Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-08-12
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MAALINEss OF SPEECH.

A lecture recently delivered in Carlisle.
England, by the Rev. 4. Mursell. contain
ed the following amusing but instructive
passage:
The point TO which have next to direct
attention is ,nanliness in speech. There
are many young men who seem to consider
essential to manliness, that they should be
masters Of slang. The sporting world,
like its brother, the swell mob, has a Ian
guage Of its own; but this dog English
extends far beyond the sporting world. 1t
comes with its hordes of barbarous words,
threatening the entire extinction Of gen.
uine English Now just listen for mo
ment to our fast young man, or the ape Of
a fast yourg man, who thinks that to be .
man he must talk in the dark ptraseology
Of slang. II he does anything On bis own
responsibility, he does it on his own hook
If he sees anything remarkably good, he
calls it sumner" the superlative Of
which is regular sumner" If man
is requested to pay tavern bill, he is ask
ed If he will "stand SAM" If be meets
a savage looking dog, he calls him an
"ugly customer If he meets an eccen.
tric man, he calls him ''rummy old cove
A sensible man is a +" chap that is up to
snuf.' A man not remarka ble for good
sense is a " cake"-a "fat"-a spoon
"A " stick" his mother does not know
be is out" A doubtful assertion is to bs
"told to the marnes.' An incredible
statement is all CANNON" Our young
friend never scolds, but blows up,' and
never pays, but stumps up'--never finds
it difficult to pay, but is "hard up;" neve,
feels fatigued, but is used up HI
has no hat, but shelters his head beneath
"tle." He wears no neckcloth, bu,
surrounds his throat with choker"-
He lives nowhere, but there is some placs
where he hangs OUT lie never goei
away or withdraws, bat he "bolts +" -
he "slopes"--he mizzles"-he make!
himself scarce'-he "walks his chalks"-
he makes tracks"-ke " cut his stick
or what is the same thing, he "cut hi
lucky!" The highest compliment you Cal
pay him is to tell him that he is "pgula
brick" He does not profess to be brave
but he prides himself on being "plucky.
Money is word which he has forgotten
but he talks good deal about tim an.
the needlul," >" the rbino," and the "rea
dy.' When man speaks. he "spouts"-
when he holds his peace, he shuts up,
and when he is humiliated, he is stake,
down peg or two," and "mads to SIM
small" lie calls his hands paws" hi
legs "pins.' TO be perplexed, IS to b
"Aummaxed"-to be disappointed, is 4
be "dishedn--to be cheated, is to be "sold
to be cheated clearly, is to be "don'
brown" Whatsoever is fine, is "nobby
whatsoever is shabby, is "seedyr---what
soevsr is pleasant, is "jolly." He say
BLESSED IL he does this blowed if h
does that banged if he does the othe
thing or he exclaims /" Ny eyesr' M
stars" If you asked him which were hi
"stars' he would be ''fummaxed." Thel
he swears "by George "by the piper
on select occasions be selects the pipe
that played before Noses Now, goo
deal Of this slang is harmless, many Of tb
terms are, | think, very expressive; ye
there is much in slang that is objection
able. For example, as Arclrdeacon Har
observes in one Of hi. sermons, the wor
governor" as applied tc father, is to b
reprehe nded. ! have heard young maj
call his father the relieving officer
Does it not betray on the part Of youn,
. men great ignorance of the paternal a.'
, Glial relationships or great contemp! 70
! them Their father is to such young mel
merely merely the represen,
atiye or authority lnnocen,ly enough
the expression is used by thousands Q
young men who yenerate and love thsi
parents but only think Of il, and an
sure you will admit tha. it is cold, hear,
less word when thus applied, aud one tha
ought forthwith to be abandoned.
EeS-A celebrated chess player in Roch