and why this saying may have come into use, and all of them are available on the internet.
What is known and followed backstage today is that it is considered terribly uncouth to actually wish an actor "good luck" just prior to their entering the stage from the wings.

It is therefore considered only appropriate to wish upon them negative events.

Personally, myself and others I work with who have a history of working backstage have always considered the statement to have originated with the series of narrow and tall side curtains which mask the sides of the stage known as "legs".
As any good stagecrafter or actor knows, stage draperies should NEVER be touched by performers. If draperies are touched, they move, and if they move they draw the eye of every single person in the audience.
This is most easily seen and understood when somebody backstage decides to peek out through the main drape at a full house just prior to the show. The main drape moves and the entire seated house notices the movement and all eyes are then focused on the tiny split in the drape the person (usually an actor) is peeking out of.

A commonly heard phrase from the Stage Manager or Head Carpenter (even today) is, "don't touch the legs".......most often heard when there is either a large crowd scene onstage during the performance, or when there are full company bows at the end of a performance during applause.

Many believe "break a leg" to be a derivative of this mass of movement through the "legs".
Possibly wishing multiple calls for bows from the audience, thus causing large amounts of traffic through the "legs" thus increasing the possibility of somebody "breaking a leg". (the stage drape, not their own).

In all fairness, there are quite a few other explanations that various folk adhere to as to the origin of this phrase.

Whistling

That's a similar story to the one told over here in the UK.

The whistling story is one that I would stake my (rather tattered) reputation on.
I've been in the technical side of theatre, touring shows for some 35 years.

The whistling story is the same story told by every grizzled old stage carpenter in every dusty old hemp house around the world.
It's this commonality to the tale that causes me to believe it's simply because the story is true.

I also learned the same thing getting my degree in theatre, but didn't put as much weight into it until I heard it from at least two dozen different grumpy stage carps.

I never knew that. I wonder if I could use that story in my show?

It is my understanding that gig is simply a shortened term for "engagement." I don't remember who told me that but I've always thought it made sense.

You won't ever find any dictionary giving you a firm origin for "gig".
Some guesses maybe, but never a firm answer.

The bottom line is folks just don't know.

The word has even evolved in the last 20 years. Originally it was meant to imply a short term (most often only one night) musical engagement. These days you can hear burger flippers using it, "I got a new gig at McDonalds".

This is one bit of hard core jazz vernacular that made it into the mainstream, but what the process was before the general public became aware of it remains a mystery.

Gig is from whirlygig. Somthing that does the rounds! A live band that played from town to town over and over became known as a gig. The term moved on to " are you going to the gig" etc... So says my old music mentore

Break a leg as I've read was a term used to refer to patrons stomping their feet in enjoyment .. Like clapping ... So Break a Leg was to get them stomping to the point of fracture
That's what I've heard.
:dancing:

GIG = Get In Gear

I have also heard that whistling is forbidden because it was used for signaling scenery changes, and if you whistle you might get something dropped on you.

And I have always heard that wishing someone luck is actually bad luck in a theater -- a jinx. So you wish them bad luck ("break a leg!") so that things will go well.

That said, I usually hear "Have a good show" before going onstage, so perhaps "break a leg" is a tradition from bygone days.

Or they just want to see me fail!

R

I was once told that "gig" was shortened from "gigo" which stood for: Get in Get out

Day 20

It stand for Girls in Garters.

Started in the 1920 s durring the american vaudville time.