Word on the Street
Results are in: ‘Wicked’ among winners of evolving language poll
In our spring 2024 story “When did woke become a four-letter word?”, we covered a pretty complicated topic: the meaning of the word “woke” and how it has changed over time. Inspired by the impact words can have on us all—and curious about your thoughts—we asked you, our readers, to let us know your favorite word that has changed meanings in your lifetime.
Your most popular write-in was…
Wicked
Originating in the 1200s from the term “wick,” meaning bad or false, the term took on a new meaning when F. Scott Fitzgerald used it to mean “wonderful” in the 1920s. The present-day Massachusetts-based meaning of “very” or “extremely” seems to be a bit of a mystery, however.
And here are the other results in order of popularity.
Readers write
At UMass Magazine, we are always learning! We are so grateful for our readers who write in to provide extra context and their experiences with the topics of our articles. One etymology-minded alum wrote in to give us a little more history about the term “woke.”
“Woke” did not arise spontaneously in the 1960s; rather, it was used in its current sense by the Black blues singer Huddie William Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, in his 1938 song “The Scottsboro Boys,” about nine African-American teenagers falsely accused of rape in 1930s Alabama. In the song, recorded by archivists from the Library of Congress, Lead Belly urged listeners “best stay woke” to racial injustice.
Lead Belly’s music is widely considered a crucial precursor to later work, including covers of his tunes, by artists such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Kurt Cobain. Smithsonian Magazine quoted George Harrison as saying, “No Lead Belly, no Beatles.”
Sincerely,
A.D. “Dave” Gram ’80
Montpelier, Vermont
We’re on the lookout
Share your most intriguing nooks, niches, coordinates, or curiosities on campus or anywhere in the region. Email magazine@umass.edu and we’ll investigate!