Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-12-09
MORTALITY OF SLANG
WORDS AND PHRASES THAT RUN
WILD AND ARE SHORT LIVED.

WORDS AND PHRASES THAT RUN
WILD AND ARE SHORT LIVED.
to Swearing and the Incorporate Use
of Intoxicants-The Harm That Results
From the Nonsensical Custom.
The Italian method Of prefixing an
to word to give it a damaging signif-
canoe can be employed with good effect
in christening that hayward and de-
generate offspring of English known as
slang. In its present state slanguage
has attained to such luxurious COM
pleteness that it warrants serious treat
ment So copious and comprehensive
has it become that there is hardly a hui
man want, feeling or emotion Of the
heart that cannot be translated into the
vernacular of the bootblack. In study
ing the philosophy of slang the first
natural query is, How and why did it
originate? To the first question one
might give, with certain notifications,
the same answer that would be given to
the question, Why do people swear?
The human animal, like locomotive,
seems to require escape valves for occa-
sions when there is too much steam in
the boiler When man is overfowing
with admiration, anger or wonder, the
ordinary adjectives do not Tor he thinks
they do not) meet the emergency They
do not relieve his pent up fullness any
more than sip from dewdrop would
quench man, thirst. The natural man
and the natural woman sometimes find
relief under strong emotion in explosive
utteraices In the case Of anger the es-
cape valve expletive is an oath unless
the man in question happens to be a
gentleman and sometimes, though very
rarely, when he is.
It will thus be seen that slang, being
Of emotional ancestry. is first cousin
to the oath, and both are used by those
who mentally resemble the man whose
use Of Intoxicating drinks has made him
forget or underestimate the attractions
Of pure water. Slang, in sooth, is a
whisky distillation Of language. It is
so strong that it may be taken only very
rarely with impunity, and herein lies
the chief danger in its use. Not only
does the slanguist find ordinary English
tame, but he ends in not being able to
find any English at all.
Another fatal characteristic Of slang
is the very one which at first secures its
adoption namely, its pungency. The
same law that makes quiet colors and
shades wear well in the world Of fabrics
has its counterpart in the world Of
speech. We tire very speedily Of start
ling costume, in high colors, and just
as speedily do we tire of slang, which
is startling, high colored speech.
Still another reason why slang can
never gain a permanent foothold in the
language is its utter lack Of dignity.
No subject can be seriously treated in
slanguage Its sole function is to tickle
by it's patness or its grotesqueness. It
reflects fugitive iridescence upon cur
rent wit and humor, as like the bub-
BILE catches prismastic colors, but, like
the bubble, it vanishes even while you
behold it. Naturally there are slang
phrases of all degrees of goodness and
badness, ranging from the word which
is only a slight remove from a forcible
but perfectly decorous adjective to
slang of the most daring, deep dyed or
der. At one end of the scale, for in
stance, one might place fetching" and
at the other end its superlative ssrum."
Again, the injunction "play ball'' is
gentle and seemly, in comparison with
the brusque command ''get move on. 5"
Along certain lines the slanguist seems
to revel in extravagant synonyms and
antonyms, especially in those express
ing some infrlnity in the upper story.
The man who has wheels is also
popularity known as ''nutty, cracked"
or ''off his trolley" Again, if he comes
from the country, he is "corn raised"
has 'seed in his hair" or his face
doesn't fit him." "Gall," nerve"
"cheek, . sand, brass and face
are also nearly synonymous terms for
qualities whose universally has made
them target for popular satire. Equally
prolific is the slanguist in coming
terms for money. "Dust, "tin,"
sand, " rocks, . ''chink'' and "spon-
dulicks'' are only few of the words
that translate Filthy lucer. !"
Two Of the slang phrases now in
gallingly frequent use are, THAT'S
right" and 'sThat won't cut much
ice. The latter, it must be confessed,
has certain cool figurative qualities
which give it saving color of grace.
But most of these phrases rely chiefly
upon their condensed expressiveness,
which is the trademark of their Amer
lean manufacture. They are but one Of
the many devices of the masses to COM
pass crosscut and avoid circumlocu-
tions Thus SNAP and "cinch" are
time economy for a moneyed sinecure
and an assured competence.
One of the surest tests of the rapid
mortality of slang is the extremely pain
full sensation produced by hearing anti
quated slang phrases used-and there
IRE always people who are two or
three or ten years behind in their use
of such phrases. When other people are
saying "Not on your tintype, /" the
user of widowed slang feebly ejac-
ulates 81 should SMILE" The piquancy
end patness of certain phrases make it
hard to declare that slang has no legiti-
mate use. But concerning its misuse,
there can hardly be two opinions among
people whose opinions are worth any
thing A careful study Of the qualities
of men and women who habitually in
terlard their remarks with slang will
furnish anybody with world of con-
vincing conclusions in favor of pure
English. Critic.
Writes Letters to HimselE
John Beckwith, the warehouseman.
received letter the other day address
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