The Monticellonian., 1905-01-12
The Age of Slang

" '+rA V NAAS . CtSA At 2, " e1ts-AC-t | of our forefathers seems inadequate to express the latter. day thought. Each month, each week, new words are coined and more col ! loqualisms are added to our al- ready overburdened supply. It seems to be the modern idea to have fashions in speech which we may put on or off as woman does her spring bonnets. and no doubt the time is near at hand when we shall find "barkers" with their wares at every corner, crying "Fresh phrases :"
 There is certainly disagreeable habit prevalent among tbe young people of the country to misuse authorized words, through de sire to appear original. One bright, beautiful girl speaks of things as being terrible pretty" and uses the word "fendish" to express the superlatiye degree of everything.
 Webster defines slang as "low, vulgar, unauthorized language. and tells us the word is said to be of gypsy origin; yet every college has "dictionary of slang" pecul- far to students, and some of them are so atrocious IS to be really pie taresque. One metaphor used by the boys in an eastern school is the application of the term gold brick to every girl who can neith- CT talk, dance nor look pretty. Another is Holy Joe"-their name for the chaplain of their in- sttution.
 The young man of tender years, deeply impressed with the idea of the important place in the world which he fills, has a vocabulary that would put Webster to shame. Home is coop father is guy; mother IS personal publisher his associates the 'bunch.' Sis is dot ty' over her beau, chases tea fights, and when she weeps has busted her tear jug The cook has spiders in her cupola, and fathers stenographer is the type puncher. When the young man moves he either skates, oils his castors. or 'trolleys. When he studies he 'rubs his think-tank for sparks. His face is his mug his head his knot, and an injured eye q bum lamp Things ,not difficult of accomplishment are 'cinch, and affairs which do not interest him cut no ice or chop no hash.'
 A newspaper reporter describes an encounter between q policeman and | flying thief thus
 .'The man turned suddenly,  made lunge and struck the officer full in the ribs. "
 The small boy reads it and re- peats to his companions
 "Hully gee! De tief turned on de cop and hit him fierce poke in de slats,
 A lumberman, talking to his foreman concerning q refractory workman, said "If he does not work tomorrow just give him blow that will jar him to reason and tell him you are acting under my orders. i The next day the lumberman happened to be passing that way again and saw his fore man shaking his fist in the face of d man prostfate upon the ground, saying as he, did SO: "There De boss told me if you didn't work to-day to land you a jolt in de jaw what would jar your relatives in de old country, and I've done It."
 The foreigners who come to this country appropriate the slang phrases in common use very quick ly. A western householder em- ployed only Chinese servants and was much annoyed by the opium smoking among his help. He had one young man whom he felt to be trustworthy, and so set him to watch the remainder of them One day this boy came to him in great excitement: Hip Lee hittee plipe ale samee giain -
 It is remarkable, even among people not accustomed to the free use of slang, how much more an bit grates upon the ear than new phrase.