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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | Marty Rudnick <mrudnick@marturo.com> |
| Subject | Re: Defining Bootleg... |
| Date | Mon, 13 Jun 2005 13:20:11 -0700 (PDT) |
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This explanation bootleged from takeourword.com:
Bootleg arose in the mid 19th century, and it was likely coined as a metaphor. It refers to the notion of smuggling liquor in one's boot, and one source believes that traders in the American West hid slim bottles in their boots in order to sell the liquor to Indians. One could not likely smuggle very much liquor in this fashion, however, hence the belief that the term was created as a metaphor. The term regained popularity in the era of prohibition in America, and once prohibition ended, the word was used to refer to other commodities which were created and sold illegally, most especially musical recordings.
Marty
---- <audities@smoe.org> wrote:
>
> So, does anyone know the origin how the term "bootleg" came into being?
> Is it obvious and I'm just missing it somehow?
>
> Curious, Steve D
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