BBC reports that police have seized 3 gollies - “Police in Herefordshire say they will not be charging a store owner after removing three toy golliwogs from his shop window.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/4770800.stm

Perhaps crime is a bit thin in Herefordshire at the moment, hence the need to take children’s toys into custody.

It’s a sad world we live in, when such toys can be deemed as offensive.  Especially in a world where the majority of soft- or rag-dolls are “white”, it’s nice to have the variety of the gollies.

True, but seeing as Golly-wogs, to use their complete title, were based on rascist performers such as Al Jolson its little wonder that they are banned. Incidentally the word Wog actaully comes from the acronym for Western-Oriental Gentlman.

Mort - 06 March 2006 11:52 AM

True, but seeing as Golly-wogs, to use their complete title, were based on rascist performers such as Al Jolson its little wonder that they are banned.

Myth! The name was used as far back as the 19th century to refer to black ragdolls, first recorded usage is in a children’s book about such a doll called Golliwogg.

Incidentally the word Wog actaully comes from the acronym for Western-Oriental Gentlman.

Myth! The most likely etymology is that the slur came from the name of the toy, which came from the name of the book, which appears to be either an original or localised term.

You’re lucky you didn’t mention ‘Fornication Under Consent of King’ or ‘Port Out, Starboard Home’. The Secret Order of Etymologists have special deathsquads to hunt down those people!

Mort - 06 March 2006 11:52 AM

Incidentally the word Wog actaully comes from the acronym for Western-Oriental Gentlman.

We don’t use the word “wog” for them…we use them to refer to Greeks & Italians…

“Wog” tends to be applied to all sorts of different people.  The definition varies.