Bismarck daily tribune., 1908-11-25
SLANG OF The SAILOR.
The Lingo That Is Used by Uncle
Sans Blueiackets.
MANY QUAINT EXPRESSIONS.
The Man OF wars Mar Msy Be a
"snowdisser" or asIoper," but He
Uses the Language Of Every Other

Uses SHS L-aHSua9e OF every SeuS'
Sailor.
There is language that is neither
English nor American, down east nor
| southern, western nor Yankee. 1t is
Just sailors lingo. n m
No matter what part OF the country
may be the birthplace Of a bluejacket
| or what his language at home, sooner
or later he uses the language of every
other sailor.
+ To the civilian conversation be-
tween two blueiackets about his life
| on shipboard is hardly ineligible The
other day on the water front two sail
ors We're overheard talking. says the
| San Francisco Bulletin. ~
"Oh, he's nothing but a beach comb
er. He was run up for breaking it once
and got sent to the pie wagon" said
one of them.
| ''I heard he got six months and bob
before he come here, . replied the other
| A small boy standing near asked
what all those things meant. The sail
ors We're in a good humor and ex
planned. ->
| ".Beach comber,' lad? why, that's a
fellow who hangs around saloon
ashore and never wants to work
Breaking it. is staying overtime on
shore, and run up Is brought to the
mast for offenses. The pie wagon is
the place where they put prisoners and
six months and bob is sentenced to
six months in prison and given dis
honorable discharge" j.
| There are many other terms and ex-
pressions that do not show their mean
ing on the surface. .;5 F- 80 =,
| A srookie'' is a recruit IA man who
"ships over" enlists again. A man who
Is on the report for mast call is 'down
for chance Canned beef is known
1 as canned Willie" and ID bottle of
liquor is .sdog." All things lost on
/ shipboard are put in a room called the
lucky Bag An honorable discharge
Is "a big ticket" and desertion by a
( sailor is Jumped When the mail az
rives on board and is ready for distri3
button ''mailo'' is the cry which carries
the news. A ships carpenter is called
"chips," a coppersmith s.coppers," a
blacksmith "blacky'' and the chief Of
the engineering department ssthe chief"
/ When ship Is travelling at sea it Is
"seagoing," /" and If it hurries It is "mak-
ing knots" A prison on shore is a
"stone frigate." When a man is dis
rated to lower rating he is "busted;"
4 when he deserts and voluntarily gives
himself up within a period Of six
months he Is q straggler; when he is
sitting next the dealer In friendly
game Of draw he is under the
| gun;" when he is continually quoting
the naval regulations he has swallow
ed the blue book" and when he thinks
he knows more about the blue book
than the captain he Is a "sea lawyer"
"Pfpe down" means in American
slang "shut up" Put in his oar'' is
"butt In" Shove of, Jack" is a hint
to move on. When a man is dishon.
orably discharged he gets a straight
kick" A sailor who draws more pay
draws more water One who talks
too much elbows of at a low pressure ?
j. Wednesday afternoon, when the crew
overhaul their clothing, is rope yard
Sunday" Any part Of the United
States is called Goods country and
the man from the eastern coast is a
"snowdigger." while his brother tai
from the west is called "sloper.' The
duty Of calling the men in the morning
falls to the master at arms, and he
says "show a Leg or "rise up and
shine" When q man has had nc
night watch and gets up in the morn
ing with a good appetite 1t is sal
night In and beans for breakfast
One of the more familiar sea term.
is Caught a crab," meaning caught ar
oar In the water. When sailor ha.
several enlistments to his credit he Il
called "a sea dog or san old SALT !. ~
A gentle hint from one sailor to an
other that he does not believe some
thing which is being told to him is "tel
1t to marine To re-enlist is Il
"slip over" and when more than hal
the enlistment is in a sailor is ttsgoini
!. downhill."
Y q " 49,.