The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-10-26
SLANG AND JARGON.
ORIGIN or WORDS THAT BECOME A
PART or OUR LANGUAGE.

tribute to This Northumberland Well
known Examples. =
Slang.-A new word that has no Just
reason for existence; a popular but I'M.
authorized word, phrase or mode OF ex.
preston; the jargon of some particular
calling N class in society.
In other words, anything in the way
of word or expression not in the diction.
airy is slang" When by reason of long
continued popularity and general usage
1t is deemed worthy of a place in the
textbook and authority of the language,
it ceases to be slang"
1t is from the jargon of particular
callings or classes in society that the
English language is slowly but steadily
enriched. The slang phrase first becomes
dignifed with the term idiom, and then
it creeps into the new dictionary.
Not all slang is destined to this
apotheosis. Much of it is ephemeral. A
great deal of it is meaningless, silly OF
weak and dies in its childhood. Actor
folk are given to the invention of new
phrases more or less expressive, but short
lived. "The ghost walks is one Of the
few instances Of the jargon of stageland.
The theatrical term of makeup is
now in general use as descriptive OF
anything striking inpersonal adornment,
referring to the clothing and not to a
disguise or enhancement Of the features
as originally. Song and dance men,
acrobats, serio comics, sketch teams and
the lower order of theatrical folk in.
dulge in slang that renders their con.
v~ersation almost unintelligible. For in.
stance, some knockout artist was struck
by the similarity of the words pardon
and pudding, and to his bright mind
the transition to fStapioca" was not diff,
ficult, but there is no probability that
the expression beg your tapioca'' will
supplant ST beg your pardon" in the
language of the polite world
The song and dance man may be OK.
cused in summer days of bankruptcy in
calling the man with money, willing t.
spend it for r~efreshment, an ''angel. "
and this expression may in time CREEP
into the language, but for the present
| the ancient term of sucker will suf.
fee.
Circus slang was the f~orerunner OF
the jargon of the variety stage. and in
the good days when the ''gaslit city OF
tents" was planted upon every village
green the circus folk had q language al.
most their own.
The roots of their ~vernacular were the
various parts of the tent and equipment
of the show. The boss Of the show was
called the "main guy, " and this expires.
sion has to a certain extent survived the
decline of the circus, and the "mair
guy" is frequently heard of in work
shops. 4
The great cattle ranges of the west
have given the world the term round
up" 1t originally referred to the an.
nual gathering together of the cattle Of
various owners that they might be sepat
rated for shipment. Today in the bust
ness world it indicates an inquiry intc
the affairs of a firm or corporation anG
has really the significance Of stock tax.
ing.
Thieves have a gibberish so extensive
as to almost constitute a language. It ii
only understood among themselves and
by policemen, who are forced to acquire
the knowledge Of it's meaning. Many o1
the terms that have been in use FOL
years are really corruptions Of the He,
brew and had their origin among the
fences or depots for the reception d
stolen goods in London. This jargon.
while continued for years, has never OBJ.
tanned outside Of the police and criminal
classes.
Lost his grip" Is a terse, pathetic,
almost tragic term, conjuring up as II
does the story Of wasted ambition,
blasted hopes, ruin and despair, in all
probability originated among lodge PEG
pie. A man who had ''lost his grip
was temporarily in a dilemma.
From the mining camps of the fan
west came ''struck it RICH" which now
applies to any human success; ''up tht
fiume, |" signifying failure; "hard pan, !
which means a solid paying basis; ''pe,
tered ont, |" which suggests a gradual
decline and final suspension OF resources;
''grubstruck," for assistance given .
| new business enterprise on condition OF
a share In perspective or possible profits.
Bonanza has been a good English word
for 90 years, and the Century dictionary
accepted it along with such words al
BOOM, " meaning to manufacture sup.
port and enthusiasm, and ''squeal, :
meaning to confess and betray compan.
ions.
From the railroad yards came
Switched, " with the meaning oil d.
verted; "s~idetracked," for temporary
failure and suspension, the result of out
side interference; "ditched, y as express
ing ruin and collapse, and wide OPEN
came from the locomotive, which re-
ferred to the throttle and the extreme
of speed. Now IL means in full swing,
reckless and regardless of interference.
"Ont Of sight" 10 an anachronismnas
IL means plainly in sight, and IL Is
growing more and more in favor every
day as q synonym for the superlative In
appearance. accomplishment or perform
ance. TWAS the balloon soaring toward
| the sky that was first declared ont of
sight, and then came the adaptation Of
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