The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-11
THE ERA OF SLANG.
Expressions Which Send the Creeps
Up the Purist'S Back.
El-on, the pb;J0deJobio Call


The era of slang is upon us with breadth
that is almost appalling. Not only the slang
that might be defined as the burlesque or
the colloquial form of expression, the Ian
guage of low humor, or the jargon of
thieves and Migrants, but species that is
almost as reprehensble. 1t will not do to
apologize for it by saying that ''slang is
probably as old as human speech" and that
the early writers INDUCED in it, especially
the Greek and Roman dramatists; and while
we may speak and write rgainst the per-
nicious habit, we suspect that we shall not
grow Disguised enough with it to thoroughly
uproot it until it has reached its climax.
The worst fact about it Is that it is not con
fined to the low and the illiterate, but has
invaded the public schools, cultured society
/ and the literature of our books. | admit
that some of the slang expressions are forci-
BILE and full of adequatenesS, among which
| might name fired out, - colossal cheek, 4"
etc. Still, even they ought to be tabooed.
But what excuse can possibly be offered
'chump.n "kicker," 'Bid," etc. or such ex-
pressions as "Let her go, Gallagher"
''Waltzed off on his ear" 'Ishould snicker,"
"Now you're shoutin,n etc They are
scarcely emphatic and certainly not polite.
Even the fair sex have caught the infec-
ton, and speak about his royal nibs," or
the ''howling swell" The girl of to-day is
ready to "bet her bottom dollar" wants to
Know what you're givin' her." let's you
know that you are ''off your base" and in
sists that you shall come of, ''vamoose,"
''skedaddie." "absquatulate," and all that
You do her a slight favor and she exclaims
80, thanks, awfullyp Why she should
thank you with reverend fear" is beyond
your comprehension. Ask her to sing your
sentimental ballad and she will probably say:
80, really Mr., l cawn't. 1t is too ut
terly too-too.
While playing Iawn-tennis with her she
suddenly cries out, "Oh, you've given me
such twist You feel exceedingly
alarmed; you are afraid her collar-bone is
broken, or that at least her wrist has been
dislocated, You discover, however, that it
is but tennis slang, aud that your sympathy
has been wasted She confidently tells you
that Jennie Somebody is mo good, and
had the check to propose to scratch" her
at the meeting of the club because she
hadn't "forked overn the "spondoolicks"
for the last quarter. All that is to be
deprecated; but the girls, heaven bless
them, look so pretty, and use the terms so
artlesslv, that haven't the heart to be So
we're in my reproof.
1t isn't pleasant to be accosted by ones
5-vear-old hopeful as ian old snoozer, or to
know tnaU ne Is lyluS III "uLO W MUM uilO
stuffin'n out of neighbours boy, or to wipe
no the floor" with him. Or to hear our
short-sighted but high-spirited daughter tell
the aforesaid brother that she wishes the
other bow would paste him on the snoot,"
o., "knock him clean out of the box" or
ointo the middle of next week" L don't
know that am especially sensitive, and yet
| must say that such expressions sendAthe
creeps up my back.
The editor Swings nasty quill ;" the
hired Girl is pot wrestler" when thing
snits us it's ''iust the cheese" when too noisy
we are told to "dry up" or to suspend !;
when cunningly on the alert we say mot II
fine court knows itself;n if one day is not
available smother one" is; when we die
we ''pass in our checks" are put away on
ice. - and are finally planted" 80 might
co. ON nd infnitum. You can think, am
sIre. of at least 100 words and phrases to
which have made no reference. For IN
venting cute words and phrases, our coun-
try leads the procession. They are clever
and appropriate, get into the topical song,
| fine pnblic catch on and they live ana
! thrive. and In many instances the dictionary
finally legtimizes them,
Slang. / insist, is the fungus on the stem
| II m NOT the grated fruH; II Is the scum OF
LANGUAGE Ii often belittles; IL never beau
| ti0es. il we all spoke and wrote M less
exaggerated manner, we would DO lesa OK
ageerated IN our ways Of life ana thought
| Iife ~ well a. speech, would perbap. grow
1 nora simple. more true. more worth afA1ks