Speaking of terms......

[chrisy]

YOU MUST HAVE SOME INTERESTING STORIES, MAY WE HEAR SOME?

who are you asking?????

 

[chrisy]

Hobo's here are 'Tramps' and they carry bundles. I am quite confused with some of the things said, it's funny we all talk English, but it is still hard to understand as the terminology is quite different at times.

Two nations--separated by a common language. :lol:

so true. so very true

 

[jw]

Chrisy wrote:

it's funny we all talk English,

We in the U.S. used to!!

 

[Scout]

Yep, and the original question still hasn't been answered!

That's probably because it was never in the common vernacular for most people. I think it boils down to different occupations, ethnic groups, parts of the country, etc. have differnt terms for the same thing.

We used to live near a railroad and we had bindle stiffs frequent the area. A bindle is a package of belongings. We used the term for what most people, probably from a more civilized area, called hobos.

While doing spot checks on overdue cows the mind starts to drift into peculiar patterns of thought.

dun

I have to explain what a bindle stiff is when we read the novel Of Mice and Men in class. Plus, I usually get to explain muleskinner, threshing machine, etc., etc.

 

[dun]

Yep, and the original question still hasn't been answered!

That's probably because it was never in the common vernacular for most people. I think it boils down to different occupations, ethnic groups, parts of the country, etc. have differnt terms for the same thing.

We used to live near a railroad and we had bindle stiffs frequent the area. A bindle is a package of belongings. We used the term for what most people, probably from a more civilized area, called hobos.

While doing spot checks on overdue cows the mind starts to drift into peculiar patterns of thought.

dun

I have to explain what a bindle stiff is when we read the novel Of Mice and Men in class. Plus, I usually get to explain muleskinner, threshing machine, etc., etc.

How about "gandy dancer"?

dun

 

[dun]

Hobo's here are 'Tramps' and they carry bundles. I am quite confused with some of the things said, it's funny we all talk English, but it is still hard to understand as the terminology is quite different at times.

Tramps are low class, hobos are the elite.

dun

 

[chrisy]

Hobo's here are 'Tramps' and they carry bundles. I am quite confused with some of the things said, it's funny we all talk English, but it is still hard to understand as the terminology is quite different at times.

Tramps are low class, hobos are the elite.

dun

Tramps live a life to wonder, those that stay in one place are known as homeless people.

 

[chrisy]

Chrisy wrote:

it's funny we all talk English,

We in the U.S. used to!!

so what do you talk Double Dutch??????? it's English with an American Accent, I always thought. :roll:

 

[Ryder]

Hobo's here are 'Tramps' and they carry bundles. I am quite confused with some of the things said, it's funny we all talk English, but it is still hard to understand as the terminology is quite different at times.

Tramps are low class, hobos are the elite.

dun

Quite right.
In the depression many a good man hoboed (rode the rails) through the country looking for work. My father could tell of such experiences. I am thankful I have never had to do that and hope I never do.

 

[Cabo]

Tramps are low class, hobos are the elite.

dun

Hobos are fine til you are inspecting a train after dark and one moves in an open boxcar.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Tramps are low class, hobos are the elite.

dun

Hobos are fine til you are inspecting a train after dark and one moves in an open boxcar.

I can remember my first encounter with Hobo's on the Railroad.We were pulling a cut of Boxcars off a Spur at night and one jumped out of a Boxcar and I clubbed him with my Lantern. Scared me to death.You still see a few of them once in a while.

 

[jw]

Chrisy wrote:

so what do you talk Double Dutch???????

Spanish comes to my mind!!

 

[NamVet_Farmer44]

Yep, and the original question still hasn't been answered!

That's probably because it was never in the common vernacular for most people. I think it boils down to different occupations, ethnic groups, parts of the country, etc. have differnt terms for the same thing.

We used to live near a railroad and we had bindle stiffs frequent the area. A bindle is a package of belongings. We used the term for what most people, probably from a more civilized area, called hobos.

While doing spot checks on overdue cows the mind starts to drift into peculiar patterns of thought.

dun

I have to explain what a bindle stiff is when we read the novel Of Mice and Men in class. Plus, I usually get to explain muleskinner, threshing machine, etc., etc.

How about "gandy dancer"?

dun

Used to work on a railroad not far from here...and I used to run around the train tracks when I was a youngun and bug all the gandy dancers out there working :lol:

 

[Scout]

How about "gandy dancer"?dun

that's a new one on me. Maybe it's a Missouri thing?

 

[NamVet_Farmer44]

How about "gandy dancer"?dun

that's a new one on me. Maybe it's a Missouri thing?

It's a railroad worker...they moved the tracks into place...not many railroads around your way?...all of the kids at my school used to go listen to em sing when they was out workin

 

[Scout]

There are railroads around here...just wanted to give dun a bad time, that's all.

 

[starbaby]

WELL I MEANT DUN SINCE HE LIVED BY RAILROAD, BUT ALL TRAIN STORIES ARE FASINATING. PLUS HOBO STORIES

 

[dun]

What about th railroad term "hog head"?

dun

 

[Crowderfarms]

What about th railroad term "hog head"?

dun

Hog head or Hogger = Engineeer.

 

[Lammie]

How about "gandy dancer"?dun

that's a new one on me. Maybe it's a Missouri thing?

I have actually heard of that one.