Monday 5 October 2009

Jigger

Hi,

I am researching the use of the word 'jigger' (Liverpool slang for an alleyway) for a university English language project and wondered if you could give me any details, or suggest any people or books that may be able to help me?

I'm especially interested in how old the word is and its orgins, such as what language it came from or other word it developed from.

Kind regards,

Tony Bethel

3 comments:

  1. The word Jigger may have maritime origins as the small passage at the rear of terraced houses is also the smallest sail on a ship.
    Regards
    Rob Ainsworth

    Liverpool History Society

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  2. Yes BOB a jigger was the acces to the back of teraced houses coal was deliverd though the jigger ,rubbish bins removed and contents dumped in a rubbish (bin horse drawn cart )many of them used to dump rubbish cats that frequent the jiggers are called jigger rabbits,NOT VERY HYGENIC AREAS ,JOE

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  3. jigger is a newfoundland word for a hook that was used to jig cod fish before the foreign vessels went there and cleaned out the cod fish population.

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