# Is there a word for the jig you do trying to get around someone on the sidewalk? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 4, 2011, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669 "2011-05-04T07:51:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Klaus\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@Klaus\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaus_K)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/1 "2011-05-04T07:51:07Z")
On the topic of finding words for things that ought to have a word for them, I strongly recommend Douglas Adams’s ‘Meaning of Liff’ and ‘Deeper Meaning of Liff’. Although he doesn’t cover sidewalk dancing, he does have a long discussion on words the cover the situation where you recognise somebody that you are approaching from a distance, and then have to feign not noticing them until the last moment, to avoid having to keep acknowledging them as you approach. Incidentally, for those who don’t know, this is the same Douglas Adams who wrote the Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy. * * * LINK TO COLUMN: [Is there a word for the jig you do trying to get around someone on the sidewalk? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/493/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/2 "2011-05-04T13:13:56Z")
Paul Dickson’s book **Family Words** has some that people use in in-the-family contexts, but I don’t recall most of them right now, and the book is at home. > **[FamilyWords.com is for sale | HugeDomains](https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=familywords.com)** > > This domain name is available, own it today. Affordable payment options. Fast and professional service. The only one I can remember is **Ambi-ambulation** ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/3 "2011-05-04T13:21:11Z")
I just call it “the dance”. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/4 "2011-05-04T13:30:48Z")
Body checking works better. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/5 "2011-05-04T13:35:43Z")
“pass de deux?” ---
**Author:** ![mcadwell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mcadwell/32/7240_2.png) [@mcadwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcadwell)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/6 "2011-05-05T21:32:53Z")
I’ve always called it “sidewalk dance” if outdoors and “hallway dance” if indoors ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/7 "2011-05-05T21:47:50Z")
There is in fact an entry in **The Meaning of Liff** on that very subject. > [@](#): > > DROITWICH (n.) > > A street dance. The two partners approach from opposite directions and try politely to get out of each other’s way. They step to the left, step to the right, apologise, step to the left again, apologise again, bump into each other and repeat as often as unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![Klaus\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@Klaus\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaus_K)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/8 "2011-05-06T07:17:35Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > There is in fact an entry in **The Meaning of Liff** on that very subject. Adams was prescient in _so_ many ways! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/9 "2011-05-06T12:08:34Z")
In my family, it’s referred to as [“After you, Alphonse.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse_and_Gaston) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/10 "2011-05-07T03:41:07Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > “pass de deux?” “faux pas de deux” (don’t remember where I saw this) ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/11 "2011-05-08T00:57:31Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > “faux pas de deux” (don’t remember where I saw this) Mayhaps in [the very column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/493/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk) under discussion, wherein the phrase (my personal favorite) is credited to one William Safire. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![kanajlo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@kanajlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanajlo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/12 "2011-05-08T02:08:23Z")
Quirk and/or jink – already in dictionary. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/13 "2011-05-11T00:53:17Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > Mayhaps in [the very column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/493/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk) under discussion, wherein the phrase (my personal favorite) is credited to one William Safire.Powers &8^] I don’t think I saw it in Lord Cecil’s caolumn, but it was definitely Safire, and thanks for reminding me. (It’s my favorite too.) . ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/14 "2011-05-11T15:04:41Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > In my family, it’s referred to as [“After you, Alphonse.”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonse_and_Gaston) We always called it the Teaberry Shuffle after the gum commercials. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-for-the-jig-you-do-trying-to-get-around-someone-on-the-sidewalk/580669/15 "2011-05-12T11:59:20Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > “faux pas de deux” (don’t remember where I saw this) > [@Powers](#): > > Mayhaps in the very column under discussion, wherein the phrase (my personal favorite) is credited to one William Safire. > [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I don’t think I saw it in Lord Cecil’s caolumn, but it was definitely Safire, and thanks for reminding me. (It’s my favorite too.) Just as a reminder: this is one reason we like to have a link to the column in the OP. Saves lots of redundancies, keeps us (more or less) on the same page. I’ve added a link.