The Van Buren press., 1896-06-06
Use of Slang.

In this day and time, it is thought to
be the correct form to indulge in
the use of slang words and phrases to
give force to one expression of
opinion. This practice is eminently
American, for it can be truly said that
no educated foreigner INDUCES in so
Ireprehensible custom, his language
being void of such and not capable Of
such distortion. 1t is lamentable
fact, too, that the use of slang is not
wholly confined to the lower and
llliterate class of society in our country
but is largely prevalent among people
whose opportunities for acquiring an
intelligent use of our language have
been the very best. And among the
educated people of this land of schools
slang is no more frequently heard than
IN the pulpit. The average preacher of
the cay thinks it the proper caper''
to enforce the teachings of the Gospel
by telling his hearers to ''git thar
before 1t is 'everlastingly too late to
escape the cyclone of Divine wrath.
He seems to think that the use of such
expressions give him ''cinch' on the
redemption of sinners from the
prospective doom of the goddess unless
they repent. Such distorted form of
speech is an insult to the intelligence of
the average church goer and a dead
give away to the preacher making
use OF it, for it stamps him either as a
man void of the finer sensibilities that
should characterize the true follower of
the meek and lowly Nazarene, or that
he is a man that seems to think the
members of his congregation are
satisfied with any sort of intellectual
fodder that may be dOled out to them
from the pulpit. Be it understood, now
and here, that the PRESS does not make
this charge as applicable to this or any
other particular locality, but it is
custom only limited by the boundaries
OF this great country, and is heard out
of the pulpit as we'll as in it, One can
hear slang in the office, the store, the
counting room, the shop, the factory,
the street corner, and, we blush to say
it, even within the charmed circle of
the home. Parents use slang in the
hearing of children and the boys and
girls feel that they have license to do
likewise. And why not7 They have
as much right to be in the swim as
father and mother. AS the twig is
bent so is the tree Inclined is a trite
but true saying, and father can ''bet
his sweet life that Willie, or Harry,
or Mollie, or Jennie will have a very
meager conception of correct lingual
expression if they hear nothing but
slang used around the family freside.
Are our society bellies free from the
pernicious habit? mot much, Mary
Ann, and 'tdon't you forget to
remember it. 1t is not very edifying
to hear lovely American girl, educated
and talented, reared in and accustomed
to all the ways and usages of cultured
society, soil her language by slang.
She ought to know better, and 80 out of
every hundred do know that it is
vulgar practice. What could be more
lamentable than to hear lovely and
apparently refined maiden respond to
an observation of friend: well, |
should smile to smoker, - or to request
some one to fcome off the perch and
"cheese it. - This is no overdrawn
word picture, but it is founded on facts,
as many will aver if they will
1t is time something was done to
check the epidemic of slang. What is
the remedy for its SUPPRESSION To the
PRESS, it seems that the work of
reform, with big R, should begin in
the home. Parents should take the
initiative and the leaven will, in good
time, spread through all classes and
conditions and walks of society. Let
us, as people, pull down our vest
and take fresh start in the use of
refined language.