Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-02
Slang Among Young Men.

The hortatory Titcomb recently exposed to
ridicule and rebuke the slang talk of a fast
or careless Young woman. A lecture by an
English clergyman (ssys the New Haven Pal
ladium) docs alike service for the correspond
ing habits of young men in an equally effec-
tive style:
''The point to which have next to direct
attention is manliness in speech. There are
many young men who seem to consider ii
essential to ,manliness that they should be
masters of slang. The sporting world, like
its brother, the swell mob. has language of
its own; but this dog English extends far be-
You'd the sporting world. 1t comes with its
hordes OF, barbarous words, threatening the
entire extinction of genuine Englishl Now
Just listen for a moment to our fast young
| man, or the ape of fast young man. who
thiRks that-to-be man he must talk in the
| dark phraseology of slang. If he does any
thing onshis own responsibility be does it on
his own hook If he sees anything remark
ably good he calls it sumner the superla-
tive of which is regular sumner If man
is requested to pay tavern bill he is asked
| if he will stand Sam?' If he meets savage
looking dog he calls him an ugly customer
| If he meets an eccentric man he calls him a
| srummy old cove A sensible man lis a chap
| that is up to snuff A man not remarkable
a
stick his mother does not know he is OUT
| A doubtful assertion is to be told to the ma
| rines.' All incredible statement is all gam
mon.' Our young friend never scolds, but
blows up never pays, but 'stumps up never
finds 1t difficult to pay, but is hard up never
| feels fatigued, but is used up He has no
hat, but shelters his head beneath .tile.'-
| He wears no neckcloth. but surrounds his
| throat with a 'choker' He lives nowhere but
there is some place where he hangs OUT He
never goes away or withdraws. but he bolts. ,
| he slopes, he 'mizzles,' he makes himself
scarce he walks his chalk, he makes
| tracks he cuts bis stick or what is the same
thing he cuts his luckyl The highest CON-
| pliment you can pay him is to tell him he is
a regular 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 tin and the
| needfuI,' the 'rhino,' and the ready When
| a man speaks he 'spOuts.' when he holds his
peace be shuts up when he is humiliated he
is taken down peg or two,' and made to
sing small He calls his hands paws his
legs pins To be perplexed is TO be fun
muxed, to be disappointed is to be 'dished,
| to be cheated is to be sold, to be cheated
clearly, is to be done brown Whatsoever
is fine is 'nobby,' whatsoever is shabby is
'seedy,' whatsoever is pleasant is Jolly He
says 'blessed if he does this 'blowed if he
does that hanged If he does the other thing;;'
or he exclaims My eyer my stars!' If you
ask him where were his stars he would be
'fiummuXed.' Then he swears by George
by the piper;' on select occasions he selects
the piper that played before Moses Now, a
! good deal of this slang is harmless; many of
the terms are, think, very expressive; yet
| there is much slang that is Objectionable. For
| example, as Archdeacon Hare observes in one
of his sermons, the word governor as APP
| piled to father is to be reprehended. Ihave
heard young man call his father the re
| lieving officer Does it not betray on the
part of young men great ignorance of the
paternal and filial relationships, or great con-
! tempt for them? Their father is to such young
men merely a governor, merely the repre-
| sentative of authority. Innocently enough
the expression is used by thousands of young
men who venerate and love their parents; but
| only think of it and am sure you will admit
| that it is cold heartless word when thus APP
piled, and one that ought forthwith to be
abandoned"