▪ I. back-talk colloq., orig. dial.
= back-chat n.; a retort or reply which is regarded as superfluous or impertinent.
| 1858 Dialogue in Ulster Jrnl. Archæol. VI. 41 Oh, indeed 'twas yerself 'at begun it, So A'll give ye back-talk till ye're tired. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gloss. Antrim & Down, Back talk, saucy replies from a child or an inferior. 1887 J. D. Billings Hardtack & Coffee (1888) 150 Back talk,..which..means answering a superior officer insolently, was a prolific cause for punishments. 1888 Harper's Mag. Nov. 972/1 That'll do, my friend, I don't want no back talk. 1899 Kipling Stalky 204 I've heard more back-talk since this volunteerin' nonsense began than I've heard in a year in the service. 1902 G. H. Lorimer Lett. Self-made Merchant (1903) xiii. 177 That order for a car-load of Spotless Snow Leaf from old Shorter is the kind of back talk I like. 1921 G. O'Donovan Vocations viii, ‘'Twas enough to disturb any girl,’ her mother said... ‘I'm off communion myself this morning, with all the back talk I had with your father over it last night.’ |
▪ II. back-talk, v. Chiefly U.S.
Brit. /ˈbaktɔːk/, U.S. /ˈbækˌtɔk/, /ˈbækˌtɑk/
[‹ back-talk n. Compare earlier backtalking adj.]
intr. To talk back to a person, esp. in an insolent manner. Also trans. Cf. back-chat v. at back-chat n. Derivatives.
| 1961 A. Ginsberg Kaddish & Other Poems 42 Backtalk to the sun. 1962 Listener 23 Aug. 295/3 They see themselves in the big money in New York, back-talking to the crowd while they rake in the dollars. 1982 A. Walker Color Purple 34 He say, I tell her one thing, she do another. Never do what I say. Always backtalk. 1991 R. R. McCammon Boy's Life iii. 40 ‘Yes you did,’ he shouted. ‘Don't you backtalk me.’ |