RE: Why a "pig"?

["Jim F. Herrold" <Herrold@UWyo.Edu>]

Thanks to John Eichling for providing this reference:

>"The term "pig" is a derivation of an old English word "pygg" which was a
>crock or jar, according to Andre Whiteley (Keesler AFB, Mississippi) in a
>contribution to the HPS Newsletter in the 1980s.Also, according to Whiteley,
>the word evolved to "pigg" and eventually, to "pig".He also reminded readers
that a "pig" of iron means a container of iron."

For trivia buffs not already tired of this thread...I used to have a
paperback entitled "Why did they Name It?"  In it I believe I read that
another popular term, "piggy bank," comes from this same origin. Money
was once stored in stoneware crocks, or "pyggs." Someone got the idea to
capitalize on the pun and make the banks in the shape of the animal.
Now why hasn't anyone done that with lead "pigs?" Not a big enough
market for one, I suppose.

>
>Jim Herrold, Radiation Safety Officer
>University of Wyoming
>
>herrold@uwyo.edu
>
>