Where did the word picnic come from

Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe. Frederick Douglass. Is it true that the word picnic originally came from the word pick-a-nig or pick-a-nigger? Apparently, a black person was randomly "picked" and hanged for the entertainment of whites.

How do we have these necessary conversations about language without sounding like the language police? The idea was surprising to many, but old news to others. Etymologically speaking , picnic — from the French words pique-nique — is nothing more than a potluck dinner. Yet when Southern white people made lynchings a regular occurrence at picnics, the word took on a different meaning for Black Americans. And a global pandemic disproportionately killing people of color coupled with the unjust deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have left many Americans asking: How did we get here?

Where did the word picnic come from

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'picnic. Send us feedback about these examples. German or French; German Picknick , from French pique-nique. Accessed 3 Mar. Nglish: Translation of picnic for Spanish Speakers. Britannica English: Translation of picnic for Arabic Speakers. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! See Definitions and Examples ». Dictionary Definition. Log In. Synonyms of picnic. Examples of picnic in a Sentence.

The nique was probably a silly rhyming compound as in English words like hoity-toitybut may have referred to an obsolete word meaning "a trifle.

A picnic is a meal taken outdoors al fresco as part of an excursion , especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park , lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding an open-air theater performance, [1] and usually in summer or spring. It is different from other meals because it requires free time to leave home. History shows us that the idea of a meal that was jointly contributed to and enjoyed out-of-doors was essential to picnic from the early 19th century. Picnickers like to sit on the ground on a rug or blanket. Tables and chairs may be used but this is less common. Outdoor games or some other form of entertainment are common at large picnics.

The first picnics were a favourite pastime of the aristocracy, and purely indoor affairs. In the 19th century, the emergent middle classes moved lunch outdoors. It is hard to disagree with W. Even if ants and wasps occasionally join the fun, picnics are the very epitome of innocent pastoral delight. What is certain, however, is that, originally, it did not refer to anything we would now recognise as a picnic. Picnics really started to come into their own during the 18th century. Attendees were still required to contribute, but, as Philibert-Joseph Le Roux pointed out in his Dictionnaire comique, satyrique, critique, burlesque, libre et proverbial , they could either bring a dish or drink as before , or pay a share of the cost. Much like other features of salon life, they were associated with conversation and wit — and, as such, were often seen as intellectual refinement. Picnics were, however, nothing if not adaptable. The French Revolution changed everything, though.

Where did the word picnic come from

Detail of Bayeux Tapestry: William at the battle of Hastings. Image by Myrabella, , licensed under Creative Commons. Men, women, and children sitting on blankets and eating and drinking in a bucolic setting.

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Your question has several components; we will address each component. Mish, Frederick C. Picnic was originally a 17th Century French word, picque-nique. Resist the urge to dismiss their opinion or call them sensitive. Lynching was a brutal attempt to reinforce white supremacy, but it was also entertainment -- and food was present. However, some of the almost 4, blacks who were lynched between and were lynched in settings that are appropriately described as picnic-like. The Rat brought the boat alongside the bank, made her fast, helped the still awkward Mole safely ashore, and swung out the luncheon-basket. Retrieved 5 July In the Middle Ages, picnics occurred during royal hunts, which typically started as formal affairs but could quickly become wild and excessive. As language evolves, consider history and usage. There, on a slope of orchard, Francis laid A damask napkin wrought with horse and hound, Brought out a dusky loaf that smelt of home, And, half-cut-down, a pasty costly-made, Where quail and pigeon, lark and leveret lay, Like fossils of the rock, with golden yolks Imbedded and injellied; last, with these, A flask of cider from his father's vats, Prime, which I knew; and so we sat and ate And talked old matters over; who was dead, Who married, who was like to be, and how. Cole's well-dressed young picnickers having finished their repast, served from splint baskets on blue-and-white china, stroll about in the woodland and boat on the lake.

About this rating. Specious etymologies seem to be all the rage of late, and a dubious claim about 'picnic' fits that trend:.

She lists Beeton's bill of fare for forty persons in her own book Picnics and Other Outdoor Feasts :. White was pure. Cole's well-dressed young picnickers having finished their repast, served from splint baskets on blue-and-white china, stroll about in the woodland and boat on the lake. But making sure that history is talked about, and not an invisible part of how we talk to each other, has value. Excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors. That idea is what systemic racism is built on. Copy Citation. Send us feedback about these examples. The answer: systemic racism. New York: Random House. However, some of the almost 4, blacks who were lynched between and were lynched in settings that are appropriately described as picnic-like. Play Play. Twitter Facebook Instagram.