AboutTed Nesbitt Expertise I have an interest in the meanings of words and phrases, as well as how and when they became part of the English language. I enjoy
researching idioms, colloquialisms, dialects, and obscurities of
all kinds. I prefer short questions on a particular subject, and
I will not accept lengthy research projects or term papers. NOTE: ALLEXPERTS CLAIMS THAT I TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN AND FROM LATIN TO ENGLISH. I DO NOT. ALLEXPERTS REFUSES TO DELETE THE LATIN-TO-ENGLISH SERVICE -- ONE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE.
TRUST ME ON THIS: ALLEXPERTS IS WRONG. I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LANGUAGE. LOOK FOR A LANGUAGE EXPERT INSTEAD. ETYMOLOGY AND TRANSLATING SERVICES ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. ALLEXPERTS SHOULD KNOW THAT. ALLEXPERTS DOES NOT KNOW THAT. I HAVE TRIED FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THEM TO CHANGE. THEY WILL NOT. SORRY, BUT I DO NOT TRANSLATE FROM ENGLISH TO LATIN.
Experience I am the bibliographic instruction and reference librarian at a public
college. My master's thesis concerns William Faulkner's tragic novels. I formerly taught advanced placement English at two schools in the Philadelphia area.
I have been a member of the grammar and writing section of Allexperts
for more than a year.
Education/Credentials Masters degrees in English, philosophy, and library science.
Hope you're well. I got an email about some "shenanigans" and got to thinking where on earth could that word have come from. Can you help me out?
I have an inkling it might originate in Ireland, although that's just from the feel of the word.
Thanks,
Robert
Answer Dear Robert:
When I read your message, I thought, "Of course, it's from Ireland. Shenanigans are those tricks played by hooligans. That's as Irish as you can get."
BUT . . . I always learn something doing research for Allexperts' questioners. Would you believe that, although the origin [WHO coined the word] is "obscure" or "unknown," it definitely came from California? It appeared in some newspapers in that state in the 19th century, starting in the year 1855. Mark Twain even used it.
When my "Webster's Third International Unabridged Dictionary" failed me, I turned to the "bible" of etymology, "The Oxford English Dictionary [OED]." I am pasting in below the complete entry from that reliable source.
A word of caution -- The OED gives only the FIRST WRITTEN usage of the word. It most likely was used ORALLY long before anyone put it in print. I wonder how many Irish were in California at that time.
Ted Nesbitt
[Origin obscure.]
Trickery, skulduggery, machination, intrigue; teasing, ‘kidding’, nonsense; (usu. pl.) a plot, a trick, a prank, an exhibition of high spirits, a carry-on. Hence she naniganning, she nanigin(g), pres. pple. and vbl. n.
1855 Town Talk (San Francisco) 25 Apr. 2 Are you quite sure? No shenanigan? 1856 Spirit of Age (Sacramento) 30 Apr. 2 These facts indicate that there is some shenanegan going on. 1857 C. E. DE LONG Jrnl. 15 Aug. in Calif. Hist. Soc. Q. (1930) IX. 156 Race came off Whiskey Bill winner, the Mare's rider held in, and Smith pronouncing it shenanigan. 1862 ‘MARK TWAIN’ Let. May (1917) I. iii. 77 Consider them all..guilty (of ‘shenanigan’) until they are proved innocent. 1894 M. J. JAQUES Texan Ranch Life xiii. 115 He assured me that he was not ‘shenan-neganning’ me, and that the dish would prove a delicacy. 1897 Outing (U.S.) XXIX. 483/1 A man who is firmly kind, but who will stand no shinanigan. 1901 W. S. WALKER In Blood xxxi. 332 We're mates all round, an' no more shenannikin. 1902 R. BARR Victors v. 81 If I were to pay them they might think there was some shenanigan about it. 1924 J. MASEFIELD Lord Harker III. 146 Now, brother, answer me and no damned shinanniking. 1926 E. FERBER Show Boat xiv. 305 I'd never had a fight on my boat and wasn't going to begin any such low life shenanigans now. 1928 Saturday Even. Post 10 Mar. 11/2 The renunciation of Mr Coolidge was a distinct disappointment to the great mass of the Republican Party,..and this left the way open for some astute shenanigan in various states. 1930 ‘S. S. VAN DINE’ Scarab Murder Case xv. 212 There's too much shenanigan going on around here to suit me. I want action. 1935 S. O'CASEY Let. c 10 Feb. (1975) I. 540 It is really hateful that I should be compelled to turn my thoughts to the pious shinanachin of a few Jesuits & a group of Methodist Preachers. 1936 ‘R. HYDE’ Passport to Hell x. 152 Two more followed him to take care of him and see he didn't lose his pay-roll shenannigin in his Irish way with the mademoiselles. 1938 J. I. RODALE King's English on Horseback 137/1 Mischief,..Shenanigins. 1940 DYLAN THOMAS Portrait of Artist as Young Dog 122 No shananacking in the old moonlight. 1947 W. GREENWOOD Cure for Love I. 23 ‘Here, listen, you two. No shinanigin'.’..‘Shinanigin’? What's that?’..‘Shinanigin’? Well-er-it's... Well-er-just shinanigin’... Messing about.’ 1948 D. BALLANTYNE Cunninghams I. vi. 34 You see you go tomorrow, then... No shinnanicking now. 1960 T. GRIFFITH Waist-High Culture II. 81 Readers [of newspapers] do not recognize every shenanigan inflicted upon them. 1969 in Halpert & Story Christmas Mumming in Newfoundland 90 The entire household looks on, laughing at the girls' shenanigans. 1973 B. BAINBRIDGE Dressmaker 11 They'd all catch their death of cold shenanniging about in the middle of the night. 1973 Nation Rev. (Melbourne) 31 Aug. 1448/2 (heading) Shennanigans behind the silver screen. 1974 Ridge Citizen (Johnston, S. Carolina) 18 Apr. 2/1 We don't condone whatever wrongdoing or shenanigans that may have taken place at Watergate or elsewhere. 1976 R. LEWIS Witness my Death ii. 56 There might have been a certain amount of shenanigans going on behind the scenes. 1978 New York 3 Apr. 16/2 House Calls Glenda Jackson, Art Carney, Richard Benjamin, and Charlie Matthau in a film directed by Howard Zieff, about medical shenanigans in and out of a hospital. 1980 Times 3 Jan. 10/4 Doubtful political shenanigans..in the Central Pacific.
