[Ads-l] bunkum = 'nonsense' (1838)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Below is a footnoted instance of "Bunkum" in January 1835. I think it
is interesting because the word is not part of a phrase such as "to
Bunkum" or "for Bunkum".

Here "spoke Bunkum" meant "delivered a long pointless speech", I think.

Date: Jan 10, 1835
Correspondence of the Working Men's Advocate.
Workingman's Advocate (1830-1836);
New York 6.22 page 0_3
Database: Proquest American Periodicals

[Begin excerpt - double check]
Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 1835.
Sir--We have nothing of any particular importance to communicate from
either House today. After the presentation of resolutions, &c. Mr.
Chilton resumed his remarks, and spoke Bunkum* for about three
quarters of an hour; after which the Navy Pay Bill was again called
up.
[End excerpt]

[Begin footnote]
* Col. Johnson tells the story--A certain member from the district in
which Bunkum, (N.C.) was included, was in the habit of making long
speeches, to little purpose. He excused himself be saying that he was
not speaking to the House, but to Bunkum.
[End excerpt]

Below is an excerpt from a speech by Richard M. Johnson. He shared an
anecdote about the North Carolina politician Mr. Walker who first told
his colleagues that he was speaking Bunkum.

Date: October 19, 1836
Newspaper: The Republican Banner (Madison Republican Banner)
Newspaper Location: Madison, Indiana
Quote Page 4 of 6
Database: NewspaperArchive

Col. Richard M. Johnson's Speech at Shelbyville

[Begin excerpt - please double check]
Congress is the finest place in the world to manufacture orators—not
such as was in Greece and Rome—not such as Demosthenes, but they make
long speeches; and why? Because they fear the people—there they speak
to Bunkum. I will tell you what that means—they speak not to Congress
but to the people. . . .

In Congress they make long-winded speeches—I do not like such long
speeches, but I will give you the anecdote about Bunkum.

A Mr. Walker was elected to Congress from North Carolina, and Bunkum
was a county in his District. He was a plebian, like myself; we used
to talk together. He was elected by the casting vote of the sheriff.
He made but one speech at each session of Congress, and no matter what
was before the House, he spoke about the revolution. I asked him why
he did so—he said he was not speaking to Congress, but to Bunkum and
ever since that time, when such speeches are made, they are said to be
for Bunkum. I have myself spoken to Bunkum; and why do we make such
speeches? Because we fear you.—You have the power at the polls, when
you vote—there is your power and we fear it, and it is right that you
should have the power.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Wed, Jan 18, 2017 at 5:58 PM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Jan 18, 2017 at 11:05 AM, Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Wyoming [Pa.]
>
>
> Local town makes good! Wyoming is located a hoot and a holler from Kingston
> [Pa.], current residence of your humble correspondent. Both towns are
> located in the Great Wyoming Valley of the Susquehanna River, in Luzerne
> (not a misspelling of "Lucerne"; named for Anne-César, chevalier de Malte
> et le marquis de la Luzerne, Normandy, France) County, the most
> Trump-voting political entity in all of PA.
>
> --
> -Wilson
> -----
> All say, "How hard it is that we have to die!"---a strange complaint to
> come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
> -Mark Twain
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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