Irish cars [was about "car-drivingest" from 1843 & 1869]

Dan Goncharoff thegonch at GMAIL.COM
Tue Jun 15 00:13:25 UTC 2010


An "Irish car" originally meant a small-wheeled wagon, primarily used to
carry grain and the like. When seats were added over the wheels, it
became known as a "jaunting car".

DanG

On 6/14/2010 7:31 PM, Joel S. Berson wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society<ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson"<Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: Irish cars [was about "car-drivingest" from 1843&  1869]
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 6/14/2010 04:15 PM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>
>> At 3:50 PM -0400 6/14/10, Dan Goncharoff wrote:
>>
>>> Am I the only one suspicious of "car-drivingest" from 1843? Or 1869?
>>> DanG
>>>
>> car = 'cart, wagon'?
>>
> In Ireland, more likely than 'carriage, chariot', which also I
> suspect isn't much present after the 18th century.
>
> But there is this, from car n.1,1".c., c. spec. Applied locally and
> at special periods to various vehicles in particular; also with
> defining words, as *Irish* car, etc."  [emphasis added.]
>        1824-7 HONE Every-day Bk. II. 240 The common Irish Car is used
> throughout the province of Leinster..The Irish 'jaunting car' [is a]
> wholly distinct and superior vehicle.
>
> The OED has 4 quotations for "Irish car", 1645, 1824 (the above), 1838, and --
>       1911 SIR W. BUTLER Autobiog. xx. 354 He..took three or four
> brace of grouse from the bag, and..put the birds in the 'well' of the
> vehicle [an Irish car].
>
> Don't ask me for a definition!
>
> Joel

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