

Sign up
Here's how it works:
  1. Anybody can ask a question
  2. Anybody can answer

Possible Duplicate:
What is the origin of the word “wog”?

I was listening to a song the other day, and it featured the words "woggy dago".

Now I did manage to find out what dago means, but I'm still not clear about woggy. It isn't in the dictionary, and while I could find it on the net, none of the apparent meanings fit the context in the song.

I also googled for "woggy dago", but then nothing turns up, except for the lyrics to said song!

So, what is it?

share|improve this question

marked as duplicate by FumbleFingers, MετάEd, Cameron, Mahnax, Daniel Oct 4 '12 at 18:08


up vote 3 down vote accepted

Woggy is the adjective formed from wog, an offensive term for non-white people which is commonly believed to be derived from golliwog.

In Australian slang, wog means "a foreigner or immigrant, especially one from southern Europe," which accords with dago, "a Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian-speaking person."

ODO on wog, golliwog and dago. All are noted as offensive.

share|improve this answer
Wog has a different meaning in Australia.and apparently elsewhere in the world as well. FWIW, I also see that both wog and dago have a naval sense in common. – coleopterist Oct 3 '12 at 15:35
You might also add that this is strictly a BrE word. And that dago is a term for someone of Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese extraction (from Sp. diego). – Robusto Oct 3 '12 at 15:36
Added. The naval sense of both words is interesting, but unlikely to be relevant to the question. – Andrew Leach Oct 3 '12 at 15:45
Non-white eh? Oh well. – Mr Lister Oct 3 '12 at 16:20
@Mitch The answer initially didn't include the Aussie slang and naval should have been maritime: "Pollywog, a maritime term for someone who has not crossed the equator" | "Usually a sailor or deckhand. "diego" is the Portuguese nickname for any deckhand and "jack" is the British equivalent". – coleopterist Oct 4 '12 at 3:37

protected by Kit Z. Fox Oct 3 '12 at 15:29


Would you like to answer one of these unanswered questions instead?
