I see it too, but to be brief:
I may be biased in my belief.
Stan:
Etymologists would muzzle
Most folks’ answers to this puzzle;
But until I’ve heard the last word,
To twig from “tuig” is not absurd.
Not only is “twig” to be derived from “tuig”, but I’ve also seen claims that the beat generation’s “dig” is another child of “tuig”.”I dig it, man” = “I understand it, boyo.”
Your suggested derivation receives some support from Sean Beecher (1991 ‘A Dictionary of Cork Slang’ The Collins Press). To quote from page 103, “Twig, To, verb. To understand. Use: You twig? You understand? Derivation: Possibly Irish ‘Tuig’ – to understand. And note ‘Twig’ – a divining rod for water, hence by extension ‘understanding’. Wright. And also ‘Twig’ – I catch your meaning, I understand (Irish ‘Tuigim’ – I notice). Brewer.”
Douglas: Dig ‘understand’ could be from twig, or alternatively from Wolof dega, which also means ‘understand’. It seems to have become popular via jazz circles, but its origin is unclear.
Colin: Thanks for that reference; I don’t have Beecher’s book, and hadn’t made the connection to divination.
Hi,
Webster’s International Dictionary gives, in addition to the meaning of a ‘small shoot without leaves’, the meaning of to use a twig as a diving rod (searching for water).
This might be a source of the meaning to understand (suddenly).
Hi, Michael. Thanks for that reference. The twig-as-divining-rod may have played a part in the word’s semantic development, though as a non-etymologist I would just be guessing.
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Stan:
I twig to it, and I can see
The Gaelic etymology.
Marc:
I see it too, but to be brief:
I may be biased in my belief.
Stan:
Etymologists would muzzle
Most folks’ answers to this puzzle;
But until I’ve heard the last word,
To twig from “tuig” is not absurd.
Not only is “twig” to be derived from “tuig”, but I’ve also seen claims that the beat generation’s “dig” is another child of “tuig”.”I dig it, man” = “I understand it, boyo.”
Your suggested derivation receives some support from Sean Beecher (1991 ‘A Dictionary of Cork Slang’ The Collins Press). To quote from page 103, “Twig, To, verb. To understand. Use: You twig? You understand? Derivation: Possibly Irish ‘Tuig’ – to understand. And note ‘Twig’ – a divining rod for water, hence by extension ‘understanding’. Wright. And also ‘Twig’ – I catch your meaning, I understand (Irish ‘Tuigim’ – I notice). Brewer.”
Douglas: Dig ‘understand’ could be from twig, or alternatively from Wolof dega, which also means ‘understand’. It seems to have become popular via jazz circles, but its origin is unclear.
Colin: Thanks for that reference; I don’t have Beecher’s book, and hadn’t made the connection to divination.
Hi,
Webster’s International Dictionary gives, in addition to the meaning of a ‘small shoot without leaves’, the meaning of to use a twig as a diving rod (searching for water).
This might be a source of the meaning to understand (suddenly).
Hi, Michael. Thanks for that reference. The twig-as-divining-rod may have played a part in the word’s semantic development, though as a non-etymologist I would just be guessing.