Daily camera., 1898-06-01
SLANG is SHORT LIVED.
Catch Phrases Come and Go Like
the Fashions.
Utter Lack OF Dignity Renders Them
UNIT for Permanent Place
In the English Lam
guage.


The italian method of prefxing an S
to a word to give it damaging sig
nifcance can be employed with good
effect in christening that wayward and
degenerate 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
human want, feeling or emotion OF the
heart that cannot be translated into
the vernacuIar of the bootblack. In
studying the philosophy of slang the
first natural query is: How and why
did it originate? To the first question
one might give, with certain modifica-
tions, 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 occasions when there is too
much steam in the boiler. When man
is overfiowing with admiration, anger
or wonder the ordinary adiectives do
not Tor he thinks they do not) meet
the emergency. They do not relieve his
pent-up fullness any more than a sip
from dewdrop would quench mans
thirst. The natural man and the nat
ural woman some times find relief under
strong emotion in explosive utterances.
In the case of anger the escape valve
expletive is an oath unless the man III
question happens to be a gentleman and
sometimes, though very rarely, when
he is,
1t will thus be seen that slang, be-
ing 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 whisky distillation of Ian
guage. 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 al.
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
fashion has its counterpart in the world
of speech. We tire very speedily of a
startling 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. It's sole function is to tickle
by its patness or its grotesqueness. 1t
reflects fugitive iridescence upon cur
rent wit and humor, as the bubble
catches prismatic colors, but, like the
bubble, it vanishes even while you be
hold it, Naturally, there are slang
phrases for all degrees of goodness ard
badness, ranging from the word which
is only a slight remove from forcib'e
but perfectly deeoreus 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 BALI is gen.
tie and seemly, in comparison with the
brusque command, get move on"
Along certain liues the slanguist seems
to reyel in extrayagapf synonyms and
antonyms, especially in those express
ing some infirmity in the upper Etory.
The man who has "wheeis" is also pop
'uiarly known as "nutty," "cracked" or
"off his trolley" Again, if he comes
from the country, he is "corn-raised,"
has "seed in his hair" pr his Aface
doesn't fit him." nGall," "nerve,"
sscheek," "sand," "brass" and face are
also synonyms for qualities whose uni
versatility has made them target for
popular satire. Equally prolific is the
slanguist in coining terms for money.
Dust" ..tin," "sand," "rocks" "chnll"
and "spondulicks" are only few of the
words that translate filthy iucre."
Two of the slang phrases now in gall
ingly frequent use are "That's right"
and "That won't cut much ice." The
latter, it must be confessed, has GER
tain cool fgurative qualities which
give it saving color of grace. But
most of these phrases rely chiefly upon
their condensed EXPIRE ssiyeness, which
is the trademark of their American