Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-02-27
SLANG WITH PEDIGREE.
same OF the Expressions Coined by Mas
ter Minds of Literature.

The present age has tendency to-
ward sacrificing elegance for aptness
in It's daily conversation, aud this
gives rise to many popular expressions
not in accordance with the rules or
books of the wise men, which are
known as slang The word slang is of
obscure origin. probably coming to us
from the gypsies.
A "slang-w hanger" is a noisy, turbu-
lent fellow whose language is not of
the best, and slang itself is generally
considered disreputable But there
are qualities, classes, distinctions, aud
differences in slang. There is the low,
vulgar slang, whose origin is obscurity
and whose use is among the vicious
and degraded. Above this is the die
tionary slang of known pedigree and
traced descent, often classical
High toned" is an expressive term
which precise people generally walk
around. 1t means "nobly elevated"
especially in character, and was coined
by Sir Walter Scott. Similar to it are
upper ten" and upper crust mean
ing the higher class of society, which
are said in the dictionary to be Amer
icanisms, colloquial and low, the form
er being contracted from upper ten
thousand and the latter carrying with
it the suggestive superiority of the
fancy top crust of pie.
The brick" is merry citizen, rare
ly one Of the upper ten" and usually
a grade or two below the upper
crust in social standing, but he bears
40 Il tg.r rt,f,b
CHEEKY way through the world, often
ENJOYING more than his stitf-starched
superiors He is a jolly good fellow
aud never lacks friends. w. NJ.
Thackeray first used the word in the
sentence, He's a dear little brick"
"A brick in his hat' is an expression
applied to an intoxicated person, prob
ably from the fact that in that condi-
ton his head feels as heavy and USE
less as a brick would be if worn in the
hat
The dickensm does not come from
the name of the genial novelist but is
a contraction of devilkins, diminutive
Of devil, and, therefore, only polite,
Suuday-scnool sort of saying 'the
devil Webster calls it vulgar in
terjegtiou, TO play the deviin means
to interfere with in ruinous way or
to initiate the evil one and this ex-
preston is given in a solemn serious
ness by The staid old dictionary with
out ANY signs of disapprobalion, from
whicait may be concluded it is good
Englsh, although it would not add to
the r0cgauce of drawing room CONVEX
satI0n.
John Russell Bartlett, in his Diotion-
airy Of Americanisms, is authority for
the statement that ION his own hook"
means by himself or on his own
responsibility, and John Milton, state
" and ponderous. is accused of having
originated the phrase, by hook or
crook, which means in any way or by
any method, and it is in this way that
americans are accused of obtaining
the almighty dollar" this last being
an expression fathered by Washington
irving, which is so apt that it has had
large use.
The modern use of the word rats"
as an interjection can hardly be ex-
planned. Sometimes it expresses in
cfedulOusness and is uttered disdain-
IulI} Just after the climax of an eXag-
gerated statement. Sometimes it is
Used to express disgust and if rightfut-
]! pronounced is effective. Its use as
noun has a place in the dictionary of
sang as one who deserts his party or
associates among printers one who
works at less than established rates
Lord Stanhope, also known as Lord
MaA0n, an English statesman and his
0ran who died : 1872 gives this in
|Iesting histor concerning it: 1T
e1"ncei that not long after the acces-
s.oA OF the house of Hanover some OF
.le Drown, that is the German or Non
VIA! rats, were first brought over to
yang country Gin some timber, it is said)
gu being much stronger than the
-eA or till then the common rat,
el in many places quite eXtirpated
"a latter The word (both the noun
.'4 ,.e verb to rat) was first, as we
'e seem leveled at the converts to
government Of George l.. bnt has
e-Iees obtained a wider meaning
y come TO be applied to any sudden
"eTcenary change in politics.
.ie book Of Jos the Oldest liter
~. eA'ant aud according to John j.
~ tue highest production of the
4a intellect appears the SEN
y am escaped with tile skin Of
.s.'A winch is modernized "by
1a.A Of my teeth and gives the
narrow escape. one SO close
De just by the thickness Of the
al the teeth. which is so thin
lo ntscroscopist mas yet been
hnd it. To cast 10 the
means to throw defiant re-
or insults spiiefuIly, as one
et't stone at the exposed teeth
ing dog. Tooth aud nail"
n 5le manner Of 40 action full of