Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-07
WHERE SLANG COMES FROM.
How 1t Fits Out Good English and
Adds Spice to 1t.
From the Boston Traveller.

from the Boston Traveller.
American slang has a strong local flavor. "a.
do You catch on?" from a habit Americans
have OF running after railroad trains. and ..Be
gets there" also from the railroad. Thew also
talk OF the ''star boarder" and the '.star love
match" evidently from the flag: you'll get
left" is railroad smile, and real estate
''boom" and Harrison is .'booming" comes
from the noise of a blizzard or CT a cannon
ball looming through the air. "He won
hands down" is the fact that a prizefiebter
drops his hands when beaten. painting the
town red Is from "Coriolanus" 1t is also
found In England in old Milton days. Puck
had some lines last spring as follows:
I'm I'm gray hawk IA, that's crested, am;
And when i swoop down
I'm daisy, q ioiiar. 1 am, / am.
There is slang in every word almost. "Bossn
is from the old Dutch bass-a master
A drunken man is said to be ''loaded for
bear; a very heavy charge, and if a man has
numerous intent ne Is jumping on your neck
tie" As IN the old sample of American
humor, Of the man Who was so tall he had TO
60 up ladder to shave himself-all American
humor Is full of exaggeration. English slang
is brutal, as lit is all rot" &C. Like other dia,
iects, slang increases Its store Of words by for
nation at home and adoption from abroad.
Looking at it philologically, we must admit
that English, already most copious language.
is in freely growing state and capable of add
ing to itself by almost any process found in any
language OF the whole world, old or new. The
abbrevlation or contraction of words Ia
most effective agent in the development of
words) Is seen at its best in slang ..Cab" and
bus" and mob" from mobile. the tickle
crowd, mob, were originally slang forma-
tons.
Slang is delicious in the mouth of a yerv re-
fined person, and they tell a good story of
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, who was asked by a
lady to say something beautiful about her
piazza. Wei" said the ready wit. Il think
1t Is bully piaz"-which had the full element
phrases might be mentioned which have real
meaning. Thus, the devil to pay, and no
pitch hot, comes from a certain seam in a
vessel which the sailors call the devil" and
winch ans tney have to fill in. From its awkward
compass comes from the Spanish box-ear. to
turn round. "A cock and bull story" a term
now applied to any rambling tale. illustrates
the contempt felt by the learned for the an
mankind in the lower grades of civ;i;eat;on
through the middle ages. Many words of this
class, had not their origin been noted down
would have remained in the language as unde,
cipherable mysteries. But we cannot find the
etymology of everything.
Slang is to speech what the onion ia IN cook.
cry, 1t gives 1t tone and intensity and favor
As some punster said: Let it not Be ..trop pro.
noncee;. II compares to good English as does
the muttering of the two drunken sailors in the
Tempest" Stefano and Trinculo, TO the bean.
tiful periods Of Prospero and Miranda, and even
| Of Caliban, who was the pupil of the learned
Prospero and who spoke most poetic English.
| When MI. Kemble turned from one to the
other think every one rejoiced for a moment
| in the broad wit OF the drunken sailors. who
declared that Caliban had "a very ancient and
dsh-iike smell" We all enjoy the rich humor.
the red blood. the strong flavor of some slam,
word, which, like Stefano and Trinculo, comes
Keeling into the choice company of classic
English, but like them is proudly funny in It.
/ cups.