The courier-index. (Marianna, Ark.) 1917-current, 1917-11-02
RECRUITS PRIMER OF
TRENCH lDIOM
Literary Digest)

trenches the veterans of the British
Recruiting Mission have prepared a
glossary of trench slang. The list
contains a large mixture of languages
a little Hindustani being now and
then employed to convey the mean
ing of the Tommies. OF course
every one knows that Hun is applied
to the Germans, but it is interesting
to learn that it is never meant to
designate the troops as a unit, but
signifies only the nation.
Men from the front declare that
knowledge of this trench jargoH
IS quite essential to the comfort of
the raw recruit, since without it the
language would be unintelligible. A
glance at the list would seem to
confirm this The Philadelphia In
quirer in presenting it says:
The following glossary of trench
slang was revised by Col. st. George
Steel, in charge of the mission. 1t
is "up-to-the-minute" and while in
common use at the front, is rarely
heard anywhere else.
According to Col Steele much of
the current trench slang is derived
from Hindustani as a result of the
first British army under Kitchener
being composed largely OF veterans
who had served in India Examples
~ words with Indian origin are
0chav (tea). ''rooti" dread, and
"bNghty" fforeigner). The list fol-
lows:
misunderstanding.
Archi-Anti-aircraft artillery.
Brass Hat-A staff officer. Pre-
sumably a reference to the gold lace
which is a part of the staff uniform.
Bug House-A dug out. Also flea
pots.
Charlie Chaplin's Army Corps
The Canadian casualties. Center. A
clearing house for Canadian wounded !
Coal Box-A heavy artillery shell
which, when exploding, sends up a |
cloud of thick, black smoke.
Char-Tea (HindustanD- par
ticularly to designate the meal SO /
dear to the English heart, afternoon
tea,
+ Creeping Jimmy-A high velocity
shell which gives no warning of its
approach.
Crumper--A SO she'll
-Hole--Any shell hole
Dixie-Strictly speaking, this is
not slang. The cooking pots issued
by the Army Ordnance Corps are
officially designated as "Dixies." for
what reason no one seems to know.
Dud-Anything that's no good, that
fails to accomplish its end. Thus a |
"dud" shell is a shell which does |
not explode.
Emma Gee-Machine gun or ma
chine gunner (signalers' alphabet)
Flea Bag-Officers' sleeping bag.
Flying Pig-An aerial torpedo.
Fritz-One of the many names |
applied by British troops to the
Germans who oppose them.
Flipper-Hand.
Gunfire-Morning tea.
Heinie-A pet name for the Ger |
man soldier. Possibly suggested by
the name of the we'll known poet.
Hun~-A name mot pet applied to
the Germans as a nation. Never
used to designate the troops OPP
posed to the British as a unit
Jerry-A steel Shrapnel helmet
Jack Johnson-A big shell which |
bursts with cloud of black smoke. |
Jake Universal army term to
express satisfaction. If girl is
pretty she is jake. If a stew tastes |
good it is jake. If anything is right |
it is jake. Probably an Adjudication |
of chic
nj and D-Medicine and duty. Uni |
versal medical treatment for small |
ailments in the trenches. In other |
words, dose of physic and go back |
to work.
Mulligan-A stew usually made of |
the regular ration ssue aud what |
ever& extras may corr 10 hand. |
Sometimes cooked in a shl apnel |
helmet
Mulligan Battery-Cook wagon.
Ninnehaha-A Minnewerfer, or |
German trench-mortar.
Napoo-Anglicized version of ''il |
ny a pas" Used in the opposite |
sense to Jake and with an equally |
universal application.
o Pip-An observation post (sig- |
Aalers' alphabet).
One-Stai Wonder-A second lieu
tenant or half loot; also "one-star
artist" and "one-lunger"
Pip Emma-Evening- isignalers' |
alphabet for p. M
Pineapple-Aerial torpedoes used |
~ the Germans. So called from |
4eir shape, which distinctly r,ssm- |
les that of a pineapple.
Rooti-Bread (Hindustani).
Riveter-Machine gun.
Rum-Jar-A trench made explosive |
consisting roughly of 200 pounds of
powder in rough casting, fired |
from a trench mortar.
Sammies-This name has been |
widely adopted by the British troops |
a. a name for their American COM
sades in arms. Ii may be an Angli- |
sized version of the French Nos |
amis," but is probably derived from
tare appellation uncle Sam"
Skilly-Stew
Suicide Club-Bombing squad or
advanced machine gun squad.
S. o. L.<-Delete Applied to any
thing that can't be done, or is called
off. Signalers' alphabet.
Sanfairyann-Anglic of the
French Celia ne fait rien." meaning
same as Napoo.