[Ads-l] Antedating of "Trash-Talk" (Verb) and "Trash-Talking" (Adjective)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here is an instance of the verb "trash talk" in 1985.

Date: May 26, 1985
Newspaper: The Hartford Courant
Newspaper Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Article: Celtics Talk Too Much, Worry You to Death
Author: Peter May
Quote Page D11, Column 2
Database: Newspapers.com
https://www.newspapers.com/image/371971103/?match=1&terms=%22trash%20talk%22

[Begin excerpt]
"To a certain extent, yeah," Kevin McHale said. "We seem to play
better if there's some animosity."
The Celtics didn't think they could trash talk Philly, but they tried
anyway. Or maybe we should narrow it down to a few of the Celtics,
namely Cedric Maxwell, M.L. Carr and, occasionally, Larry Bird ...
[End excerpt]

For fun, I also found a few instances of "trashy talk", but it seems
to mean talk which is vulgar or profanity laced. Here is an instance
way back in 1914.

Date: May 29, 1914
Newspaper: The Jewell County Republican
Newspaper Location: Jewell City, Kansas
Article: Personal and Local Items
Quote Page 1, Column 1
Database: Newspapers.com

[Begin excerpt]
The girl who does trashy reading will do trashy talking.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Mon, Jan 26, 2026 at 11:19 AM Shapiro, Fred
<00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> trash talk, v. (OED 1989)  1986 Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) 11 Dec. 33/3 (Newspapers.com)  Was an outspoken athlete who colored his hair, trash-talked his opponents and delivered messages on his shoes too much for the traditionalists ?
>
> trash talking, adj. (OED 1975)  1970 New York Amsterdam News 1 Aug. 34/3 (Newspapers.com)  Your trash-talking reporter will open her secret files long enough to let you know that a New York state youth leader was arrested.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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