Green’s Dictionary of Slang

cheek, impertinence; thus imper. no back-talk, that’s it, there’s no more to be said.

1858		Ulster Jrnl Archeology 41: Oh, indeed ’twas yerself ’at begun it, So A’ll give ye back-talk till ye’re tired.
1860		W. Carleton Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry I 88: Is it givin’ back talk, you are ?
1875		Locomotive Engineers Jrnl IX n.p.: If there was any ‘back talk,’ there was a skirmish, in which the brakeman generally came out first best.
1887		(con. 1861–5) J.D. Billings Hardtack and Coffee 189: ‘Back talk,’ [...] which, interpreted, means answering a superior officer insolently, was a prolific cause for punishments.
1891		C.F. Lummis A New Mexico David 84: Don’t yo’ give me none o’ yo’r back talk.
1899		Kipling ‘The Flag of Their Country’ in Complete Stalky & Co. (1987) 213: I’ve heard more back-talk since this volunteerin’ nonsense began than I’ve heard in a year in the service.
1904		‘G.B. Lancaster’ Sons O’ Men 255: Don’t you give me no back-talk.
1911		L. Esson Dead Timber in Three Short Plays 25: Git out o’ that now, an’ none o’ yer backtalk to me.
1913		H. De Lisser Jane’s Career (1971) 37: The only thing I don’t like in a servant is back-answers.
1918		K.F. Purdon Dinny on the Doorstep 83: So they know not to annoy her or give any back-talk.
1928		C. McKay Home to Harlem 171: Don’t gimme no back talk, nigger waiter.
1939		T. Wolfe Web and the Rock 121: The nigger begins to argue with him [...] an’ to give him some back-talk.
1947		C. Willingham End as a Man (1952) 202: ‘That’s enough back talk,’ said the O.D.
1953		J. Thompson Criminal (1993) 15: He [...] didn’t give me a word of back talk.
1965		H. Rhodes Chosen Few (1966) 25: Fisher stood now, watching to see how many bunks he could turn over that morning and how many lips he could split for backtalk.
1971		J. Mandelkau Buttons 142: I kept hearing rumours of the back-talk that was going on in the other camp.
1984		C. White Life and Times of Little Richard 48: Richard so angered Robey with his backtalk that the record boss lost his temper.
1990		(con. early 1950s) J. Ellroy L.A. Confidential 384: Chink backtalk banged it worse.