Trash Talk - Help.

[Kathleen E. Miller]

Hello all. I need a little help. This is one of those situations where he
gives me an assignment, wants it ten minutes later and checks every 2 to
see if I've gotten anywhere - and this is where I got.

Trash Talk using M-W, Dickson, Chapman and Crotty - sports terminology
where players are trying to get the best of each other dated to 1981 - I
found Jan. 1980.

I also found a wonderful hit from 1947 "talking trash and drinking mash"
which brings to mind the meaning of the phrase that's more prevalent among
my crowd - lying, gossiping or idle speech.

Then there was one from 1863 "talking dreadful trash" which I take as
meaning the words are worthless junk.

Three possible meanings and a slight antedate. But of course, that's not
what he wants. He wants a definition of trash talk or talking trash to mean
SPECIFICALLY using profanity.

Anybody know off the top of their head where I might be able to track that
one down in a "he wanted it five minutes ago" scenario?

Any help wins my eternal gratitude.


Kathleen E. Miller
Harried Research Assistant to William Safire
The New York Times

[Now that you know what I go through I can get a little slack for the
occasional lack of deep-research?]