dibs

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Dibs (also Bags shotgun or Bagsy and other variants) is a common informal convention to reserve or declare full or partial ownership of a community resource, such as a chair, used primarily in Canada, Ireland, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the U.K., and by friends or siblings. In Chicago, "dibs" also refers to the practice of holding a shoveled-out parking space after a heavy snowfall by putting chairs, laundry baskets, or other items in the street to mark the claimed space.^[1][2]

The etymology of the word is unclear.

One theory for the origin of the word comes from markings made with chalk on the back of livestock up for sale in cattle yards throughout the southern states of the USA. Each potential customer would register their unique mark with a registrar at the meet, who would record this information in a "Dibs Identification Book." These books themselves came to be known collectively as DIBS, thereby forming a backronym. This practice continues today and has been adapted to many new situations.

Another claim for the origin of the term can be found in The Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten. Rosten claims the word is derived from the Yiddish phrase "fin dibsy" which means to lay claim on something. Additionally, the 1967 edition of "Dictionary of American Slang" states that the word "dibs" comes from the verb to divvy.

Claiming dibs on the front seat of a car is called "Calling shotgun" although shotgun can be used in the same way as "bagsy" in the United Kingdom. Dibs is not binding if the object being claimed is currently in someone's possession^{[citation needed]}.

Dibsing is also often used in sports. In the game of tennis, for example, you are allowed to dibs courts. If you are sitting on the sideline and have a match going out within the next few minutes, you may dibs a certain court and no one can use it, even if they get there first. Dibsing is like sending an imaginary you to the court.

Essentially, 'to dib' as a verb has to do with "looking down, bending down, or delving into water."^[3]

In the non-English speaking world, there are some local equivalents to this term, including prems in France (the e being pronounced as in collider), buut in the Netherlands, helle in Denmark, pido in Mexico, primeiro or prima in Brazil, pax in Sweden, fus in Norway, stipistopi in Hungary.

Outside the US

In the United Kingdom and Ireland "Bags" / "Bagsy" (or variants including "Begsie" and "Bugsy") is used to the same effect, although "dibs" is also used on rare occasions with American influence. Bagsy or bags started out as "Bags I", according to the Oxford English Dictionary which gives school-related examples from 1866 onward. Similarly, bag or bags can be used informally as a verb meaning claim in a phrase like "I'll bag the best seats". This is related to "to bag" meaning "to put something in a bag". Bagsy can also describe a bag that makes gift wrapping easy.^{[citation needed]}

In New Zealand and Australia the word "bags" is used to the same effect. "Bagsy" and "dibs" are used occasionally with the same meaning. When calling bags, one will not usually include the word "on" - "Bags ____ing" is used in the case of verbs, and "Bags the ____" in the case of nouns. Bags is of particular use in opting out of an undesirable task, when saying "Bags not me" before anyone else in the group will exclude one from having to do that task.Young children often use bags in this way in the song "Turn around, touch the ground, bags not me!"..

Dibs, in Australia and England at least, came from the shortening the name of the hole in the school desk where the ink bottles were held and used. The common ink used at the turn of the century and beyond, until sometime between WW1 and WW2 was the brand from England called Dibbley’s. This was shortened to Dib’s, with the common phrase “dip in y’dibs." It actually got formalized in the scout movement with the saying as a patrol leader one would say to a juniorscout , “do you promise to dib dib dib”, and the junior would respond, “I will never dob dob dob”, which is a phrase relating to compromising your group to the enemy.

In Canada, rules for "dibing" in or out of something generally follow the same regulations as in the United States.

In Malaysia and sometimes Singapore, the word "choap" is used to call dibs on something. However, it's used like a verb rather than a noun. So in practice, a person would say "I choap that seat", "I choap the goat matey" or "Get up! I choap this seat already!". The word is also used to mean "stop". Commonly used to halt a conversation to digress.

In Mexico, the word "pido" (to ask for) is commonly used by children to the same effect. In some parts of Mexico City, the word "changán" (no actual meaning) is used and it can also be used as a verb "changanear". There is also "Shot delas" or simply "Shot" to call dibs on the front seat.

In Brazil, "primeiro" ("the first one" in Portuguese) is said mainly among young people when deciding who's going to start a game or an activity that requires some order - thus, the first one to shout it has dibs. In Rio Grande do Sul, the word "prima" is used, and can be followed by "siga" and "triga", for claiming second and third positions, respectively.

In France, the word "prems" or "preums"(shortcut of "premier" which means "first") is commonly used for that. On the contrary, some people used to say "der" (shortcut of "dernier" which means "last").

In Sweden, the equivalent for dibs is "Pax" which is Latin for "peace". To "Paxa" something is to call first dibs in Swedish. Hence the modification from the 70's song "Rock Me" from ABBA in which one of the male singers sings "Rock me, Paxa Agnetha, Roll me, Paxa Agnetha". This is in the film "ABBA The Movie" about 35 minutes in. This demonstrates the usage of PAXA within the swedish frame of reference for Dibs.

In the Netherlands, the word "eerst" (meaning first or coming from "eerste" meaning the first) is used to call dibs. Mostly used to determine the order of play in a game. Usually followed by the grammatically incorrect "tweedst" and "derdst", which are used to describe second and third but are not actually words, they are incorrect versions of the words "tweede" and "derde".

In Israel, alongside dibs and riding shotgun, the term "Lo Zona" or more simply "Conan Poh" (not a bitch, in Hebrew: לא זונה) exists. When a 3 wheeler 5-seat automobile is full, the last person to call this term is punished by sitting in the middle rear seat, which is considered the worst seat, especially for those suffering from "Gomer Piles".

