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

[Ben Yagoda]

Fred’s quote from the Daily Oklahoman may have rung a bell for sports fans of a certain age. The “outspoken athlete” referred to must have been Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth, aka “Boz.” Wikipedia notes:

"Bosworth is known for his radical hairstyles [dyed blonde mohawk, eg], his on-field play, and his criticism of the NCAA. He was particularly focused on the level of control the NCAA exerted over athletes, preventing them from making money during their college careers.

"Because of his suspension due to steroid use, Bosworth was not allowed to play in the post-season 1987 Orange Bowl. During the 3rd quarter of that game, Bosworth pulled off his football jersey to reveal a T-shirt that read, "NCAA: National Communists Against Athletes." Picked up by the television cameras, this led to much consternation among alumni and administrators at the university. Aware that Bosworth was likely to be entering the NFL draft anyway, the OU coach, Barry Switzer, dismissed Bosworth from the team.

"Bosworth was quoted in Sports Illustrated magazine's 1986 fall football issue as saying that at a summer job at General Motor's Oklahoma City plant, co-workers taught him how to insert bolts in hard-to-reach places to ensure they would rattle. He told the magazine, "If you own a Celebrity or Century made in 1985 in Oklahoma City, that car is (messed up) if I had anything to do with it". In addition, he claimed that each bolt carried a note that said: "Aha! You found me!” "

Ben


> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Date:    Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:19:18 +0000
> From:    "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> Subject: Antedating of "Trash-Talk" (Verb) and "Trash-Talking" (Adjective)
> 
> 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
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date:    Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:36:29 -0500
> From:    ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Re: Antedating of "Trash-Talk" (Verb) and "Trash-Talking" (Adjective)
> 
> 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
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> End of ADS-L Digest - 25 Jan 2026 to 26 Jan 2026 (#2026-27)
> ***********************************************************

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