Hi, All!


In PYGMALION, by BERNARD SHAW I read this Doolittle saying after he's become a rich man with the middle class morality:

-----Beginning of the citation-----
When I was a poor man and had a solicitor once when they found a pram in the dust cart, he got me off, and got shut of me and got me shut of him as quick as he could.
----- The end of the citation -----

What is the pram pram in the dust cart? What does he mean? :)

Bye, All!
Alexander Koryagin

---
* Origin: nntp://news.fidonet.fi (2:221/6.0)

-----Beginning of the citation-----
When I was a poor man and had a solicitor once when they found a pram in
the dust cart, he got me off, and got shut of me and got me shut of him as quick as he could.
----- The end of the citation -----

What is the pram pram in the dust cart? What does he mean? :)

Pram is a "British" word for a baby carriage or stroller, i.e. something
you lay or sit a baby in which has wheels so you can push it around while
you walk behind it.

Dust cart I believe is a rubbish or trash bin, likely also with wheels.

In this case, though, I wonder if it is a British euphimism for something
more specific as I don't understand how throwing an old pram out in the
garbage would get a person into legal trouble.

Mike

* SLMR 2.1a * "Einstein? Who's he? Another troublemaker?" - H.Baines
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)

Hi, Mike Powell!
I read your message from 08.08.2024 14:42

-----Beginning of the citation-----

When I was a poor man and had a solicitor once when they found a
pram in the dust cart, he got me off, and got shut of me and got me
shut of him as quick as he could.

----- The end of the citation -----

What is the pram pram in the dust cart? What does he mean? :)

Pram is a "British" word for a baby carriage or stroller, i.e.
something you lay or sit a baby in which has wheels so you can push
it around while you walk behind it.

Dust cart I believe is a rubbish or trash bin, likely also with
wheels.

In this case, though, I wonder if it is a British euphimism for
something more specific as I don't understand how throwing an old
pram out in the garbage would get a person into legal trouble.

Maybe Doolittle made his dust cart from a stolen pram? ;-)

Bye, Mike!
Alexander Koryagin
english_tutor 2024

---
* Origin: news://news.fidonet.fi (2:221/6.0)

Hi, Mike! Recently you wrote in a message to ALEXANDER KORYAGIN:

-----Beginning of the citation-----
When I was a poor man and had a solicitor once when
they found a pram in the dust cart, he got me off, and got
shut of me and got me shut of him as quick as he could.
----- The end of the citation -----

What is the pram pram in the dust cart? What does he mean?

Pram

Short for "perambulator"...

is a "British" word for a baby carriage or stroller, i.e.
something you lay or sit a baby in which has wheels so
you can push it around while you walk behind it.

Yes. In my experience, however, the traditional English pram has coil springs with large wheels & probably cost more than Doolittle could afford. :-)

Dust cart I believe is a rubbish or trash bin,

That's my take on it. IIRC Eliza's father was a dustman... i.e. what Canadians might also refer to as a garbage collector.

likely also with wheels.

YMMV, but my initial experience with such things occurred 20-30 years ago when the City of Vancouver started using them. It would be my guess that at the time of writing the dust cart was the equivalent of a garbage truck.

I don't understand how throwing an old pram out in the
in the garbage would get a person into legal trouble.

I reckon that if someone with more $$$ than sense put it out with the garbage or ordered a servant to get rid of it & Eliza's father took advantage of the situation others might believe he'd stolen this item.

While I don't know what the laws WRT such matters were in England 100 years ago, the citizens of Vancouver are required to place their garbage on city property when they want it to be collected... after which the city is deemed to be the rightful owner. But the garbage & recycling crews around here are fussy about what they'll accept, and others often take advantage after midnight. :-Q




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)

I reckon that if someone with more $$$ than sense put it out with the garbage or ordered a servant to get rid of it & Eliza's father took advantage of the situation others might believe he'd stolen this item.

Oh, yes, that situation would make sense! For people who have more $$$
than sense, they often will get upset if someone sees value in something
they didn't.

Mike

* SLMR 2.1a * "Hired goons????" - Homer
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)

Hi, Mike! Recently you wrote in a message to ARDITH HINTON:

I reckon that if someone with more $$$ than sense put
it out with the garbage or ordered a servant to get rid
of it & Eliza's father took advantage of the situation
others might believe he'd stolen this item.

Oh, yes, that situation would make sense! For people
who have more $$$ than sense, they often will get upset
if someone sees value in something they didn't.

As my mother would say, "One man's trash is another's treasure."

They probably wouldn't be too happy with me if I said "You don't want xxx? Thank you... I can use it myself or get at least $100 for it on eBay."

Apparently Doolittle knew the monetary value of their castoffs. :-))




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)

Ardith Hinton:

As my mother would say, "One man's trash is another's
treasure."

Or, one man's modus ponens is another man's modus tollens.

---
* Origin: news://news.fidonet.fi (2:221/6.0)