Truancy

[pws56]

Can somebody please shed some light on the origins of hopping the wag (skipping school without permission)

pat sullivan

[Buenchico]

In Sheffield, playing truant is usually referred to as 'wagging it'. The OED suggests the likely the derivation of 'wag' to be the obsolete word 'waghalter' meaning 'one likely to be hanged'.

You don't say in which part of the country 'hopping the wag' is used but, if it's anywhere near Kent, there would seem to be an obvious derivation for the 'hopping' part. (i.e. 'hopping the wag' could well be derived from the practice of skipping school to take part in collecting the hops).

Chris

[jno]

'playing the wag' or just 'wagging it' is also a common phrase down under. Sorry, don't know where it comes from, but it's perhaps more widely used there than it is in Britain.

[lankeela]

In North London we called it 'playing the hop'

[gary baldy]

Skiving off, sagging off and bunking off were all used at various times throughout my wagging career.

[Quizmonster]

'Hop the wag' has been slang for 'play truant' since the middle of the 19th century, as has the simple verb, 'wag'. Dickens uses the latter in 'Dombey & Son', published in the 1840s.
In the former, the 'hopping' part simply refers to the rapidity of the movement...ie the dash out of school. A similar usage is found in 'hop the twig', meaning to do a moonlight flit or even to die. The only difference is that "hopping the wag" involves a daylight flit!

[jno]

whence 'twig', QM?

[Quizmonster]

I'd guess, J, it started as a reference to a bird's action..ie when frightened or otherwise ready to fly, it 'hops the twig' it's perched on. Getting on the move speedily is seen, too, in phrases such as :"Hop it!"
The 'flying' connection is clear enough as regards the moonlight flit - a word which by itself can mean 'fly' - and the somewhat more figurative 'flight' of someone's soul on death.

[jno]

thanks qm

[Narolines]

It's "wagging" in Birmingham, too - and the attendance officer (education welfare officer, or whatever they're called now, if they still exist) was the wagman.

[lankeela]

We called him 'the schoold board man'

[lankeela]

Sorry should have said 'school board man' - must have missed the day they did speling!

[Narolines]

Yes - our parents called him the school board man, but we called him the wagman among ourselves. Not that I'm suggesting anything about your age, lankeela - I'm a baby boomer, and I'm sure you couldn't possibly be as old as I am..........

[hippolyted]

I'm from Cardiff and we used to call it "going on the mitch" or "mitching off" we'd also try to keep away from the "Boardy Man" obviously derivative of the School Board Man....Oh happy days.