"get ones ashes hauled", and sweeping ones (or someones) chimney

Mon Jul 19 18:19:24 UTC 2010

Freud to Jung, Nov. 21, 1909:

"It has also been explained to me why a chimney sweep is regarded as a good
omen: chimney sweeping is an action symbolic of coitus."

See, a *male* puts himself into a *dark channel-like place*.  The testicular
cancer would be, to the unconscious, an ironic "punishment" for symbolically
"doing it."

Sense or SWAG? Seriously, you gotta wonder.

JL

On Mon, Jul 19, 2010 at 11:51 AM, Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: "get ones ashes hauled",              and sweeping ones
> (or
>              someones) chimney
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In any case, wouldn't it be the building owner--not the chimny sweep--who
> "got his ashes hauled" (in contrast to the young boy who hauled those
> ashes)?
>
> --Charlie
>
> ________________________________________
> From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of
> Charles C Doyle [cdoyle at UGA.EDU]
> Sent: Monday, July 19, 2010 11:42 AM
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Even though chimney sweeps commonly died, at an early age, of testicular
> cancer . . . .
>
> --Charlie
>
> ________________________________________
> From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of
> Jonathan Lighter [wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM]
> Sent: Monday, July 19, 2010 11:37 AM
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Get your ashes hauled" looks far more recent.  The sweepers must already
> have had the reputation and Freud can tell you why.
>
> If it wasn't deserved.
>
> JL
>
> On Mon, Jul 19, 2010 at 11:12 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> > Subject:      "get ones ashes hauled", and sweeping ones (or someones)
> > chimney
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
>  > As a by-product of investigation into why chimney sweeps were
> > associated in the 18th century with sexual activity, George Thompson
> > brought up the metaphor "get ones ashes hauled".
> >
> > 1)  George provides some quotations below.
> >
> > 2)  There's also "get your broom dusted" and  "get your chimney swept
> > out."  [Google hits, not documented below.]
> >
> > 3)  Is there anything in the etymology or history besides the
> > (obvious?) image of "chimney" as either (or both) phallus and vagina?
> >
> > Joel
> >
> > >From: George Thompson <george.thompson at nyu.edu>
> > >To: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at att.net>
> > >Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:05:17 -0400
> > >Subject: Re: Sexual meaning of chimney and chimney sweeps in the 18th
> > >  century?
> > >
> > >
> > >See that spider : climbing up the wall
> > >Hunt some place : to get his ashes hauled
> > >Wiley Barner, 1927
> > >
> > >Lord when you see the spider : Lord a-running up and down the wall
> > >He must be going somewhere : great God to try and have his ashes hauled
> > >Frank Stokes, 1927
> > >
> > >and a half dozen from the 30s
> > >
> > >A concordance to Pre-War blues:
> > >http://www.dylan61.se/taft.htm
> > >
> > >George A. Thompson
> > >Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre",
> > >Northwestern Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at att.net>
> > >Date: Sunday, July 18, 2010 11:10 am
> > >Subject: Re: Sexual meaning of chimney and chimney sweeps in the
> > >18th  century?
> > >To: George Thompson <george.thompson at nyu.edu>
> > >
> > > > At 7/17/2010 12:37 PM, George Thompson wrote:
> > > > >Which is, to refer to an old expression I've only encountered in
> > > > >blues lyrics: to get one's ashes hauled = to get laid.
> > > >
> > > > New to me.  I Googled "ashes hauled" -- and then added
> > > > "chimney".  It's in slang and (the) urban dictionaries, there's
> > > > speculation on its etymology, references to blues lyrics, and even
> > > > the question "For example, what exactly happens when you get your
> > > > "ashes hauled" or your "broom dusted"?" and the expression "Get your
> > > > chimney swept out."
> > > >
> > > > Google Books has nothing earlier than 1981 ("Slang and euphemism: a
> > > > dictionary of oaths, curses, insults, ...", No preview).
> > > >
> > > > Is there anything in this besides the (obvious?) "chimney" as either
> > > > (both) phallus and vagina? Should we round up the usual suspects on
> > > > ADS-L and propose a research project into the earliest appearance?
> > > >
> > > > Joel
> > > >
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
>
>
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