Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-10-29
A slangy word and Its Consequences.

Slang is commodity which never
decreases. 1t changes it, form but
never its spirit 1t has its fashions, its
fayorite words and phrases, which live
their day Of popularity, drop from
everybody's mouth, and then full into
disusc only to be replaced by some
thing else. 1t is curious study to
watch the progress of these words Of
disrespectable origin and atmosphere
into better society. They have per
sistcncc and vitality that is next to inn
mortal; and they succeed, after time,
in edging their way into the uppermost
circles of cultivation. They are the
parvenues Of philologv baseborn crca-
tons which refuse to stay in the locali-
ty where they are native to. One of
the coarscst and most popular fugitives
from slangdom is the word mash" Il
am mashed on that girl" she is mash
ed on me-" "a new mash;" IL mashed
man, and so on are some of the ele-
CANT contributions to the conversational
vocabulary the word is responsible for.
That it has done its share toward max
ing conversation coarse is not its only
sin. Words have individuality, and in
some occult way they manage to raise
or lower the standard of refinement in
the minds of those who grow familiar
with them. Since "mash" has come in
to popular usage the word has suggested
its fultillment, and "mashes" of the
vulgarist description are as common us
the term itself. We are not sure but
!, IL 81,
general use Of the word, and he is n
creature to be stunned wherever ne is
In his admiration for women he is ON
niyerous, and responds to the slightest
invitation thrown out by any woman
who is not positively repulsive in form
or feature. There is no compliment in
"mashing" man who ''mashcs' ut the
faintest lntimation ola challenge. His
pursuit is not the homage which Il man
whose good opinion is wyrth having
pays to intellect, kindness of heart, or
even beauty.
Men who are capable Of the higher
form of love are not mashed" in the
ordinary way. The attentions of n
"mashablc" man are no compliment to
II womans sclf-loye. This, however,
many good but foolish women fail to
see. Like any other vicious thing
"mashing" is Intoxicating The word
and the decd are alike demomlizing
Washing has worked itself into no
ticc and use slowly II required a GER
tain condition Of society for it to flour
ISL III, and its presence among us
proves lat we are favored with that
requirement. 1t is said to have orig
mated in the classic and cultured walls
of Nassar. When one fair woman was
pleased with another, she was mash
ed on her. Then it was taken up by
coarscr tongues and put to baser use
For awhile it lived almost entirely in
an atmosphere of its kind; but being of
il pushing turn Of mind it was am
bilious to get out Of the depths, and il
has succeeded. Minstrels and variety
actors have donated it to the public. 1t
fell upon the ears ofthc gallery gods in
Il captivating way, and then its fortune
was made for on whatsoever the god
Of the cock-loft sets the seal ofhis APP
prevail finds its way clear to glory. The
galleries sway the world. Then the
newspapers took ii up, and it hlazed
in headlines and bristlcd over para
graphs until it was rs familiar rs day
light 1t fell from the reporters pen
oil like rain from an April cloud. The
better class of writer's found il creep
ing into their literary work in spite of
all their efforts to keep it out; and SO
they inclosed it IN quotation marks,
those oycrworkcd apologists for every
sin against pure English and let it go.
1t is now upon us with all its democrat
ling power This is "mashing' and
washable" era, and until it is sup
planted Ivy something less coarse and
ruinous philologically and socially We
must expect low degree of refine
ment. Chicago Express