Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-04-13
The Use of Slang.
From the EDUCATIONAL Review.

The Use Of Slang.
From the EDUCATIONAL Review.
a short time ago one of our leading
contained short editorial
IN the subject of slang. 1t was there
that such expressions "add
igor, force and grace to the Ian
yuagc;' that some of Shakespeare
expressions, such as ''shuffie off this
mortal coil, ,'were at one time regard
ed with the same contempt by schol-
ars as are ''put a mansard roof on
him, shes oppressive" ''cheeky,"
what do you take me for:' and all
such speeches, at the present time
that these are but proverbs in dis
guise and need only th:ae-godmother
of daring genius to show them tit for
courtly circles" With all due respect
for the opinion of the author of the
article mentioned, we beg leave to
take issue with him. Slang adds
neither vigor nor force to language.
Authors who have written the most
forcihle style never use it. In what
respect is 'put mansard roof on
him. more forcible than to say
"black his eye:" How is "tumble
to your racket" more vigorous than
''sce your point:'' The last express
sion in each case, is really the most
forcible for two reasons. First, it is
briefer; second, it is easier under
stood because you use words in their
customary sense. AS regards slang
expressions adding grace to language,
the claim seems to us simply ridicu-
louS. According to our idea of grace
there is little to be found in 'too
thin, "tackle him about it," 'give
Us Il rest, put nose on him." and
such like. Certainly the author does
not mean that sort of grace which
Mr.. Blair means when he says that
Addison's style is "full of those
graces which a tlowery imagination
diffuses over writing" Nor that
meant by Shakespeare when he said,
He is complete in feature and In mind.
With all good grace TO grace 4 gentleman.
Nor yet that meant 10y Tennyscn in
his famous lines,
The tender grace of a day that is dead,
VIII never come back TO me.
These expressions not only do not
add grace to language, but it would
be impossible not to destroy all beauty
in style by the use of them. Let us
take some examples, first stating them
in ordinary language, and then trans
lating them into slang vernacular.
Tennyson, in Locksley Hall, puts
these words into the mouth of the
lover:
And said, my cousin Amy, speak, aud speak
tie truth to me,
, Trust me, cousin all the current of my being,
sets to thee.
Now, let us put it into modern
slang:
And said. my cousin Amy, spit, spit her
q
! Trust me, cousin. for I'm smitten, Il am badly
| gone on thee
Again, take a few lines of the
speech of Marmion to Lord Douglass.
We will also take the two lines intro
ducing the speech:
Burned Marnion's swarthy cheek like fire.
And shook his very soul for ire,
And-'ThiS to me !" he said
And twere not for thy hoary beard,
Such hand rs Marmon's had not spared
To cleaye the Douglass head!'
Changed into slang vernacular, il
would read as follows:
Then Marmion got up on his ear
And burned with rage, but had no tear;
And-"This to me y he said
And if the years to thee were few,
I'd put mansard roof on you,
I'D plaster Douglass head"
Take another example. In ''Labe'
doyere's Doom,' the old priest, who
has the gift of foretelling future
events, uses the following language
to Labedoye: "You wish to know
how long you have to live. l an
commissioned to tell you that on this
day twelve months, at midnight, tho,
shalt dle." Does anyone suppos'
that the declaration would have fallel
upon the ear of the doomed man witt
more force if it had been spoken thus
"You wish to- know how long yo'
have to live. l am commissioned t.
tell you that on this day twelv
e months, at midnight, thou shalt pas
in thy checks
= Cicero's arraignment of Catiline
r "How long, pray, o Catiline, vii
lthou .buSa orr natiance2 How Ion