Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-01-11
Popular Phrases.

4 IOpular PnraSess
THE trite old saying, "cvery dog has it's
day." apdy applies 60 our subject of pop
ular phrases. They spring up suddenly,
: play their part, achieve Il certain degree
of popularity, and then are lost sight of.
No one knows where they come FROM
where they go, or how they go.
The most active agents in circulating
and diffusing these phrases and words are
the wild boys of the streets, commonly
called the "street Arabs" and the min
strels. Both act in their respective
spheres, but in an entirely different way.
The former circulate them among them
selves, and they gradually extend to other
classes, while the latter, by means of
song or Joke, address them to hundreds
of persons at the same time, and by their
successive repetition cause them to
take" Stump speakers also play a
prominent part in the diffusion of these
phrases. There are numerous other ways
by which they are circulated and rendered
popular, but these just mentioned are the
most important.
The most popular phrase at the present
time is ' What are nou going to do about
it?n Almost every person is familiar
with its origin and the various ways in
which it has been used. 1t sprung into
existence during an interview between
Boss" Tweed and reporter at the COM
mencement of the Reform movement, and
appearing at an auspicious moment it was
taken up by the press and spread through
out the country, and is in daily use every
where.
The year 1870 was very prolific in these,
and the ones which made their appear
ance during that year became very popu-
lar, but are now becoming worn out.
I .1,a 1o,- NN.,
know how il is yourself" How does the
old thing work." Put head on him"
and How is that for high:" The first
two are supposed to have originated with
VIM. NJ. Tweed, and were used by him at
least five years previous, although they
were not appreciated until lately. The
phrase "How does the old thing works"
is a contraction of & How does the whole
thing work." which was favorite and
frequent question or expression with the
"Boss" when addressing his workers"
concerning the political condition of the
districts which they controlled.
The phrase, "Put head on him" orig
mated in the following way: 1t was the
prevailing custom among the editors of
daily papers to preface the reports and
articles with striking and attractive head
ings or headlines to draw the attention of
the readers. This was carried to extremes,
and words were often strained for the
purpose One of the sub-editors of a
morning paper undertook to do this work
and prefaced a report with what he con-
sidered very attractive heading, but
when it came to the eyes of the editor-in-
chief he thought otherwise, and in lam
guage the reverse of complimentary told
the sub-editOr that if he should ever put
such a head on a report again he would
put a head on him. 1t passed from the
sdRctum to the outer world, and became
very popular. In course of time the
''head" was modified to ''mansard roo" ,"
after the style of the roof which had re-
Gently been introduced
At the commencement of the late war
the phrases Cant see it, and "Can't see
the point" were all the rage. When the
news of the attack on Fort Sumter was
received in this city scarcely any one
would believe the news contained in the
extras" and would say they couldn't
see it." meaning that they could not be-
lieve it. 1t was followed by II can't stand
the press" which did not, however, be-
come as popular as its predecessor.
About four years ago it was the custom
among the gaHiRs to address person who
was passing, by shouting out "Saym and
as the person addressed would turn around
to see who was calling him they would
add "Can YOU see?" in the tune of the
Star-Spangled Banner, of which these
: words were the first line. Many amusing
incidents occurred in this way, but its
popularity run the usual course and then
died out, being scarcely ever heard now.
."Does your mother know you are out ~
was very popular few years ago, but
has become almost obsolete. The phrase
had its origin in London some thirty wears
since, and in a short time it was taken up
by the entire population. 1t appears to
have been aimed at precocious youths
who assume all the airs of manhood before
they have hardly entered their teens, u
and was addressed to the class of young
men who affect certain staggering air,
who smoke, chew and travel with the
"b'hoys" 1t implied that the Individual
to whom it was addressed was incapable
of taking care of himself. and should not
have been cut loose from his mothers
apron strings, which was really very pro
yoking. This question necessitated an an
swer, of which there were many (; the one
most in vogue in this city was, g Yes, and
she gave me penny to buy a monkey
, with, are YOU for sale 2" This would gen
orally have the required effect, and the
questioner would cork up"
"Hunky Dory" has always proved a IA
vorite expression, and seems to be an
4
scure and very little known. The follow
ing, think, is the true one: Hunk was
the term used by boys century ago, in
their play for goal, and is still in use TO
this day, particularly in the game called
/ tag To be chunk" or "all hunk y
: was, therefore, to have reached the goal
without being interrupted by one of the
opposite side. The word finally became
corrupted to hunky, which meant, in popu
lar phraseology, g all right" The " dory'
attachment was subsequently added, and
: is probably modification of the French
word dOree, meaning gold.
"Sound on the goose" is phrase OF
similar import, which was very popular
in the South, meaning to be orthodox or
I the slave question. Another is ''up Il
1 snuff" an old English phrase, which
I means knowing, sharp, wide-awake. There
: is also y. K, an abbreviation for all cor
: rect, improperly spelled OIL Korrekt
: whose origin is somewhat similar to tha
of L. S. A government official, who wa.
: very illiterate, was accustomed to sigr
the documents which came under his no
: tice, with his name, and, to show tina
: they were all right. added the words ''Ol
J Korrekt, which were, in time, abbrevi
S ated to o. X.
!, Bully" is a term of commendation ap
s piled in patronizing way among the wi
e gar, and means very fine. A more ex
1t tensive phrase is "A bully boy with I
l. glass eye"
Paddle your own canoe" figurativ'
# Western phrase, is to the point, and ha'
|. been saved from obscurity by being work
= ed into song, the words of which frs
r, appeared in Hyper's lHdgdzine about eight
l. cen years ago. Ii is stock song i'll th'
e circus ring, the tune being familiar tc
-" most everybody. 1t means TO make one:
d own way in life.
V When person wishes to give to worC
e or sentence a meaning directly opposite