Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-10-11
WHAT DO YOU SAY ?
A Short Dissertation on Slang.
hOwing How and by Whom 1t i
Used.
Cincinnati ENQUIRER,

Every profession, trade and ocoupa.
ton has its slang, but it may be safely
set down as an axiem that the lower
the calling the richer it is in this de-
lectable lingo. Slang is universal.
Every nation and tribe in the known
world has its cant terms, and, although
civilized people deprecate its use aud
affect to dispense its uses, it cannot
be denied that by means Of slang
term expression is often given to an
idea that it would otherwise take a
sentence to explain. 1t would be in
teresting TO have the origin of slang,
bat the narrow confines Of newspa-
per article forbid such research. Suf-
ficient for our purpose that it exists,
and that it is daily used, often uncon.
aciously, by thousands, aye, millions,
of people. 1ioa
We have said before the lower call.
ing the richer it is in slang. This is
fully exemplifed in the case of the
dishonest, for thieves have vocabu.
larry of their own almost as copious as
Webster's Unabridged. They "patter
fash" that is, talk slang almost con-
stsntly. This is caused by two reasons:
First, the desire to keep as secret as
possible even their ordinary thoughts;
and secondly, by their love of being
thought fly or smart. In thieves
parlance an honest man is square
bloke," aud all who are not such are
"cTooks," or "on the cross" A pick
pocket is a "cly fakir," burglar a
"craoksman," a safe gobbler a gopher
blower" while common thieves are
"sneaks," "knucks,p 2 guns and
"geniffs.n A thiei's wife is his ''moll, +"
and in his expressive cant prostitute
is mot" a "fagotp or fairy" ac.
cording to the degree Of favor she fnds
in his eyes. A drinking saloon is a
"boozing ken" or a flushing tub. "
The place where he sells or other
wise disposes OF his illsgotten gains
is "a fence, while tie property
itself is "swag." His companions in
crime are "the mob" or "the gang,
and his especial enemies, the police,
are "coppers" or hobbies" He is
never arrested, ba, is often "collared," !"
and when the proof of his guilt is
conclusive he is ''cOpped dead to
rights" When he drinks he collars
his booze" If sent to jail he is in
quod, 'in stun" or is 'jugged." Serv-
inc out term of imprisonment is
"doing time, and its duration is
measured by "mOonsr for months and
stretches" for years. He has hun
dred terms for money, but dollar is
most commonly "a case, and hun
dred of them is "a century" A silver
watch is "a tiCker.q q gold one "a
super" a pocketbOok is "a leather" !"
and diamonds are sparks Twist
ing SUPER means to wiring gold
watch of its chain, and to tell man
a lie is ito give him Stiff while to
tell the truth is TO give it to him
straight" Flsttery is "taffy," and
abuse is "back cap" A thief never
betrays another; he gives him
away" or splits" His name
lis his "monaker;n he never
walks, but he often pads
the hOof," and when be ends
his earthly career he does not die, but
"crOaks." Next to thieves the disci
Piles of the prize ring most love slang
A fighters head is his nut" Or ms
knowledge box" his eyes are his
"ogles" or his "Rlims;' his nose is his
'couk" or his horn" bis ''out water
and his ''proboseisjh his mouth is his
'potato trap" or his "kisser, and his
ears are his ''lugs;" his arms are his
"6us" or dukes" his fists are his
'mauleys" and "bunches of flves and
his legs are his "pins." When he
takes a good humping without wine.
ing he is said to be game" and to
take his cruel kindly" When hi.
opponent catches him around the neck
with one arm and pounds him with
the other hand, he is said to be 'ir
chancery." .liAl99
The beating he gives or receives i.
punishment" and when from its re-
ception he is so weak that he can HC
longer stand steadily on his feet, he il
said to be "groggy," and his opponent
is advised to 90 in, and by putting OF
| the kibosh," knock him OUT Of
stop him.
The turf, as might well be expected
| is rich in slang Its patrons ar,
mainly divided into "sharpsp anC
fats" The former prey upon thu
letter, and were it not for them the,
could not exist The knowing ones
are often talked Of, but sometime
their knowledge proves detective an,
then they come to grief and dump
their money like common sucker.
A horse taken through the oountF
aud trotted under a false name an
pedigree is ringer These ar