I always thought it was called IT because it's something you want to run away from.. IT was always used for something icky, nasty, that you want to hide from.. and that's kinda the point to hide from IT?
Nor mine.. but I always got the impression that it originated in some kind of idea that the IT was something you were trying to hide from.. and I do remember that we were fun/scared of and were desperate not to be found... I remember an adrenaline rush when IT was close.. and i remember you didn't want to be IT... so it was something you were trying to avoid..
Because saying, "tag, you're Steve", or "tag, you're Nancy" sounded stupid (especially if it wasn't their name in the first place). Besides, if they said something like, "tag, you're a jerk", they'd start a fight (Am not! Are too! Am not! Are too!)
This post was edited by Shuhak at July 11, 2018 8:45 PM MDT
As a kid, I interrupted "it" as the chosen one. You were the slowest and I was able to catch you. Now, your punishment is you have to catch us. Pick up the pace! Don't let me catch you. I never really thought of being "it" as a monster thing.