[Ads-l] Twister (tornado), slight antedating (1878)

Fri Jul 19 20:56:16 UTC 2024

With the movie "Twisters" hitting the theaters this weekend, my Wall Street
Journal column this week is on the word "twister."

Non-paywalled link: https://on.wsj.com/469VA0j

I refer to the ADS-L thread in the column -- thanks to Bonnie and Stephen
for providing the early cites!

Best,
Ben

On Fri, May 10, 2024 at 3:02 PM Bonnie Taylor-Blake <b.taylorblake at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Thank you for that, Stephen. I was able to see the article itself at
> the New York State Historical Newspapers database.
>
>
> https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=wfp18691027-01&dliv=userclipping&pageoid=1.2&cliparea=1.2%2C2421%2C1646%2C757%2C987&factor=4&e=-------en-20--1-byDA-txt-txIN-twister+AND+whirlwind---------
>
> -- Bonnie
>
>
> On Fri, May 10, 2024 at 2:40 PM Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu>
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > News Article<
> https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/apps/readex/doc?p=EANX&sort=YMD_date%3AA&page=3&f=advanced&val-base-0=whirlwind&fld-base-0=ocrtext&bln-base-1=and&val-base-1=twister&fld-base-1=ocrtext&docref=image/v2%3A18FFDD04B1FB1C07%40EANX-1976249C6AF14580%402403998-19747B457AA4E3D2%401-19747B457AA4E3D2%40&firsthit=yes>
> page 2
> > Date
> > October 27, 1869
> > Source
> > Genesee Valley Free Press (published as WELLSVILLE FREE PRESS.)
> > Place(s) of Publication
> > Wellsville, New York
> > In search of honey, up a tree.
> > "About this time a regular twister of a whirlwind broke off the branch
> at the cuttings, 'and down came' Richards, tree, honey, 'and all.'"
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> Bonnie Taylor-Blake <b.taylorblake at GMAIL.COM>
> > Sent: Friday, May 10, 2024 2:29 PM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Subject: Re: Twister (tornado), slight antedating (1878)
> >
> > Thank you so much, Stephen. This is very helpful.
> >
> > As you've probably guessed, I gave up looking for "twister" alone
> > ("[hay] twister," who knew?) without throwing in, say, "cyclone,"
> > "tornado," "wind," or "storm." I had completely overlooked
> > "whirlwind."
> >
> > When you have a chance, could you share the 1869 text? I'm curious
> > whether it's from Kansas.
> >
> > -- Bonnie
> >
> > On Fri, May 10, 2024 at 2:01 PM Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > To Bonnie's typically-excellent post I can only mention that twister
> and whirlwind (not necessarily describing a tornado) appear together in an
> article in American Historical Newspapers in 1869, and twister, whirlwind,
> and tornado appear together in Sept. 29, 1889, as may already be known.
>                                sg
> > > ________________________________
> > > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> Bonnie Taylor-Blake <b.taylorblake at GMAIL.COM>
> > > Sent: Friday, May 10, 2024 12:41 PM
> > > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Subject: Twister (tornado), slight antedating (1878)
> > >
> > > OED has an 1897 use of "twister" as its earliest example: "Kansas..is
> > > a favourite spot of the ‘twisters’ as the Westerns playfully term
> > > their windy enemy (the tornado)."
> > >
> > > The Online Etymology Dictionary, however, notes that "twister" with
> > > the "[m]eaning 'tornado' is attested from 1881, American English."
> > >
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.etymonline.com/word/twister*etymonline_v_25135__;Iw!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt4uc2yKlc$
> > >
> > > Here are some slightly earlier sightings. (I fully anticipate the more
> > > patient of you finding still earlier appearances.)
> > >
> > > -- Bonnie
> > >
> > > A SMALL TWISTER. [Headline, The Chicago Tribune, 4 June 1878, p. 2,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-twister-6478/146886632/__;!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt4Lrn2Pys$
> .]
> > >
> > > A TWISTER. On the farm of Mr. Selleck, a small tree a foot and a half
> > > and diameter, was lifted out bodily by the roots. [In "A CYCLONE;
> > > Middletown Visited by a Terrible Wind and Rain Storm," Middletown (New
> > > York) Daily Press, 22 July 1878, p. 3,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-jul-22-1878-4459717/__;!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt4-anR-Rw$
