THE WORD "BOYCOTT."

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 32, 13 October 1911, Page 14

THE WORD "BOYCOTT."

There has been much dispute from time to time during the past 30 years or more as to who coined the word which has achieved within that time a universal adoption and importance. The following facts will settle the matter for good. James Redpath was the virtual, but Father John O'Malley was the actual, inventor of the word. Rod-, path relates the story as follows: — "The word was invented by Father' John O'Malley about three days after the decree of' social excommunication was issued against Captain Boycott. Up to that time it had been called sometimes moral and. sometimes social excommunication when ostracism was applied to a land. grabber. I was dining with Father John at the presbytery of the Neale, and lie asked mc why I was not eating. "I said, 'I was bothered about a word.' " 'What is. it?' asked Father John. ."'Well,' I said, 'when the people ostracise a grabber, we call it social excommunication, but we ought to have an entirely different word to signify ostracism applied to a landlord or agent like Boycott. Ostracism won't do —the peasantry would not know the meaning of the word —and I can't think of any other.' " 'No,' said Father John, 'ostracism wouldn't do-' "He looked down, tapped his big forehead, and said: " '[-low would it do to call it "boycotting" ?' "I was delighted, and said, 'Tell your people to call it "boycotting,"' and when the reporters come down from Dublin, and London they will hear the word. I am going to Dublin, and I will ask the young orators of the league to give it that name. I will use it in my correspondence with the American press, and between us we will mako it as famous as the word "lynch- ■ ing" is in the United States.' " The word has since been adopted in other languages. Thero is in French "boyeotter" ; in Dutch, "boycott on" ; the German "boycottire.n" ; ■and the Russian "boikottirovat." — "Freeman's Journal."