Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-05-31
THE ERA OF SLANG.
Expressions Which Send the Creeps
up the Purist's Back.

Philadelphia Call.
The erd of Slang is upon us with a
breath that is almost appalling. Not
only the slang that might be defined
as the burlesque or colloquial form of
expression, the language of low hui
NOR, or the jargon of thieves and
Migrants, but species that is almost
as reprehensible. 1t will not do to
apologize for it by saying that "slang
is probably as old as human speech, F"
and that the early writers INDUCED
in it, especiallythe Greek and Ro-
man dramatists; and while we may
speak and write against the pernicious
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 confined to
the low and illiterate, but has
invaded the public schools, cultered
society, and the literature of our
books. | admit that some of the
slang EXPRESSIONS are forcible and full
of adequateness, among which l
might name "fired out" colossal
cheek, etc. Still even they ought
to be tabooed.
But what excuse can possibly be Of
fered for such words as "gallot, {"
"sardine, " 'chump," "kicker, /"
"kid," ETC., or such expressions as
"Let her go gallagher" "Waltze off
his ear" 81 should snicker," "Now
you're shoutin'," etc. They are
scarcely emphatic and certainly not
polite.
Even the fair sex have caught the
infection, and speak about his "royal
nibs," or the "howling SWELL" The
girl OF. today is ready to "bet her bot
tom dollar, " wants to know "what
you're givin' her " lets you know
that you are "off your base" and in>
sists that you shall "come off,"
"vamOse," "skedaddle," "absquatu-
late" and all that. You do her a
slight favor and she eXclaims, go,
thanks, awfully!" Why she should
thank you with reverend fear" is
beyond your comprehension. Ask
her to sing your sentimental ballad,
and she will probably say, so, really,
Mr.. --, l cawnt. 1t is too utterly
'too-too.'
While playing lawn tennis with
her she suddenly cries out, sob,
you've given me such a twist. You
feel exceedingly alarmed, you are
afraid her collar-bOne is broken, or at
least her wrist has been dislocated.
You discover, however, that it is but
tennis slang, and that your sympathy
has been wasted. She confidently
tells you that Jennie Somebody is "nO
good" and had the "cheek" to pro.
pose to scratch her at the meeting OF
the club because she hadn't "fOrked
over" the "spondulicks" for the last
quarter. All that is to be deprecated
but the girls, heaven bless them, look
so pretty, and use the terms so art
lessly, that 1 haven't the heart to be
severe in my reproof.
1t isn't pleasant to be accoSted by
ones 5-year-old hopeful as "an old
snoozer," or to know that he is lying
in wait TO "knock the stufin' out Of
Il neighbours boy, or to "wipe up the
floor" with him. Or to hear Oul
short-sighted but high-spiriteC
daughter tell the aforesaid brother
that she wishes the other boy would
paste him on the snoot," or "knocl
him clean out of the box" or "intC
the middle of next week." dom
know that l am especially sensitive
and yet must say that such expires
sions send the creeps up my back.
The editor Swings nasty quill :
the hired girl is a "pot wrestler;
when a thing suits us it's '.just tn,
cheese" when too noisy we are tolC
to dry up" or suspend" when Gun
ningly on the alert we say "hot if tn,
court knows ITSELF" if one day is no
available "s'mother one" is; whel
we die we "pass in our checks, ar
"put away on icep and are tinall!
planted So i might go on ad in
hnitunt You can think, am sure