So… (as everyone begins a statement these days) here at the Holiday Season, and on the Winter Solstice, I offer a short related-to-neither post.
Over the past while, I have been canvassing the odd friend or acquaintance as to his or her awareness, or lack thereof, of the use of the word ‘truck’ other than with reference to a motor vehicle.
In my lifetime here in Georgia (sustained for all but 73 years), I will have heard from gentlemen of a certain disposition: ‘I don’t have no truck with it’, meaning essentially, ‘I do not abide such’.
Surprisingly, no one yet canvassed has experienced this usage. Where have they been? Or, more to the point, I suppose, where have I been?
ANYway, along comes a gift (Gotta Love Stephen Fry) from Mark Alexander.
I have always (obviously) been fascinated with ‘the journey of a word’. This ‘truck’ is another ‘tote’. (‘Tote’: as a verb, used only in scripts for ‘The Beverly Hillbillies’, as a noun, a couple of thousand dollars at Louis Vuitton.)
Stephen’s (my Stephen…) and my exchanges are burlesque-heavy. If he asks my opinion, as often as not, I respond, ‘I don’t have no truck with it’.
I do a mean redneck…
7 comments
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December 21, 2019 at 5:20 pm
larrymuffin
Well I learned something today. A very Happy Christmas to you and Stephen and health and happiness in the New Year 2020.
December 21, 2019 at 8:32 pm
Dave
The very same to you and Will!
December 21, 2019 at 9:59 pm
Mark Alexander
Thanks for the shout-out! And happy non-denominational winter holiday to you and Stephen!
December 21, 2019 at 10:01 pm
Mark Alexander
Thanks for the shout-out! And a very happy non-denominational winter holiday to you and Stephen!
December 22, 2019 at 7:46 am
Willym
I’ve heard and read it but more as a dialect word for someone from the Southern US. Interesting that Websters links that usage with an exchange of goods or the goods themselves. Very interesting.
December 22, 2019 at 9:43 am
Dave
‘…the goods themselves.’
I have no ‘association’ with or ‘understanding’ of?
Stephen Fry’s usage seems like ‘agreement’ or ‘support’.
Words! Can’t live with them, can’t live without them;-)
December 24, 2019 at 8:00 am
Urspo
Oh! A post! I got my Christmas wish!
I should have been a linguist I love this sort of stuff.
“So” is the first word in Beowolf It’s been used for all this time.