Hello and welcome to FunWart's Etymology Corner! Occasionally*, I'll pop in and share some of my favorite etymologies and definitions. Feel free to join in! I'm always interested in learning more *when I feel like it Today's edition: Will it play in Peoria? Let's begin! First, to understand the phrase as a whole, we should make sure we know what each word says on its own. For those who are unaware: "play" is often a term used in business and industry to describe how something will perform; that is, whether it will fulfill its purpose and be successful "Peoria" refers to the city of Peoria, Illinois. This city is special, in that it is often characterized as the "classically American" city. This is due to its demographics and location in the American Midwest. Great! Now, we can examine the phrase as a whole. The first recorded instance of "Will it play in Peoria" comes from Horatio Alger Jr.'s novel Five Hundred Dollars. In it, a group of actors are quite literally playing (performing) a show in the city of Peoria. Of course, its meaning has changed over the years, leading us to the definition we know today. The phrase's next change occurred when vaudeville and burlesque shows moved into Peoria, Illinois. The city began to be used by live shows, as well as other media and products, as a test market* - that is, a small, localized region where something is given a trial run before some wider launch. *really! people like Bob Dylan, Phil Collins, and Metallica all began tours in Peoria to gauge audience reaction and enjoyment. Major US polling companies also work in Peoria to "take the pulse" of everyday Americans. We now find ourselves arriving at the modern meaning of the phrase - that used by politicians and other lawmakers. In modern discourse "Will it play in Peoria" refers to the reaction of the "general American public" to a piece of policy or legislation. As almost all lawmakers are headquartered in Washington, D.C., it can be difficult to gauge the opinions of the voting population. But, you know, who cares what the commoners think, anyway? ---------------- This concludes the first edition of FunWart's Etymology Corner! Thanks for reading this far. Now - I encourage you to go forth, and utilize your new knowledge! Next time you see an idea implemented universally from some "higher power" that few people agree with, you'll know what to say: "Seems like that doesn't play well in Peoria!" Below I've included some references; feel free to peruse them and learn more! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_it_play_in_Peoria%3F en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoria,_Illinois emc.gs/t/77914 Stay tuned for the next installment of FunWart's etymology corner.
