The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1921-12-02
SEEK To PRESERVE
SLANG OF TOMMY
Propose to Record History
and Meaning of New
Words in Lingo
DEPOSIT IN MUSEUM
Dictionary Being Compiled
Dealing Expressions Coined
During World War

LONDON. Dec. An effort s
20 be made TO preserve In the'Britien
museum the wartime slang OF the
British Tommy For the benefit OF
the students OF the great war a die
tionary is in the course OF compila-
ton dealing with the many words
and phases born OF the war.
Tho secretary of the imperial war
museum has Issued request for
notes on the subject giving the slang
terms used in the British army. to-
gcthor with the meaning OF the
words and. II possible, their dcriva-
tlon.
Much of this slang was n legacy OF
the old regular soldier at Mons ana
originated for the most part In the
east The most popular and the
most romantic and sentimental slang
term OF the lot undoubtedly was
"bllEhty." THAT la now almost uni
VERBALLY used. IL is derived from
the llinduRtani and means home.
However, the history of such ex-
prcssions at kip" "posh. b" wan
gle" "eyewash," "swank," Square
~ shlng' or "wind-up" is not yet
written, and the secretary aforesaid
Ia now carefully collating his data.
In his request for data the secretary
very naivelv sugRests that. OF
course, many OF tho army terms arc
not polite and hardly fit for publi-
cation"
As a rule. however. the slang OF
the British Tommy has much
more wholesome derivation than
most OF the French "argot les
, tranches."
one French Language.
Perhaps the most astounding
thing about the army slang of the
{ British Is tho generality OF its uses.
, Those knowing Great Britain know
Ithat the dialect OF no two counties
fia alike. The accent - tho Ian
sashlrenan Is az different MS possl-
hle from that Of his neinhbor, the
Yorltshlreman. while tho troops
from northumberland were COM
plctely ana wonderfully unintelii-
gible TO the rest OF the British army.
Many OF the Welsh regiments, too,
could speak no other language but
their native Welsh. Yet the Ian
guage OF tho trench was tho same
for all
TO all brass hat was a staff
field officer. True. tho Scotsman
put two extra rs into 1t, and the
Northumbrian, as he is wont. Out
turallod" the ''r' and made II appear
| like---well certainly nothing which
could be printed.
| Some of the examples are as fol-
| lows.
Air-flsppers--army signallers.
/ ArChie--an antl.nircrnft gun,
| UProbably corruption OF air-craftt
Bully---bully- beef, timed corned
beef. "a relic OF South Africa.)
Buchshee---anything which In TO
spare or can be borrowed Derived
! from the Arabian beggars' term,
backsheeshD
Blleh,y--home, England. trIln-
dustani)
Bynt--a young woman. tArablc)
Cushy--soft. DERIVED from oushf
ion. A cushy wound is slight
wound. a cushy job is task which
can be performed sitting down.
Dekko---to look. UIinduetanl,l
Eyewash---over- ella boration, gem
orally In some scheme to hoodwink
a general
Emma Gees--the signaling term
for the initials IN, Co., l. e., MA
chine gunner,
Ierry---a German soldier,
Kip---to sloepi a bed.
Lnncejnck--a lance corporal.
Leaf--leave OF absence. (corrup-
ton of leave.)
Monjy--bread. or something 10
eat corruption OF the French.)
Posh--lltra smart.
Padre--an army chaplain.
Quarter blolSe--the quartermaster.
Red cap--an army policeman vino
wears a red cap.
Scupper--to wipe out completely.
Square pushing---to walk out with
sweetheart In u soldiers best uni-
! form.
Sapper---an engineer.
king--four-fluslng.
snob--the regimental bootmAker.
Snips---the reglmental tailor.
Wangle--to achieve an object by
doubtful means. "Wangling leaf"
means to get leave of absence by
giving a false reason.
| Wind up---to be nervous and ap-
| prohensiye. II does not necessarily
mean frightened; manv OF the BRAY
est soldiers confessed 10 having the
wind up" In the officers mesa
It was known generally as the 'ver.