Re: [YAEUT] Lexical variation survey

I was once given to understand that 'dust' is a former
BE euphemism for the fragrant substances emptied in
days of yore by the dust-men from beneath the outside
toilets (which were 'earth closets', i.e not connected
to sewers), who took then kindly took it away on their
dust-cart.

I have no idea if this is the case, but we certainly
call garbage trucks 'dustcarts' to this day, and of
course we still have dustmen and dustbins.


P

--- caeruleancentaur <caeruleancentaur@...>
wrote:

> >Herman Miller <hmiller@...> wrote:
>
> >I can see that distinction -- "garbage" is what
> goes down the "garbage
> >disposal", "trash" goes in the "trash can" (or
> "trash bin").
>
> I've always been amused by the British use of
> "dustbin."  I've always
> pictured it as a big can full of those little furry
> critters that
> accumulate under beds, which are also known by a
> multitude of names.
>
> Charlie
>