Variations

"No dibs", "Dibs not", or "Dibs out"

"No dibs", "Dibs not", or "Dibs out" is usually called when an undesirable chore or action is brought up. Convention holds that while calling "no dibs" one must place a finger to their nose, or sometimes a thumb to the forehead. In New Zealand a person calls "bags not me," before touching their thumb to their forehead. The last person to call the phrase is then required to perform the action or chore. It is, in a sense, the antithesis of dibs. In some places, "Not me" or "Not it" is more commonly used than "No dibs" or "Dibs out". In certain children's games (such as tag), this morphs into the term "Not it" (where, once a game is declared, the last person to yell "Not it!" becomes "it"). Often "not it" will be preceded by counting to three, so to prepare those in the know to get ready to say "not it" and get in before the last person to do so, who is then "it". In some areas, the phrase "Nose goes" (also known as "The Nose Game") is preferred. After a declaration of "nose goes", everyone must hurry to touch their nose with their index finger, whereby the last one to do it becomes "it". Many people also choose to call "shotgun" when faced with making a decision or doing an undesirable task (such as choosing a place for lunch or clearing the table). This is then followed by the remainder of the people present shouting "not it" or "shot not," with the last person performing the unwanted task.

"Nigs", "Nix", "Eggs", or "Zafo"

"Nigs" or "Not in Goals" is a convention which was prevalent throughout the eighties amongst Irish children playing football. It has resurged in popularity in the last decade in its shortened form "Nigs". The word is considered to mean the opposite to "dibs". For example, if someone definitely does not want something, they can nigs it ("Nigs on the cold slice of pizza", "Nigs on doing the dishes", etc.). Unfortunately, the word bears resemblance to a racial slur, which may be a reason for its slow development in usage.

In the United States, a much more common variant is the similar sounding (but less racially-charged) "nix" as in "nix on the pizza; I'm in the mood for burritos." “Nix” however in this spelling, could also come from the colloquial German word “nix” (e.g. “Das war ja wohl nix!”) that stands for “nichts” meaning “nothing”. The phrase "eggs" is also commonly used, such as "Eggs on sitting in the back". The last person to shout "eggs" is the person to do the action; in this case, he or she will sit in the back. If there is no clear loser, the last person kneeling on one knee will sit in the back.

In some Latin countries, the word "zafo" has the same function. As opposed to "pido", when someone says "zafo", that person gets automatically free from doing something he didn't want to do. In a group of people, the last person to call "zafo" has to carry out that terrible chore that nobody else wants to. However, if two people call the last "zafo" at the same time, they can settle it with a "rock, paper, scissors" match or a "rock, paper, scissors, lizard, spock" match, where appropriate.

"Not it"

"Not it" can be called in a group of people when a less than desirable task comes up. As soon as everyone has said "not it" except for one person, that person is expected to perform the task. "Not it" can be done through electronic means, e.g. chat rooms or e-mails. Sometimes people will be exempt from the "not it" game if that person has already performed the task recently enough.

A variation of "not it" called "Nose Goes" or "Nosies" involves placing one's finger onto one's nose. In some versions this is done quietly, without saying anything. In other versions this is merely an additional requirement, and "not it" must still be called.

Both of the previous variants on dibs can also be expressed in terms of shotgun.

"Cotme (Claytons Ownership to me)"

A dibs variation, also from Australia (particularly Bunbury and more specifically Newton Moore High School, although it did gain good credence within the southern suburbs of Perth), is the phrase Cotme, as in "cotme that cool purple Monaro", a more sophisticated dibs if you like, meaning claytons ownership to me. Pretty silly, though popular in the late 60's. The western suburbs private school types of Perth had their own version of dibs and cotme, called DIMOC, which basically stands for "Daddy Its Mine Of Course", which usually it was.

"Fives"

Another variation, used in the same manner as "dibs", is the more recent phrase "Fives". It is used to claim ownership of something already in that person's possession, but left. For example, when getting up from a chair at a party, one would call out "fives!" so that no one else would take the seat while the owner is gone. It is short for "five minutes", which basically means that the chair is theirs, but after five minutes is fair game. Also in American influence especially at parties or large circle gatherings in which chairs are used as primary seating "TAP-TAP" may also be used to declare sole ownership to said chair but for an unlimited amount of time.

"Tax"

Another minor variation used commonly in schools in Britain.

"Dibbing"

Dibbing is a new form of calling dibs in that you the dibbie gets the opportunity to pay or make the gesture of going out for a meal or movie etc. But the other person has to pick what meal or movie they will be seeing. But the dibbie is the one who pays for the meal and or movie.

"Midwest Style"

In the midwest states such as South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska, dibs has many variations. First of all there is normal "dibs". For example, calling dibs on an object entitles the person all rights and privileges that that object might bring. However, if a friend or colleague of the person who initially called dibs would like to claim a stake in the object, the person can call "sub-dibs". "Sub-dibs" allows the person all privileges and rights of the object to the person if the person who originally called "dibs" were not able to carry out their "dibs". Also, another person has the option of asking the original "dibs" person for "co-dibs". If the original "dibs" person allows the "co-dibs" call, then both people have the same rights and privileges to the object.

See also

• Calling shotgun
• Five Second Rule

References

External links

Look up dibs in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Origin of the term
• DibsRegistry.net, a website for calling dibs
• international rules of calling dibs