Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-02-29

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POPULAR PHRASES.
The trite old saying, Every dog has bis
day." aptly applies to our subject of popular
phrases. They spring up suddenly, play their
part, achieve a certain degree of popularity,
and then are lost sight Of. No one knows
where they come from, or where they go, or
how they go. Their existence is generally
short, springing up with some particular event
or circumstance, and when it is forgotten the
term which expressed its Specification drops
out ofuse. The success or popularity which
accompanied them is only temporary and Of
short duration.
The most active agents in circulating and
difusing these phrases and words are the wild
boys of the streets, commonly called the
"street Arabs" and the minstrels. Both act
in their respective spheres, but in an entirely
different way. The former circulate them
among themselves, 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 sue.
cessive repetition cause them to stake. "
Stump-speakers also play prominent part in
the diffusion of these phrases. There are nu'
merous other ways by which they are circu'
lated 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 do about it." Al
most every person is familiar with its origin
and the various ways in which it has been
used. It.sprung into existance during an in
terview between "Boss" Tweed and reporter,
at the commencement of the Reform move
ment, and appearing at an suspicious moment,
it was taken up by the press and spread
throughout the country, and is in daily use
everywhere. ....-. ... d.. .,..
The year 1870 was very prolific in these, and
the ones which made their appearance during
that year became very popular, but are now
becoming worn out. Among the most pop,,.
lar were "You know how it 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
w. M. Tweed, and we're used by him, at least
five years previous, although h they were not
appreciated until lately. The phrase, Glow
does the old thing work ?" is contraction OF
"How does the whole thing work2" which
was favorite and frequent question or ex'
preston with the "Boss" when addressing bis
"workers concerning the political condition Of
the districts which they controlled.
At the commencement of the late war the
phrase "can't see it" and "can't see the point
were all the rage. When the news of the at
tack of Fort Sumter was received in the city
scarcely any one would believe the news con
tanned in the extras, and would say "they
couldn't see it," meaning that they could moi
believe it. It was followed by II can't stand
the press" which did not however become as
popular as its predecessors. ''.'
About four years ago it was the custom
among gamins to address person who was
passing by shouting out, "say," and as the
person addressed would turn around to SEE
who was calling him, they would add, "car
you see ?" in the tune of the "Star-Spangled
Banner" of which these words we're the first
line. Many amusing incidents occurred in
this way, but its popularity ran the usua
course and then died out, being scarcely evel
heard now.
"Hunky Dory" has always proved favor
ite expression, and seems to be an American
ism. It's derivation is rather obscure and very
little known. The following, think, is the
true one: Hunk was the term used by boys q
century ago in their play for goal, and il
still in use to this day, particularly in the
game "tag." To be chunk" or "all hunk,
was, therefore, to have reached the goal without
being interrupted by the opposite side. The
word finally became corrupted to h'snky
which means in popular phraseology, "all
right" The "dory" attached was subsequent
! ly added, and is probably a modification Of
the French word doree, meaning gold.
"sound on the goose" is phrase Of similar
import, which is very popular in the South
meaning to be orthodox on the slave question
Another is "up to snuff" an old English
phrase, which means knowing, sharp, wide
awake. There is also o. T., an abbreviation
for all correct, improperly spelled OIL Korrekt,
whose origin is somewhat similar to that Of U.
S. A Government official, who was very il
literate, was accustomed to sign the documents
which came under his notice with his name,
and to show that they were all right, added
the words "Oll Korrekt," which were in time
abbreviated to O. K.
Policemen have received numerous nick.
names, and street boy is scarcely ever heard
to mention one by the above title, but calls
him "cop" or "peeler" and shouts to his
comrades when he sees one coming to "cheese
it," "stew it," or "lay low" Cop means to
catch, and also to BEWARE and by the addi
tion of er is formed into personality as cop.
per, an old London term for policeman
When Sir Robert Peel introduced the new po
lice into England they were called "peelers,
which has emigrated to this country and be-
come engrafted on our stock. "Cheese it" is
a corruption of "cease it." to leave off or to
hold ones noise. .'' ..a Ice.
A "dead beat" is a person who is complete
ly worn out or done for, and his effects are
said to be "up the spout" or ''in hook" or al
his "uncle's," where they have been placed in
order to "raise the wind" or whistle up the
breeze" "Up the spout" originated in q
pawnbroker's shop, where the spout is the ele'
vator by which goods are removed from the
ground floor to the lofts. The "beat" is often
heard to sigh for "old times rocks" when be
was "some pumpkins" or "big thing on it, >
and was able to "step up to the captains Of
flee and settle" like "any other man" and was
called "a bully boy with a glass eye" by the
"bhoys." He ran with the "machine," too
and was always ready to 60 the whole hog OF
none" when Everything was lovely and the
goose hangs high" But he went ITO fight
NIT Sigel," and having "seen the elephant
he returned without any STAMPS" for he lost
all his "spondulicks" in fighting the tiger
which finally "settled his hash"
Almost all thepopular English phrases find
their way to this country, and are received
with open mouths by that class of people in
cluded under the head of vulgar. The re-