New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-15
TALKING SHOP
Bv Anna Bird Stewart

our English cousins have been enjoying :
~ little squib that recently appeared II
" Punch According 70 the story q retired
Major though laid up with goat, was proving
his devotion 70 the hunt by resoIuteIy shoot
ing from q motor car
Watch that bird; he's hit hard. the Mn
rod called out
a. Yes, SIR responded his genial chauffeur.
d" Es sJeerln bit wild. sIr. Got Il II :
dItferentIal gear sIr. ] think
That IS an amusing example q unconscious
talking shop All Of Us are guilty OF Il
more OF less 60 INTO = company OF musicians.
of artists. q newspaper men, OF plumbers, o
baseball PLAYERS. and You are sure 70 hear
terms Of whose meaning YOU must guess. used
Is the common counters - conversation.
After time such talk becomes ClTeSCIle- II IS
only when the terms are used 70 describe some
thing entirely different IS n the case q the
ardent chauffeur. that We get real enjoyment
out Of shop
i veteran theatrical manager was once DIS
c1lss1ng the decline IL church attendance /
don't think much OF the church business these
DAYS" he SAID II all seriousness. : once
lived next door 10 : church which was sand 10
he the most popular II town. They gave
three performances . week except III Lent
when they had two dav. And, do you know
don ! think they ever had more than fifteen
dollars IN the house
There i Z somewhat similar tale about
politician who enjoyed fame as a campaign
orator. On one occasion ne was InVelgIed INTO
4f-orlgUarvTrlg ms ancient maiden aunt TO
PRAYER meeting. The minister called upon
INN 10 lead IN PRAYER. Rising promptly, the
stump speaker put one hand between the but
tons OF ms coat. the other behind nm ana be
ga9 " Oh Lord and esteemed fellow citizens.
Another instance furnished perhaps as anus
me BIT Of theatrical criticism as ever e1naIlated
from the wlttlest OF critics. IwO women VINO
kept Z boarding house were advised to see
Jerome h TeroTne's symbolic play, he Pass
ing OF the Third Floor Back II winch the
English actor, Forbes-R Robertson, has been ap-
71e4ring II this country. After doing so. they
did not eniov II one bit II was utterly silly and
;-rDossible. Why. nobody could run board
no house ike that and make any money
This unconscious shop talk has been used with
telling effect IN literature and drama, where II
: an 41nending source OF humoT. In The
Poor Gentleman, play by the younger
George Colrrlan IL IS made the cher foundation
OF the comedy. The part Of Dr.. Ollapod, Tor
wears one Of the test CLASSIC roles Tor come
dams Is an apothecarv, a cornet N the GUARDS
and q sportsman With what delicious huInoT
he confounds the Languages that serve ms differ
eut callings I'm as ready tOr Toe as d Gus
toner" he declares gerlaIlyi always "lIllIle
% charge them both.
Much Of present day slang IS due 70 the
talking OF " shop as the most curSOry survey
q T,or5,,Iar EXPRESSIONS VIII show. After all,
much As we decrv slang, who knows bat that
many such phrases may become not merely
recognized part u the language but also real
4ie,,T,s OF speech After all what Is the poet
exalted metaphor but variation u TINS sort
Of shop" = reference 70 one thlng u the
terms Of another