There’s a debate underway between a couple of readers over at World of Wonder and they’ve requested help. James St. James sent a query over to me this afternoon asking about the derivation of the lovely word faggot. It appears I’m the go-to guy on matters such as these. Not that I mind, but, what are they saying?
One of their readers argues that the word is derived from the bundles of sticks (“faggots”) they used to burn homosexuals at the stake back in Britain in the 12th or 13th century.
Another reader says “no!”— that “fag” was first a verb used to describe the act of collecting sticks, which later adopted a greater meaning that included doing any sort of chore. In the British school system, younger boys were assigned to do chores by the older boys, or “to fag” for them. Eventually the young boys “became known by the older students to whom they were assigned, such as “Jones’ fag'” or “Thomas’ fag.” Some happened to do “sexual” chores” and thus the term came to be have its derogatory gay male association.
Any etymologists out there among you opinionated readers?
