Charlie

[Jonathan Lighter]

A good policy for historical lexicography is to present the first two (or even three, in some cases) independent citations at hand.  A big gap suggests limited early currency, a tiny gap a sudden surge.  (Emphasis on "suggests.")

HDAS does not do this consistently because I didn't think of it till some time in Vol. II, as I recall.

JL

Jesse Sheidlower <jester at PANIX.COM> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Jesse Sheidlower
Subject: Re: Charlie
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Fri, May 27, 2005 at 09:52:56AM +0100, Jonathon Green wrote:
> George Thompson wrote:
>
> >---------------------- Information from the mail header
> >-----------------------
> >Sender: American Dialect Society
> >Poster: George Thompson
> >Subject: Charlie
> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >Here is an antedating for U. S. use, and also, it seems, the first wild-
> >caught passage in which the word is used, the OED's two earlier cites
> >(from England) were taken from dictionaries.
> >
> >
> 1821 Egan Life in London (1859) 269: Tom had the CHARLEY in his box down
> in an instant
>
> How the OED missed this - with several other potential 'Charley' cites
> it comes in a three page (plus Cruikshank illustration) episode in
> which 'our heroes' 'mill a charley', apparently a popular sport for
> contemporary young bloods - I cannot say.

Nor can I for sure, but my assumption would be that with a glossarial 1819
in hand, the editors wouldn't have bothered with this 1821 example, even
if it is in running text.

JTS

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