Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-25
CURRENT SlANGUAGE
How Our Vemacular Grows by Aoore-
ton.
The Person Who Uses Slang Finds
Good Language Tame and Feeble
He is Like an Old Topper.

The Italian method of prefixing an to
a word to give 1t a damaging significance
can be employed with good effect in chris
tening that Maynard and degenerate Off
spring of English known as slang. In its
present state, slanguage has attained to
such a luxurious completeness that it war
rants serious treatment. So copious and
comprehensive has it become that there
Is hardly human want, feeling, or emo
ton Of the heart that cannot be translated
into this vernacular Of the bootblack. In
studying the philosophy of slang the first
natural query Is, How and why cid it orig
mate? To the first question one might
give, with certain notifications, the same
answer that would be given to the ques-
tion,. Why do people swear? The human
animal, like locomotive, seems to re-
qulre eseape-valves for occasions when
there is too much steam in the boiler.
When a man is overlooking with admira-
ton, anger or wonder. the ordinary adj
Jectives do not Tor he thinks they do noD
meet the emergency. They do not relieve
his pent-up fullness any more than sip
from a dewdrop would quench a mans
thirst. The natural man aud the natural
woman sometimes find relief under strong
case of anger, the escape-valve expietive
is an oath, unless the man in question
happens to be gentleman, and sometimes,
though very rarely, when he is
1t will thus be seen that slang, being of
emotional ancestry, is first cousin to the
oath, and both are used by those who men,
tally resemble the man whose use of in
toxicating drinks has made him forget or
underestimate the attractions of pure wa
ter. Slang, in sooth, is whisky distilla-
ton of language. 1t is so strong that it
may be taken only very rarely with i'm
punity. And herein lies the chief danger
in it's use. Not only does the slauguist
md ordinary English tame but he ends in
rot being able to find any English at all.
Another fatal characteristic of slang is
the very one which at first secures it's
adoption-namely, its pungency. The same
law that makes quiet colors and shades
wear well in the world of fabrics mas it's
count erpart In the world of Speech. We
tlfe very speedily of a startling costume,
In high colors, and just as speedily do we
TIRE OIL slang, Which is startling, nigh-ccI-
Ored speech.
gain permanent toothold in the language
is its utter lack of dignity No subject can
De seriously treated in slanguage Its sole
junction is to tickle by it's patness or it's
grotesquesness. 1t reflects a fugitive iri-
descence upon current wit and humor, as
the bubble catches prismatic colors; but
IKE the bubble. 1t vanishes even while YOU
pehold 1t. Naturally there are slang
phrases Oh all degrees of goodness and bad
ness: ranging from the word which is only
sLght remove from forcible but per
lectly decorous adjective, to slang of the
most daring, deep-dyed order. At one end
o o. t . scale, Tor instance one might place
fetching, and at the other end its super-
ssuperlauve rum. Again, the INJUNCTION
play ball' is gentle and seemly. in com
parlSon with the brusque command get a
move on. Along certain lines the slang
gelst seems to revel in extravagant syno-
nyms ana antonyms, especially in those ex-
pressing some infrmity in the upper story
The man who has wheels" is also popular
his trolley" Again, if he comes from tho
country, he is 'corn-raised," has seed in
his hair" or his face doesn't fit him"
Gail, nerve" Check" sand" .'brass''
ana face are also nearly synonymous
terms Tor qualities whose universally has
MADE them target for popular satire
Equally prolific is the slang-geist in coin
ing terms for money. Dust" "tin,"
SAND, rocks, "chink" and "spondulicks'
are only a few of the words that translate
filthy lucre.' Two Of the slang phrases
now In sallingly frequent use are that's
right and that won't cut much ice"
Inc latter, 1t must be confessed, has cer-
tain cool fgurative qualities which give 1t
saving color of grace. But most of these
phrases rely chiefly upon their condensed
eXpressiveness, which is the trademark
Oh th@Ir American manufacture. They are
out one OF the many devices of the masses
to compass a cross-cut and avoid circ1m-
locutions. Thus, snap and "cnch'' are
time economy for moneyed sinecure aud
an assured competence.
One of the surest tests of the rand NOR
tally of slang Is the extremely painful
sensation produced by hearing antiquated
slang phrases used-and there are always
people VINO are two, or three, or ten years
behind In their use of such phrases When
other people are saying mot on your tin
type" the user of widowed slang feebly.
calculates Il should SMILE" The piquancy
and patness of certain phrases make It
hard to declare that slang has no legit,-
mate use. But concerning its misuse, there
can hardly be two opinions among people
whose opinions are worth anything A
careful study of the qualities Of men and
women who habitually interlard their re-
marks with slang will furnish anybody
with world of convincing conclusions in
favor of pure English.