[Ads-l] picker

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Garson O'Toole wrote:
> > Here is a "picker" in 1928. The term is enclosed in quotation marks,
> > but this "picker" seems to be acquiring antiques for personal use
> > instead of resale.

Amy West wrote:
> In my personal lexicon, picking -- or garbage/trash/refuse picking --
> does not have to be finding discarded stuff for resale. In fact, picking
> for personal use is the primary sense to me. "Dumpster diving" is a
> later synonym for me. As an impoverished kid/college student, I engaged
> in garbage picking -- oh, look at that box of musty-smelling old books
> on the curb. Must take home!

Here is "garbage-picker" in 1868.

Date: November 29, 1868
Newspaper: The Daily Journal
Newspaper Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
Article: Variety
Quote Page 4, Column 1
Database: Newspapers.com

[Begin excerpt]
A Philadelphia garbage-picker hooked out $50,000 in currency the other
day.--But it was counterfeit.
[End excerpt]

The late Joel Berson started a thread discussing "dumpster diver" in 2015:
http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2015-November/139939.html

Garson

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