[Ads-l] Barry Popik on "Trick or treat"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Congratulations to Barry.

Here is a fun citation in 1914. It does not contain the phrase "trick
or treat", but it does refer to "tricks" and "treat". It also explains
the ritual of supplication, and it illustrates the underlying
commercial motivation.

Date: October 27, 1914
Newspaper: The Mount Holly News
Newspaper Location: Mount Holly, Burlington Co., New Jersey
Article: (Advertisement from Durand & Son)
Quote Page 2, Column 7
Database: Chronicling America

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85035801/1914-10-27/ed-1/seq-2/#date1=1904&words=Treat

[Begin excerpt]
HALLOWE’EN
The time when all the Spirits and Fairies of another world seem to
come to earth and revel in their pranks and tricks upon us mortals.

Treat them kindly, give them something to eat and they will do you no harm.

JERSEY APPLES
Fallowater, Smith Cider, York Imperials and Johnathans, 15c and 20c 1/2 peck.

FRESH PRETZELS
Nice and crisp, with plenty of salt. They are delicious when served with cider.

SWEET CIDER
Ewan’s sweet apple cider. The kind we always handle, 30c gal.

DATES
The one pound parchment lined boxes free from dust or dirt, 10c box.
[End excerpt]

Garson O'Toole

On Sat, Oct 30, 2021 at 8:54 PM Cohen, Gerald Leonard <gcohen at mst.edu> wrote:
>
> Barry Popik's name recently turned up on ads-l, and I now share an item
> written about his work on "trick or treat":
>
> https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/treat-or-tricks-1922-edmonton-bulletin-article-has-claim-to-first-printed-reference-of-popular-halloween-phrase
>
> Gerald Cohen
> [https://www.bing.com/th?id=OVF.OSrYhqSfiYGAdOuZjYr5Lw&pid=Api]<https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/treat-or-tricks-1922-edmonton-bulletin-article-has-claim-to-first-printed-reference-of-popular-halloween-phrase>
> 'Treat or tricks': 1922 Edmonton Bulletin article has claim to first printed reference of popular Halloween phrase<https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/treat-or-tricks-1922-edmonton-bulletin-article-has-claim-to-first-printed-reference-of-popular-halloween-phrase>
> Popik said the United States didn't have trick or treat until its first citation in Michigan in 1928: "People always thought it was an Americanism"
> edmontonjournal.com
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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