hobo synonymous with panhandler or beggar

[Garson O'Toole]

Below is an example of "hobo" used to mean "panhandler". The excerpt
below is from brooklynian.com but the key example text was apparently
taken from overheardinnewyork.com. The website date at brooklynian.com
claims "5 years ago". A commentator responds and complains about the
shift in semantics: this new trend of calling panhandlers "hobos".

http://brooklynian.com/forum/park-slope/park-slope-panhandler-makes-httpoverheardinnewyorkcom

[Begin excerpt]

[Begin information about person making comment below]
meanderthal
getting it
Joined: Aug '06
Posts: 69
[End information about person making comment below]

Just noted this posting on http://overheardinnewyork.com/ under the
title "No, Actually Just He and the Plant Are Working Together". It
goes

Tourist, pointing at hobo: You stay right there. I'll be back; you have my word.

Friend #1: What are you doing?

Tourist: I'm going to give this guy some money, but I don't have any on me.

Hobo: Bless you.

Friends all open their wallets.

Hobo: Bless you, guys. See, we're all working together!

--7th Ave between 8th & 9th, Park Slope
Drano

[Begin information about person making comment below]
Meow Wars Veteran
Joined: Jan '06
Posts: 1,651
[End information about person making comment below]

I'm wondering what's behind this new trend of calling panhandlers "hobos".

Talk to some old people (sorry, senior senior citizens) - there's a difference.

No self-respecting hobo would take money for nothing.
[End excerpt]

Here is the same example of overheard speech on another website called
dailyslope.com. The date is September 6, 2006

http://www.dailyslope.com/2006/09/06/probably-not-this-guy-who-parked-himself-on-sterling-place-for-3-days-recently/


Here is another example. The date is from the website and may, of
course,  be inaccurate.
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt41611.html

[Begin excerpt]
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:25 pm
Post subject: Do panhandlers / hobos make you nervous?
One time this guy came up to me and started talking to me. …
[End excerpt]


On Sat, Mar 31, 2012 at 9:13 PM, Dan Nussbaum <yekkey at aol.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dan Nussbaum <yekkey at AOL.COM>
> Subject:      hobo synonymous with panhandler or beggar
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> My wife informs me that her Middle School students consider hobo to be syno=
> nymous with panhandler or beggar.
>
>
> I would like to know what this esteemed list serve thinks.
>
>
> Dan Nussbaum=20
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org