gallavanting antedated (?) to 1817

Garson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Thu May 31 16:00:54 UTC 2012


Stephen: A brilliant lexicographical researccher located several
excellent cites and posted them in the comments section at the OUP
blog a few years ago:
http://blog.oup.com/2008/11/november-2008/

The "Online Etymology Dictionary" has the "Young Lobski" song with the
1809 date:
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=gallivant

On Thu, May 31, 2012 at 5:26 AM, Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: gallavanting antedated (?) to 1817
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Thanks, Garson. Here's an 1809 use of gallivant.
>
> The Literary Panorama: Being a Review of Books, Magazine of Varieties and Annual Register...
> Vol. V. London, Printed...for C. Taylor,1809. page 574, col, 2
>
> Young Lobski said to his ugly wife,
> "I'm off till to-morrow to fish, my life."
> Says Mrs. Lobski, "I'm sure you a'nt'.
> But you brute you are going to gallivant."
>
> What Mrs. Lobski said was right;
> Gay Mr. Lobski was out all night;
> He ne'er went to fish, 'tis known very well,
> But where he went I shall not tell....
>
> Stephen
> ________________________________________
> From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of Garson O'Toole [adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM]
> Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2012 4:56 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: [ADS-L] gallavanting antedated (?) to 1817
>
> Stephen: Thanks for an interesting citation for a fun word.
>
> Here are three other cites that may be of interest. The first cite is
> a list of "Devonshire and Cornwall Vocabulary" in 1810 that includes
> "Galliganting". It is possible that "Galliganting" is a variant
> spelling of "Gallivanting" or "Gallavanting", but a definition is not
> given so I am not sure.
>
> Cite: 1810 June 1, The Monthly Magazine, Devonshire and Cornwall
> Vocabulary, Page 437, Column 1, Printed for Richard Phillips, London.
> (Google Books full view)
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=7LQRAAAAYAAJ&q=gallivanting#v=snippet&
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Galliganting.   N. D.
> [End excerpt]
>
>
> Cite: 1810 September 24, The Rural Visiter, Article addressed to "Mr.
> Rural Visiter", Quote Page 35, Column 2, Published by D. Allinson and
> Co. and Printed at the Lexicon Press. (Google Books full view) (The
> spelling of "Visiter" is deliberate)
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=U7wRAAAAYAAJ&q=gallivanting#v=snippet&
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> And thus are my performances hawked about town, "Who wants to see what
> is to be published in next number?" critisized on by the witlings,
> seized without the form of a Habeas Corpus, condemned without benefit
> of jury, and hanged without the administration of extreme unction:
> which, by the bye, had I but the means of a man, I'd administer to you
> in such a way, as wouldn't leave you quite so fresh: I should soon
> cure you of your gallivanting and tantivying.
> [End excerpt]
>
>
> Cite: 1811, Rhydisel, the Devil in Oxford, In Two Volumes, Volume II,
> Page 25, Printed for the Author; and Sold by Sherwood, Neely, and
> Jones, London. (Author not shown in images; GB claims author is Andrew
> Gregory Johnstone) (Google Books full view)
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=n34HAAAAQAAJ&q=gallivanting#v=snippet&
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Turn your eyes to the left a little, and you will see a man with a
> large wart on his nose, fast asleep on his back: he has been
> gallivanting with a young lady of great beauty all day, who affected
> to be pleased with his attention, although now and then she cast a
> distrustful glance at the excrescence on his proboscis.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 7:41 AM, Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu> wrote:
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
>> Subject:      gallavanting antedated (?) to 1817
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> OED has 1823.
>> The actress of the present day ...[3 volumes]
>> 1817
>> English Book Book : Fiction 3 v. 20 cm.
>> London, Printed for J. Harper.
>>
>> vol. 3 p.  156
>> ...."Umph!....'tis no wonder: if ladies will so forget themselves, and meet officers in disguise at a distance, and stay out with them _gallavanting_, they must take the consequence....
>> ...."Lack-a-day!....and as for gallavanting with officers, 'tis no such thing....
>>
>> http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiuo.ark%3A%2F13960%2Ft6640711h;view=image;seq=164;q1=gallavanting;start=1;size=10;page=search;num=156
>>
>> Stephen Goranson
>> http://www.duke.edu/~goranson
>>
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>
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