[Ads-l] "spaz(z)" redux

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Bill Mullins  wrote:
> My recollection of "Shapiro's Law" was that it had something to do with early
> examples of slang terms often show up as race horse names (thus my recent
> example).
>
> I searched for it in the ADS-L archives when I wrote the post, which is where
> I first ran across it when I joined up ca. 2005-2006, but I couldn't find it (the
> Google search of the archives is less than stellar).

A quick incomplete search in the archives yields a few matches for
words connected to horse names.

Date: December 2, 1997
Subject: Jesses; Dennis; Prairie Chicken; Dare Devil; Let Off Steam; No Go....
From: Barry Popik
http://www.americandialect.org/americandialectarchives/dec97.txt
[Begin excerpt]
DARE DEVIL

In the edition of July 1831, pg. 567, are two interesting horse names.
 One is "Sky-Scraper" (OED has this horse name as its earliest "skyscraper"
citation).
  Another horse name is "Dare Devil," foaled in 1787. OED has "dare devil"
from 1794.
[End excerpt]


Date: March 2, 2002
Subject: "upset"
From: Fred Shapiro
https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2002-March.txt
[Begin excerpt]
I used to think it remarkable that a horse named Upset would have pulled
off perhaps the greatest upset in sports history.  But I'm guessing that
it's not so remarkable, that this horse's name contributed to the rise of
the term.
[End excerpt]


Date: March 4, 2002
Subject: "upset"
From: Fred Shapiro
https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2002-March.txt
[Begin excerpt]
Years ago I wrote an article in American Speech about the earliest use of
the word "skyscraper," which occurs in the name of a horse.
[End excerpt]


Date: September 6, 2002
Subject: Alligators in the Sewer (1907, 1935); Sitting Ducks; Mazuma;
Pistol; Dump Cake
From: Barry Popik
https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2002-September/025536.html
[Begin excerpt]
MAZUMA

   12 January 1905, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 2:
   Myer looked at the pile of money and ecstatically murmured "Mazuma."

   The RHHDAS cites the slang experts TAD 1901, Cullen 1902, Ade 1903, and O.
Henry 1904.
   There are two earlier NEW YORK TIMES hits.  On 6 September 1890, pg. 3,
there is a horse called "Mazumah."  On 28 October 1890, pg. 3, there is a
horse called "Mazuma."
   Like "skyscraper" and "hillbilly," another horse name antedate!
[End excerpt]

Garson

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