The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1872-02-15
Popular Phrases.

HOW SOME OF THEM oRIGINATED-WHAT
THEY MEAN AND HOW THEY ARE USED
DIsREpUTABLE BUT EXPRESSIVE FORMS
OF SPEECH.
The trite old saying ''evcry dog has his
day." aptly applies to our subject of popular
phrases. They spring up suddenly, play
their part, achieve a certain degree of popu-
larity, and then are lost sight of: No one
knows where they como from, or where they
go, or how they 60. Their existance is gen.
orally short, springing up with some partic-
ular circumstance or event, and when it is
forgotten the term which expressed its signi-
Ffcance is dropped out Of use: The success
or popularity which accompanied them is
only temporary and Of short duration.
The most active agents in circulating and
difusing these. phrases are tho wild boys
about the streets. commonly called the ''strcet
arabs" and the ministries. Both act in their
respective spheres, but in an entirely differ
ent way. The former circulate them among
themselves and they gradually extend to the
upper classes. while the latter, by means of a
song or joke, address them to hundreds of
persons at the same time, and by their sue
cessivc repetitions cause them to stake. -
Stump-spcakcrs also play prominent part in
the diffusion Of these phrases. There are
numerous other ways by which they are cir
culated and rendered popular, but those just
mentioned are the most prominent.
The most popular phrase at the present
time is what are you going to doabout it."
Almost every person is familiar with its ori-
gin and the various ways in which it has
been used. 1t sprang into existence during
the interview between BOSS" Tweed and a
reporter at the commencement of the reform
movement, and appearing at an auspicious
moment, it was taken up by the press and
spread throughout the country, and is in
daily use everywhere.
The year of 1870 was very prolific in these,
and the ones which made their appearance
during that year became very popular but
arc now becoming worn out. Among the
most popular were. "You know how it is
Yourself" GLOW does the old thing work.?
Put a head on him. and "how is that for
high~ The first two are supposed to have
originated with w. Tweed, and were used
by him for the last FIVE years previous, al
though they were not appreciated until re-
Gently. The phrase, GLOW does the old
thing work?' is Il contraction Of Chow docs
the whole thing work :" which was favor
tic and frequent expression Of the Boss
when addressing his workers concerning
the political condition of the districts which
they controlled.
At the commencement Of the late war the
phrase cant see it," and ''can't see the
point" were II the rage. When the news
Of the attack Of Fort Sumter was received in
the city, scarcely any one would believe the
news contained in tlte extras, and would say
they couldn't see it, meaning that they could
not believe it, This was followed by 81 can't
see the press" which did not, however be-
come as popular us its predecessors.
About four years ago it was the custom
among ganins to address person who
was passing by, shouting out, Say" and as
the person addressed would turn around to
sec who was calling him, they would add,
"can you sce?" in the tune of the "Star
Spanglcd Banner" of which these words are
the first line Many amusing incidents oc-
CURED in this way, but its popularity ran
the usual course, and then died out, being
scarcely ever heard now.
"EImky Dory," has always proved IA
vorite expression and seems to be an Amcri-
cansm. Its derivation is rather obscure
and very little known. The following, l
think is the true one: Hunk was the term
used by boys in their play accntury ago for
goal and is still in use to this day, particu
larly in the game tag" To be hunk, or all
hunk was therefore to have reached the goal
without being interrupted by the opposite
side. The word became finally corrupted to
hunkey," which in popular phraseology
means "all right" The "dory" attached
was subsequently added, and is probably
modification of the French word dorcc mean-
ing gold.
Sound on the goose" is a phrase of SINH
lar import, and was very popular in the south
meaning. to be sound on the question Of sla-
very Another is ';up to snuff" an old En-
glish phrase meaning sharp, widc-awake.-
1hcrC IS also w. N, all aDFc|latioH VI aii COT
rect improperly spelled oil korrcct: whose
origin is somewhat similar to that of U. S.
A Government official who was very litter
ate, was accustomed to sign the public docu-
ments which came under his notice, with his
name, and to show that they were all right,
added the words coll korrect," which in time
were Abbreviated to o. X.
Policemen receive numerous nicknamcs,
and street boy is scarcely ever heard to
mention one by the abo7e title, but calls him
a "cop" or ''pccler," and shouts to his
companion when he sees ono coming to "cheosc
it," 'stew it, or lay low" Cop means to
catch, and also to be ware, and by the addi-
tion of cr is formed into personality, as
copper, an old London term for a policeman.
When Sir Robert Peel introduced the new
police inio England they were all called peel
ers;' which was emigratcd to this country and
engrafted upon our stock. "Checse" is