Lincoln and the Origin of the Term Bass Ackward

Pat Young

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Featured Book Reviewer
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Location
Long Island, NY
bassackward.JPG


Lincoln is credited with being the earliest written instance of the use of the term bass ackward. This 1847 document can be found here:

http://alplm-cdi.com/chroniclingillinois/items/show/7916
 
Here is a transcription of Lincoln's humorous tale:

He said he was riding bass-ackwards on a jass-ack through a patton-cotch on a pair of baddle-sags stuffed full of binger-gred when the animal steered at a scump and the lirrup-steather broke and throwed him in the forner of the kence and broke his pishing-fole. He said he would not have minded it much, but he fell right in a great tow-curd; in fact, he said it give him a right smart sick of fitness. he had the molera-corbus pretty bad. He said about bray dake he come to himself, ran home, seized up a stick of wood and split the axe to make a light, rushed into the house, and found the door sick abed and his wife standing open. But thank goodness she is getting right hat and farty again.
 
Here is a transcription of Lincoln's humorous tale:

He said he was riding bass-ackwards on a jass-ack through a patton-cotch on a pair of baddle-sags stuffed full of binger-gred when the animal steered at a scump and the lirrup-steather broke and throwed him in the forner of the kence and broke his pishing-fole. He said he would not have minded it much, but he fell right in a great tow-curd; in fact, he said it give him a right smart sick of fitness. he had the molera-corbus pretty bad. He said about bray dake he come to himself, ran home, seized up a stick of wood and split the axe to make a light, rushed into the house, and found the door sick abed and his wife standing open. But thank goodness she is getting right hat and farty again.
Sounds or should I say looks like this individual was more spelling challenged than I :smile:
 
Here is a transcription of Lincoln's humorous tale:

He said he was riding bass-ackwards on a jass-ack through a patton-cotch on a pair of baddle-sags stuffed full of binger-gred when the animal steered at a scump and the lirrup-steather broke and throwed him in the forner of the kence and broke his pishing-fole. He said he would not have minded it much, but he fell right in a great tow-curd; in fact, he said it give him a right smart sick of fitness. he had the molera-corbus pretty bad. He said about bray dake he come to himself, ran home, seized up a stick of wood and split the axe to make a light, rushed into the house, and found the door sick abed and his wife standing open. But thank goodness she is getting right hat and farty again.
this reminds me of the Pig Latin we used to use in school.
 
Back
Top