The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-10-17
WHAT DO YOU SAY q?
A Short Dissertation on Slang
Phrases.
The Use and Abuse Of it.
Showing How and by Whom it is
Most Frequently In
ou.ged in

Every profession, trade and occupation
has its slang, but il may he safely SIT down
AS an axiom that tne lower the calling The
richer il is, in detachable lingo Every
nation and tongue IL The known world has
its cant terms, and, though CIVILIZED peo-
pie deprecate It's use, and Affect 10 dispense
It's uses, itNcannot De denied tina. by
means Of slang term expression Is oiien
given 10 an idea that IL would otherwise
take q sentence 10 explain. Ii would oe
interesting TO have the origin OF slang,
but the narrow confines OF a newspaper ar
ticle forbid such research. Snfficient Tor
the purpose that it exists, and that 1t is
daily used, often unconsciousiy, by thou
sands, aye, millions Of people Ii has been
said before, the lower the calling, the rich
er the slang. This is fully exemplihed In
the case of the dishonest, for thieves have
a vocabulary of their OVID, almost as copi-
Gus as Webster's Unabridged. They pat
ter fash" that is, talk slang almost con-
stantly. This is caused by two reasons
First, the desire to keep as secret as posi-
bic even their ordinary thoughts; and,
secondly, by their love Of being thought
aay." or smart. In thieves parlance, an
honest man is square bloke," and all
who are not such, are crooks" or ION the
cross" A pickpockei is a fly fakir;"
burglar. a"ci acksman," a safe-rObber go
pher- bIoAer :" while common thieves are
:.sueaks." "LSuucks," guns" and "gOnifls."
A thiefs wife is his IN 1ll and In his ex-
.pressive cant a prostitute Is "a mot" "a
iagot." or "a fairy" according 10 the de-
gree of favor she finds In MS eyes.
drinking saloon is "a boozing-de or "A
lushing lnb." The place where he sells or
otherwise disposes Vf his ilisgotten gains Is
"a ience," while the property Is "swag.
His companions in crime are the mot"
or .the gang" and his especial enemies,
the police, are "coppers" or "bobbies. lie
i. never arrested, but is often "collare,i,
and when the proof of his guilt Is Con-
elusive, he is 'copped dead 10 rights:
When he drinks he collars his booze" Ii
sent to Jail he is Sin quod, IN stur, or Is
! ':iugged." Serving out term OF imprison-
ment is doing time" and It's duration is
measured BY ";noons" for months, and
stretches" for years. He has hundred
terms for money, but dollar is most COM
monty "a case" and hundred OF them "a
century" A silver watch Is "a ticker,
gold one "a SUPER" a. pocketbook Is "a
| leather" and diamonds are sparks
Twisting a super" means TO wiring gold
watch of its chain, and 10 tell man fle
| i. TO s'giye him a stiff" while 10 tell him
the truth is ito give it to him straight"
Flattery is "taffy," and abuse Is 'back-cap."
A thief never betrays another /; he gives
him away" or splits" His name is his
"monaker;" he meyer walks" but
he often "pads the hoof," and
when he ends his earthly career he does
not die. but "croaks." Next to thieves,
the disciples of the prize ring most love
slang. A fighters head is his nut" or
his "knowledge box" his eyes are his
.'ogles" or his "glims; his nose is s
s.conk'" or his "horn." his ''cut-water" and
his .'probosis;' his mouth is his "pOtato-
trap or his kisser," and his ears are his
.lues.n his arms are his .'ins" or his
dukes" his fists are his "mauleys" and
his punches of 6ves," and his legs are his
spins" When he takes "a good humping
without wincing he is said TO be game, u
and to st: Ike his cruel kindly" When his
exponent catches him around the neck with
one arm anu pounds him with his other
hand, he is said to be sin chancery." The
beating he gives or receives is punish
ment :" and when from its reception he is
SO weak that he can no longer stand steadi-
Iy on his feet he is said to be 'groggy," and
his opponent is advised to 60 in and. by
putting on the "kibosh," "knock him OUT
or stop him."
Gamblers speak knowingly OF "brace
games and of "cappers" whose business II
is to "rope in" suckers" TO play against
their games. When a man is in hard luck
he is said to be playing "bo,h ends against
the middle" or "both ways TO the pudding
and when he dies he "passes in his chips
Newsboys and boot-blacks are fond Of
slang, and are "game to the latest" Th'
other day pair Of them were discussing
the merits OF an acquaintance while stand
} ing near the postofice. Said one: "Gut
: Higgins was beat out of er quarter match
ing pennies with Skinny Nick. Skinny hat
a cent with two heads onto ii, and Gut
: was the rankest sucker yer ever saw. III
: wouldn't drop on hisself if house was {
, fall onto him." Cuts must be tough
' citizen, indeed.