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Linguistics

Scoopers: Popular Catskills Slang

January 13, 2022 by John Conway Leave a Comment

19th Century wooden shovel fashioned by a "scooper"During the nearly 35 years I’ve spent answering questions about Sullivan County, NY’s rich and colorful history, a few topics come up far more than any others.

For example, lots of people want to know about the location of the very first summer hotel in Sullivan County, and the question of whether Al Capone ever owned Lake Louise Marie — and is it named for the gangster’s wife and/or girlfriend? — never seems to go out of style.

But possibly the most asked question of all is about the origin of the colloquial term “scooper.” Whether a person is hearing the word for the first time, or they have lived in Sullivan County all their lives and have grown up hearing — and using – the term, most people have no idea how it came to be. [Read more…] about Scoopers: Popular Catskills Slang

Filed Under: History, Hudson Valley - Catskills Tagged With: Forestry, Labor History, Linguistics, Sullivan County, Ulster County, wood products

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