The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1907-12-13
How They "Cut 1t OCT"


81 tell you what, Joe, we must cut out
this slang"
"Well, l suppose we should do it on
general principles; but why this sudden
outburst of hysterics?"
The boys were juniors in college, room
mates, and leading men in school.
at was Mysteries last night at the
social" said Clayton; that is, internal
Mysteries l had to entertain Mrs. Pro-
fessor Metcalf at lunch-you know how
proper she is-nice. too, though-and
I'll be hanged if l could speak ten words
without ringing in the slang. l was
downright ashamed ofmyself. Couldn't
think of the right words. you know, and
of course the slang came bobbing to the
surface. I've been thinking since, and l
believe 1t limits our vocabulary"
We'll, 1 don't know about that. Fact
is, when the slang comes to the end of
your tongue so easily, fellow doesn't
try very hard to find anything else.
Besides, the times coming when slang
simply won't do, even If it does hit the
spot. You can't preach in slang, and l
can't argue my cases with more than a
moderate sprinkling of the convenient
commodity"
The conversation thus begun, though
half in fun, ended in a compact. agreed
upon with solemnitv BETTING the &C.
casion, that for every slang expression
which either uttered there should be given
three suitable and satisfactory words or
phrases. Thus the habit was to be at
tackled on the grounds of language alone,
the boys choosing for the time being to
ignore the social and moral elements
which they knew were involved.
Five minutes after the matter was thus
settled, a prolonged and outrageous
caterwauling from below the window
came to their ears. Joe looked up dis
gustedly.
Hear the brute" he said. Il threw
five rocks at that cat last night, and here
she is again this evening. She's no gentle
mani"
Slang" cried Clayton, to the con-
tinued strains of feline melody without.
"Now you must give me three suitable
and satisfactory synonyms. l think
they really ought to be written out"
ooh, spare me! To synonym a cat is
| bad enough-don't let US give it i'm
mortality by committing it to writing.
Well, here goes. She's not was I'M
expectedly dificult-"She's very exas-
perating-they don't have to be exact
SYNONYMS. She shows a lamentable
| lack of the first rudiments of proper con-
duct-two. She"
"Oh, cut it out, Joe. This thing is
serious. You can't build up whole
Grafton on one poor cat"
Every well; I'll try again. The cat is
not polite-three. But now it's your
turn. Suppose you give me three suit
able and satisfactory expressions for
cut it OUT the elegant phrase that just
fell from your lips moment ago"
"Did say cut it out?' Well, that's
easy. Especially as the cat has skipped
i mean has gone. Eliminate it-stop
it-cease Brevity is the soul of wit"
Half an hour of uninterrupted study,
the cat having sho wn herself not so lack
ing in all sense of propriety as to con-
tinue her performance without an encore.
Suddenly Clayton pushed back his chair.
81 am all up in the air. This Horace"
"Up in the air" shouted Joe. Now
for the three"
I'm badly rat-I mean I'm all at sea.
81 think that's slang, too insisted
Joe.
mo it isn't" protested Clayton. Its
good and illuminating figure of speech
We mustn't carry this matter too far
but, seriously, I'd like to know how far
to carry it-just what is slang and what
is figure of speech"
"Well, how would this do for test