[Ads-l] Antedating of Four "Ragtime" Terms

[Shapiro, Fred]

ragtime, adj. (OED 1896 [15 Aug.])  1896 Milwaukee Daily News 14 Aug. 3/2 (Newspapers.com)  The vaudeville attractions are Ben R. Harvey [sic], illustrator of real negro "Rag Time" music; Sharp and Flat, the musical kings; and Dixon, Bowers and Dixon, the three "Rubes."

ragtime (OED, 2. ["piece of ragtime music"], 1899)  1897 Cook (Nebr.) Weekly Courier 30 Jan. 8/2 (Newspapers.com)  We had golden times and rag money; now we have the gold standard and rag times.  1897 Sentinel (Milwaukee) 22 Apr. 3/5 (Newspapers.com)  The Novelty Mandolin and Guitar quintette ... for the first time in this city introduced "Rag Times" on mandolins  and guitars.

ragtime, v. (OED 1908)  1899 Des Moines Leader 5 Oct. 4/4 (Newspapers.com)  The happy couple rag timed instead of marching.  1899 Oakland Enquirer 1 Apr. 4/4 (Newspapers.com)  The people who cannot enjoy either the classical or the really musical ... have ragtimed and cakewalked and Honolulued until no one wants more of it.

ragtime (OED, modern spelling, 1906)  1896 Daily Standard Union (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 12 Sept. 7/7 (Newspapers.com)  Ben R. Harvey [sic], illustrator of the real ragtime music.

Fred Shapiro



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