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The Evolution of the Term "Hick"

The word "hick" originated from shortened versions of common names like "Dick" and "Bob". It came to be used as a derogatory term for poor white farmers. During the Great Depression, when hickory nuts were used as a subsistence crop, those who harvested and sold hickory products were called "hicks". Over time the term took on a more negative connotation, implying that rural people were unsophisticated or uneducated compared to urban residents. While some country music embraces terms like "redneck", these words are still often used to degrade or profile people from rural areas.

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43 views1 page

The Evolution of the Term "Hick"

The word "hick" originated from shortened versions of common names like "Dick" and "Bob". It came to be used as a derogatory term for poor white farmers. During the Great Depression, when hickory nuts were used as a subsistence crop, those who harvested and sold hickory products were called "hicks". Over time the term took on a more negative connotation, implying that rural people were unsophisticated or uneducated compared to urban residents. While some country music embraces terms like "redneck", these words are still often used to degrade or profile people from rural areas.

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api-283690694
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

hick

/hik/
noun

1.Dick(shortforRichard)andBob(shortforRobert)arethefirstknownrootsofthewordhick.
Thewordhickisawordoftenusedasaderogatoryexpressiontodegradepoorwhitefarmers.Menand
womenwhospendtheirdaysscrapingupmanure,balinghayandworkinginthefieldsareoften
victimizedbythisterm.Ontopofthat,thewordisoftenusedthroughoutpopcultureinmusic,TVand
movies,perpetuatingthenegativeimageofaHick.Thismodernuseofthewordhasledtogrowing
conflictasitsusedasatermtoclassifyagroupofpeoplewhoseemtobeuneducatedandlivingasimple
lifeinruralpartsoftheUnitedStates.

2.DuringtheGreatdepressionthederogatoryslangwouldsoonflip.Inthe1920sthetermwasusedto
describedatimewhenhickorynutflourwasusedandsold.Toughtimes,suchastheGreatdepression,
ledtotheuseofhickorynutsasanalternativetotraditionalgrains.Peoplewhoharvested,processed,or
soldhickoryproducts,suchashickoryflour,werereferredtoas"hicks".Whenthedepressionendedthe
Hickfarmerswereconsideredtobeontopofthefoodchain.Yetintime,thetermwasgeneralizedto
includepeoplewholivedinruralareasandwerentconsideredassophisticatedoreducatedasthose
livinginthecity.Whenyouhearthewordhick,thefirstthingthatpopsintoonesmindisaperson
wearingoveralls,withafarmerstan,astrawhatandaredneckfromworkinginthehotsun.Itsthis
definitionthathasevolvedintoawordusedforprofilinganddegradingthosewholivewithoutthe
internet,smartphones,andsuburbancommunities.

3.Hick,synonymouswithredneckandhillbilly,classifypeoplefromacountryregionasuncivilized
anduneducated.Thiswordhasbranchedintomanyotheroffensiveterms,includingyokel,hillbilly,and
desertrat.Inmanycountrysongsandmovies/TVshows,thetermforapersonlivingthelifeofhard
workhasturnedintoagoodthing
Improudtobearedneck
.Althoughsometakeprideintheterm,
weshouldallstrivetonotperpetuatethenegativeimpactoftheword.Sonexttimeyouseesomeone
workinginfieldsorjustwalkingdownthestreet,dontbesohastytodrawaconclusionaboutwherethey
arefrom.

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