[Ads-l] YouTubery: "I guess you never heard of a _wheelbarrel_."

ADSGarson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Sun Apr 21 18:53:18 UTC 2019


Benjamin Barrett wrote:
> A meaning missing from the English OLD (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/wheelbarrow <https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/wheelbarrow>) and Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wheelbarrow <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wheelbarrow>) for wheelbarrow is the human wheelbarrow where one person grabs another by the legs and the person who is grabbed moves by moving their arms. This is surely common enough to be beyond metaphorical usage.
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCCb0wxyodM <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCCb0wxyodM>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePPp3YrZxe8 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePPp3YrZxe8>

The OED has an entry for the compound "wheelbarrow race" which
apparently involves simply pushing a wheelbarrow. There is also a
separate entry under derivatives for "wheelbarrow race" which involves
(sense a) pushing a human in a wheelbarrow or (sense b) pushing a
human imitating a wheelbarrow.

[Begin OED excerpt]
wheelbarrow, n.
Compounds
 C1. General attributive.
wheelbarrow race  n.

1837   D. Walker Games & Sports 341   Wheelbarrow Race... Along this
course, over the bridge, and up to the goal, the candidates must drive
their barrows blindfolded—if they can.
[End OED excerpt]


[Begin OED excerpt]
  wheelbarrow race  n.  (a) a race in which each contestant pushes a
wheelbarrow (usually occupied by a team-mate);  (b) a race between
teams of two, one team member holding up the legs of the other, who is
the wheelbarrow and ‘walks’ as quickly as possible on his or her
hands.

1874   Thistleton's Illustr. Jolly Giant 1 Aug. 51/3   We would advise
all who wish to dance and witness the athletic games and sports,
wheelbarrow race, prizes, especially the box of cigars, valued at $2,
to start early for Fasskin's Gardens.

1903   Daily Chron. 31 Mar. 9/1   Wheelbarrow races and stone-rolling
competitions.
[End OED excerpt]

Here is a citation for "wheelbarrow race" from 1827, but the citation
does not include a precise description of the event.

Date: April 12, 1827
Newspaper: Berrow's Worcester Journal
Location: Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Quote Page 4, Column 1
Database: Newspapers.com

[Begin excerpt]
Saturday, 31st, was looked forward to by the lads in the village with
delight, as they had upon this day an opportunity of exhibiting their
talents in a jingling match, pig race, sack race, wheelbarrow race,
catching at suspended rolls dipped in treacle, eating hot hasty
pudding, &c. &c.
[End excerpt]

Garson

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