[Dixielandjazz] The Dirty Dozen

[Jerry Gordon]

Interesting, Bill. Maybe it's correct, but here's what Robert
Hendrickson's "Encyclopedia of Word & Phrase Origins" has to say:

"The art of hurling invective at one's enemies is an ancient one and
American slaves probably brought the verbal exchange called "the dozens"
or "dirty dozens" with them from Africa, basing it on the Tuareg and
Galla game of two opponents cursing one another until one man lost his
temper and began fighting with his hands instead of his mouth; he was
considered the loser. Alive and thriving today among blacks, the game
takes its name not from dozen, "twelve," but probably from the
Americanism 'bulldoze,' which meant "to bullwhip someone," especially a
slave, the insults linked to whip lashes." There's then a reference
to'bulldozer," with further entries.

Jerry "just keeping an eye on the etymology" Gordon, Troy, NY
Web master for http://www.timesunion.com/communities/jazz


On Tue, 01 Oct 2002 21:45:23 +0000 "Bill Gunter" <jazzboard@hotmail.com>
writes:
> Listmates,
> 
> I've received a couple of interesting e-mails off list on the Civil 
> war 
> thread. Thanks for that.
> 
> However, here is an interesting link to jazz.
> 
> There is a sort of 'trad band' from N.O. (I think) called "The Dirty 
> Dozen." 
...
> The name, however, as I understand it, derives from the days of 
> slavery when 
> slaves just off the boat from Africa were bunched up into groups of 
> 12 for 
> auction on the slave blocks. The term for such a group at that time 
> was the 
> "Dirty Dozen."
> 
> I'm not sure that this is exactly where the latter day Dirty Dozen 
> Jazz Band 
> got their name but I think it's an interesting connection if it does 
> indeed 
> refer to slave blocks.
> 
> Respectfully submitted,
> 
> Bill "Just Trying To Be Historically Accurate" Gunter
> jazzboard@hotmail.com