A dynamitard was a person who used explosives for violence against the State, and is a niche metaphor for a revolutionary in politics, culture or social affairs.
First appearing in English language newspapers in 1882, [1] [2] [3] the word was understood to be a French expression applied to political terrorists in France. [4] In reality, dynamitard is not a formal French word; French newspapers had conjured it up as a disdainful variant of dynamiteur. [5] It was soon applied to Burton and Cunningham, [6] Irish-Americans who had planted explosives in London. [4] [7] "A term of opprobrium for some and endearment for others, the dynamitard was technically a political dynamiter, of the kind that bombed railway carriages and exploded devices in the House of Commons in the name of Irish freedom, chiefly in the early 1880s." [8]
In nineteenth century politics the term came to be used, particularly by George Bernard Shaw, as metonymy for those who chose violent struggle — as opposed to gradual means — for achieving social revolution: a dynamitard was contrasted with a Fabian. [9] [10] Shaw himself, though a Fabian in politics, was described metaphorically as "a dynamitard among music and drama critics". [11]
Between 1889 [12] and 1903 [13] Stevenston Thistle, who played in the Ayrshire Football League and elsewhere, [14] were known as The Dynamitards. [15] They did not live up to their name, however, losing 7-2 to Clyde F.C. in the first round of the 1894–95 Scottish Cup.
Mocked as a neologism by Robert Louis and Fanny van de Grift Stevenson ("Any writard who writes dynamitard shall find in me a never-resting fightard"), [16] its presence in dictionaries regretted by purists, [17] there it has remained.
A dynamitard was a person who used explosives for violence against the State, and is a niche metaphor for a revolutionary in politics, culture or social affairs.
First appearing in English language newspapers in 1882, [1] [2] [3] the word was understood to be a French expression applied to political terrorists in France. [4] In reality, dynamitard is not a formal French word; French newspapers had conjured it up as a disdainful variant of dynamiteur. [5] It was soon applied to Burton and Cunningham, [6] Irish-Americans who had planted explosives in London. [4] [7] "A term of opprobrium for some and endearment for others, the dynamitard was technically a political dynamiter, of the kind that bombed railway carriages and exploded devices in the House of Commons in the name of Irish freedom, chiefly in the early 1880s." [8]
In nineteenth century politics the term came to be used, particularly by George Bernard Shaw, as metonymy for those who chose violent struggle — as opposed to gradual means — for achieving social revolution: a dynamitard was contrasted with a Fabian. [9] [10] Shaw himself, though a Fabian in politics, was described metaphorically as "a dynamitard among music and drama critics". [11]
Between 1889 [12] and 1903 [13] Stevenston Thistle, who played in the Ayrshire Football League and elsewhere, [14] were known as The Dynamitards. [15] They did not live up to their name, however, losing 7-2 to Clyde F.C. in the first round of the 1894–95 Scottish Cup.
Mocked as a neologism by Robert Louis and Fanny van de Grift Stevenson ("Any writard who writes dynamitard shall find in me a never-resting fightard"), [16] its presence in dictionaries regretted by purists, [17] there it has remained.