The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-07-15
NEARLY UNIVERSAL.
The Use of Slang Now Imdulged in by
AlmOat EYerYhn6Y.

Almost Everybody.
Nowadays almost everybody uses slang,
in private if not in public, though this
mischievous element of speech, when in
dulged in at all, is sure to betray itself at
unexpected moments. Some slang ex.
pressions are SO appropriate to u, sub.
ject in hand that it seems impossible to
avoid their use: even those who are
sticklers for precise speech do not wholly
ignore them. Others, again, are sense.
less forms of words which express moth
ing to the unaccustomed ear. How, for
instance, can man be in the soup, OF
snatch another bald-headed? Clearly,
there is slang and slang, as there are
grades of wrong-doing, and even here
discrimination is necessary. Modern
slang, says Argonaut, has sprung from
various sources. Much of it was origin
ally the argot or patter of thieves. 1t
was highway robber who first "dowsel
the glim, who called his accomplice a
@pal," and his victim a "rum cove. "
Other slang had professional origin. 1t
was sailor who called taking a drink
splicing the main brace. and Missis-
sippi River captain who gave the MEM
orable order, "Let her 60, Gallagher.
A London beer-drinker was the author of
the injunction "draw it mild" in oppo.
sition to David Copperfeld, who di-
rected the barmaid to "draw il
with a head" The phrase "got
left," originally applied to the man
who arrived too late for the steamboat.
Surprise, admiration, sarcasm, ridicule,
have begotten much slang. A man tells
tiresome story, and his hearers i'm.
patience is expressed in the weary en-
treaty, "Give us rest" and one worm
out auditor declares that "he makes ME
tired" OF such figures of speech, to ex-
press admiration of the sex, there is
legion. A girl may be "way up" or a
"corker," or "iolly GIRL" or "out OF
sight;" these metaphors explain them
selves, with the possible exception of
"corker," which is rather difficult to in
terpret. Whom or what does the corker
cork?
A slang sarcasm to apply to q man is
to say that he is "struck ON himself,
which, after all, is only q modern vari-
ant of the Narcissus story. Some popu-
lar slang phrases have political origin.
and as might be expected, are not partic-
ularly clear. But the most copious foun.
tain of slang is alcohol. A man is
sight" or "corned," or "rattled," or
"jaggy matter what words are used
the hearer will always understand them.
Unhappily. this habit of talking slang ia
undoubtedly growing on our young
women. Quite often these expressions
are used unconsciously. A girl hears
her brothers talk slang, and follows their
example without reflection. She tells
her mother she is mot In it, just as be-
hind his back she calls her father "the
old man." if she is pleased to meet her
dearest chum she says she is lawfully T"
glad, and il she is surprised to meet her
she remarks that she is "just paralyzed.
Much of the slang of the day comes from
the low drinking shop, the gutter, and
the Jail, 1t is not fit for the use Of
young ladies under any circumstances I,
by being content with the ordinary Ian.
guage of conversation they run NO risk
of being considered indelicate or "fast.
English unadorned is still adequate for
the expression Of even those complicated
thoughts that pass through lovely
maiden's brain.