> .]
> > >
> > > CYCLONE GAMBOLS; The Twister That Twisted the Country Round About as
> > > It Never was Twisted Before" [Headline, The Kansas City (Missouri)
> > > Journal, 1 June 1879, p. 5,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newspapers.com/article/kansas-city-journal-twister-6179/146886461/__;!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt4tdk8j9k$
> .]
> > >
> > > He has been all over the ground, and followed the track of each of the
> > > five tornadoes. The *Herald* says that he will soon make an account
> > > and official report with maps. Mr. Finley says the Kansas people call
> > > these storms "twisters." It is an English word, stronger than tornado,
> > > which also means to turn or whirl, and we hope it will come into
> > > general use. [In a piece quoting the St. Joseph (Missouri) Herald, The
> > > Hays City (Kansas) Sentinel, 4 July 1879, p. 2,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hays-city-sentinel-twister-7479/146886661/__;!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt4Q3lOG5g$
> .]
> > >
> > > The wind came in all its fury, but instead of being a regular old-time
> > > twister, it was a smooth, even blow, but of sufficient force to blow
> > > in the front of the bank building ... [In "A Bluster," The Kirwin
> > > (Kansas) Chief, 2 July 1879, p. 3,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kirwin-chief-twister-7279/146886140/__;!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt41l_3v_Y$
> .]
> > >
> > > CYCLONE; A Twister, Perhaps a Western Truant, Visits Massachusetts
> > > [Headline, The Chicago Tribune, 17 July 1879, p. 2,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2*3A163BE68F9CBDBA18*40GB3NEWS-16D20B5A080CCAE4*402407548-16D20B5EB8ADD8C5*401?clipid=xektzwtcgxcddstclgfppqrapdcppsnd_ip-10-166-46-98_1715281437521__;JSUlJQ!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt43M4_dQ4$
> .]
> > >
> > > It was an awful hot day, and we imagined that a little wind would be
> > > no bad thing. But the little breeze has well nigh developed a regular
> > > funnel-shaped cyclone twister. [In "The Exodus Muddle," The Daily
> > > Commonwealth (Topeka), 25 July 1879, p. 2,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-commonwealth-twister-72579/146886340/__;!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt4AQMoJgg$
> .]
> > >
> > > THE TEMPESTUOUS TWISTER; The Sabbath Squall and Tortuous Tornado that
> > > Wreaked Devistation [sic] Upon the Land. [Headline, The Rockford
> > > (Illinois) Journal, 24 April 1880, p. 1,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2*3A130FB81A1E9520B4*40GB3NEWS-133027E283ECCB59*402407830-132FCF4CD3A1C754*400-132FCF4CD3A1C754?clipid=bxjmseaeuiyuadybswhxtyphujvdcyfq_ip-10-166-46-74_1715280888763__;JSUlJQ!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt46VxMBSg$
> .]
> > >
> > > Some of those who have been assiduously engaged in constructing
> > > cyclone caves are now afraid that no "twister" will come along to give
> > > them a chance to try the efficacy of these subterranean retreats. [The
> > > Saline County (Salina, Kansas) Journal, 29 April 1880, p. 4,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2*3A16A0C17BA40883B9*40GB3NEWS-164A6503E3CA7236*402407835-164A6511C0A4F23A*403-164A6511C0A4F23A?clipid=vcuswerlcqiicbertalqroelfounqank_ip-10-166-46-160_1715281102884__;JSUlJQ!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt4Vus_Blk$
> .)
> > >
> > > "Twister" is a Kansas word and means just what cyclone and tornado
> > > mean, and the most expressive of all. It will be seen from the above
> > > etymologies that cyclone, tornado and twister, mean the same thing --
> > > a violent storm moving in a circle or turning in its progress.
> > > [Reprinted from the Kansas City Journal, Brookville (Kansas)
> > > Independent, 23 June 1881, p. 2,
> > >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.newspapers.com/article/brookville-independent-twister-kansas-w/146887091/__;!!OToaGQ!qoLqbOlZFlMmnvbJQ18PB6tR3FmXBoM2PJHnaPWSjuu4UeY1lyED0acx1LmL6Fa-56xljWamRuK1SPt4od-hED8$
> .
> > > "Twister" also appears earlier in the piece.]
>
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>

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