Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-19
woRkmfn,s SLANG.
How the Inferior Hands In Different
workshops are Nicknamed.

Strikes bring out the technical slang
of the trades, and particularly the oppro-
brious epithets with which the different
classes OF workmen distinguish the un-
skilled operatives who labor at the same
trades. In most cases 1t will be found
that these slang TERMS originate in some
technicality OF the trade. Thus, the
telegraphers call a poor operator a
plug" after the little metal implement
which divides the switches on the key
board, inasmuch as the plug, or key, is
comparatively unimportant part OF the
machinery. Printers designate an un-
skilled type.setter a shoemaker" or
sblacksmith. The derivation OF the
former appelation is from the fact that
a compositor who makes errors is Obliged
TO correct them after the type is set up
by taking out the misplaced letters and
"pegging" the proper ones into their
places. Tailors also use the word
shoemaker" to distinguish poor hand,
as an unskilled workmen takes his
stitches too far apart, and Is therefore
better adapted to sew leather, where he
cGn punch the holes with an awl before
putting the needle through. The appel
lation BLACKSMITH" is applied TO a
printer whose fingers are clumsy, and a
ieweler also terms an unskilled worker
At his trade "blacksmith" for the same
reason. A term of opprobrium which
was used by old New York printers TO
designate an unskillcd compositor wns
the word "boarder, from the fact that
poor hand was generally drinking
man and spent his time in loahng or
''boarding" in liquor snloons. All strik-
ing trades workers in common use the
word "scab" to distinguish workmen
who take the places of strikers. The
derivation IL obviously from the fact
that the scab is a morbid growth, and
lives only at the expense OF the well
being of the rest OF the body. Shake
speare nses the word scab as term OF
opprol um, and Webster defines scab
as IA mean, dirty, paltry fellow, which
may have suggested the original appli-
cation OF tho word to its present use.
The printers and telegraphers, two of the
most intelligent classes of workmen, are
the only tradesmen who have invented
names to particularize the scabs OF their
respective professions. Thus, compos'
itors call scab ''rst, in contemptuous
allusion to the rodents who infest print.
ing offices. Telegraphers h ve only ro.
Gently invented term for scab operators.
They call them COMMUNISTS" though
the application is not of technical deriva-
tion, but is probably nm attempt to man
ufacture word from the Latin contumoe,
the root of contumacious, to describe a
stubborn and obstinate person.
The various names actors give TO the
unskilled members OF their profession
are familiar to most of the reading
world A poor actor is variously termed
a ''stick," "fakir," statue" or "dum.
N.Y." A "stick" or Statue" is, naturally
emo Ugh. applet to an actor who is
awkward or stiff on the stage. The term
dummy" is d,rived from the fact that
VIII atre yelling company has not enough
members in the troupe to fill up large
stage, men and women are employed to
stand in the back with choruses or super
nnmeraries and take one other part.
They are callei dummies. " "Fakir"
is q generic term, and comprises those
actors who lack talent and depend upon
their resources For instance, come.
dian who makes faces is called a ''mug-
ger," and tragedian who bellows is n
"ranter, and both are "fakirs." The
professors of the manly art are also apt
in this style of nomenclature. They
call cowardly fighter "duffer," and n
weak or unskilled boxer n sand bag"
or "stufl, the latter term being derived
from the contrivance upon which the
pugilist does his praeice.