Wouldn’t someone who wants to do work for hire be a “hobo”?Report
Tramp and hobo are basically synonyms as I understand it.Report
I thought that there was a formula!
If you are an unhomed transient person who is inclined to do odd jobs, the term would be “hobo”.
If you are an unhomed transient person who is not included to do odd jobs, the term would be “tramp”.
If you are an unhomed non-transient person who is not inclined to do odd jobs, the term would be “bum”.
When my grandmother, who lived through the Great Depression as an adult, would tell stories about those days, she always made the distinction that JB did. Hobos offered to work for food and some were reasonably skilled; tramps begged.Report
Wouldn’t someone who wants to do work for hire be a “hobo”?Report
Tramp and hobo are basically synonyms as I understand it.Report
I thought that there was a formula!
If you are an unhomed transient person who is inclined to do odd jobs, the term would be “hobo”.
If you are an unhomed transient person who is not included to do odd jobs, the term would be “tramp”.
If you are an unhomed non-transient person who is not inclined to do odd jobs, the term would be “bum”.
Or so I thought the nomenclature went.Report
When my grandmother, who lived through the Great Depression as an adult, would tell stories about those days, she always made the distinction that JB did. Hobos offered to work for food and some were reasonably skilled; tramps begged.Report
Ahhh I see! I had no idea!Report