English Language & Usage Asked by bobbin on March 17, 2021
I’m a young native english speaker raised in Canada. At school me and most of my friends tend to use the phrase “Im really digging this”, as to mean i’m really enjoying a specific thing or activity. Where exactly did this come from?
I use it all the time in this context, but when I think about digging ( like digging a hole, or digging yourself into a mess) I can’t really make sense of it in this context.
Ex:
“You play that new game that just came out?”
“Yeah bro, im really digging it!”
I give you my American Feedback and say the term you described is from the 70s. Jimmy Walker from Good Times used to say "DYNOMITE!" and DIGGING something was very common in American culture in the 70's to denote an excellent time was had.
Answered by FSULADY on March 17, 2021
From EtymOnline:
In 19c. U.S. student slang it meant "study hard, give much time to study" (1827); the 20c. slang sense of "understand" is recorded by 1934 in African-American vernacular. Both probably are based on the notion of "excavate." A slightly varied sense of "appreciate" emerged by 1939.
So there were a few intermediate steps between "digging a hole" and "digging a game". The direct connection is unintuitive, but only because of the way the latter developed.
Answered by Alan T. on March 17, 2021
It comes from Irish immigrants particularly in New York City. In the Irish language the phrase 'An dtuigeann tú' translates to 'do you unserstand'. Dtuigeann being pronounced like 'diggin' in Irish. Somehow through the years it made it's was into the urban black vernacular made popular my New York based jazz musicians.
Answered by IrishBaz on March 17, 2021
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