"It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it"

[Baker, John]

        The idea has been around for a while.  From Orwell, Down and Out
in Paris and London (1933):

        <<People have a way of taking it for granted that all work is
done for a sound purpose.  They see somebody else doing a disagreeable
job, and think that they have solved things by saying that the job is
necessary.  Coal-mining, for example, is hard work, but it is necessary
- we must have coal.  Working in the sewers is unpleasant, but somebody
must work in the sewers.>>

John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Jonathan Lighter
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 7:05 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: "It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it"

This is no more than a lead, Barry, but the saying was definitely
current during the Vietnam War (a friend of mine has just confirmed that
this is his recollection too), and I have a distinct feeling (i.e., no
evidence whatsoever) that it was also in use during WW II.   ( World War
I ? No way ! )

At any rate, I have brain cells associating this with a war
correspondent's dispatch. Ernie Pyle ?

Beats me.

JL

bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: bapopik at AOL.COM
Subject: "It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it"
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Where does this come from?
...
...
(BLOG, discussing Manhattan Borough President's race)
Eduwonk has taken on the task of being Moskowitz?s apologist on the
Internet, so you can read all of her ex post facto justifications for
her poor showing there. [It?s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it,
and Eduwonk seems constitutionally unable these days to exercise even
minimal balance and perspective on matters involving teacher unions, so
it seems like he is the man for the position.]

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