The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-02
MORTALITY OF SLANG
WORDS AND PHRASES THAT RUN
WILD AND ARE SHORT LIVED.
The Use OF Slang as q Habit Compared
to Swearing and the Incorporate Use
of Intoxicants-The Harm That Results
From the NonsensicaI Custom.

The Italian method of prefixing an
to word to give it damaging signifi
canoe can be employed with good effec
in christening that hayward and de
generate offspring of English known al
slang. In its present state slanguag,
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 hu.
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 il
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 OVERLOOKING
with admiration, anger or wonder, the
ordinary adjectiyes do not Cor he thinks
they do mott meet the emergency. They
do not relieve his pent up fullness any
AhOAO ehaL SIP llblll WOulu
quench a mans thirst The natural man
and the natural woman sometimes find
relief under strong emotion in explosive
utterances In the case of anger the es-
cape valve expletive is an oath unless
the man in question happens to be
gentleman and sometimes, though very
rarely, when he is.
1t will thas 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. 1t 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 a 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 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 its patness or its grotesqueness. 1t /
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 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 rum"
Again, the injunction play ball" is
gentle and seemly, III comparison with
the brusque command "get a move on"
Along certain lines the slanguist seems
to revel III extravagant synonyms and
antonyms, especially III those express
ing some infirnity 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 a target for popular satire Equally
prolific is the slanguist in coming
.erms for money. Dust" tin"
sand, " "rocks, ching and "spon.
iulicks' are only few of the words
hat translate filthy lucer.'
Two of the slang phrases now in
frequent use are, That's 1
light, and THAT won't cut much {
ce." The latter, it must be confessed.
las certain cool figurative qualities
which give it a saving color of grace.
SUIT most OF these phrases rely chiefly |,
Ipon their condensed expressiveness,
which is the trademark of their Amer I
can manufacture. They are but one of S
he many devices of the masses to com. c
Ass crosscut and avoid circumlocu. a
ions. Thus "snap" and "cinch" are
lme economy for a moneyed sinecure
nd an assured competence. i;
One of the surest tests of the rapid !;
Mortality Of slang is the extremely pain
al sensation produced by hearing anti t
uated slang phrases used-and there Il
re always people who are two or 4
hree or ten years behind in their use
such phrases. When other people are .
lying mot on your tintype," the =
ser Of widowed slang feebly ejac-
lates II should smile. " The piquancy
nd patness of certain phrases make it
ard to declare that slang has no legiti. n
late use. But concerning its misuse,
here can hardly be two opinions among :.
eople whose opinions are worth any \
iing A careful study of the qualities s.
men and women who habitually in N
rlard their remarks with elapo mill | Z,