Reading Help How to speak and write correctly Ch.VII-XV
In all cases the object of slang is to express an idea in a more vigorous, `
` piquant and terse manner than standard usage ordinarily admits. A school `
` girl, when she wants to praise a baby, exclaims: "Oh, isn't he awfully `
` cute!" To say that he is very nice would be too weak a way to express her `
` admiration. When a handsome girl appears on the street an enthusiastic `
` masculine admirer, to express his appreciation of her beauty, tells you: `
` "She is a peach, a bird, a cuckoo," any of which accentuates his `
` estimation of the young lady and is much more emphatic than saying: "She `
` is a beautiful girl," "a handsome maiden," or "lovely young woman." `
` `
` When a politician defeats his rival he will tell you "it was a cinch," he `
` had a "walk-over," to impress you how easy it was to gain the victory. `
` `
` Some slang expressions are of the nature of metaphors and are highly `
` figurative. Such are "to pass in your checks," "to hold up," "to pull the `
` wool over your eyes," "to talk through your hat," "to fire out," "to go `
` back on," "to make yourself solid with," "to have a jag on," "to be `
` loaded," "to freeze on to," "to bark up the wrong tree," "don't monkey `
` with the buzz-saw," and "in the soup." Most slang had a bad origin. The `
` greater part originated in the cant of thieves' Latin, but it broke away `
` from this cant of malefactors in time and gradually evolved itself from `
` its unsavory past until it developed into a current form of expressive `
` speech. Some slang, however, can trace its origin back to very `
` respectable sources. `
` `
` "Stolen fruits are sweet" may be traced to the Bible in sentiment. `
` Proverbs, ix:17 has it: "Stolen waters are sweet." "What are you giving `
` me," supposed to be a thorough Americanism, is based upon Genesis, `
` xxxviii:16. The common slang, "a bad man," in referring to Western `
` desperadoes, in almost the identical sense now used, is found in `
` Spenser's _Faerie Queen_, Massinger's play _"A New Way to Pay Old `
` Debts,_" and in Shakespeare's _"King Henry VIII_." The expression "to `
` blow on," meaning to inform, is in Shakespeare's _"As You Like it_." `
` "It's all Greek to me" is traceable to the play of _"Julius Caesar_." `
` "All cry and no wool" is in Butler's _"Hudibras_." "Pious frauds," `
` meaning hypocrites, is from the same source. "Too thin," referring to an `
` excuse, is from Smollett's "_Peregrine Pickle_." Shakespeare also used `
` it. `
` `
` America has had a large share in contributing to modern slang. "The `
` heathen Chinee," and "Ways that are dark, and tricks that are vain," are `
` from Bret Harte's _Truthful James_. "Not for Joe," arose during the Civil `
` War when one soldier refused to give a drink to another. "Not if I know `
` myself" had its origin in Chicago. "What's the matter with----? He's all `
` right," had its beginning in Chicago also and first was "What's the `
` matter with Hannah." referring to a lazy domestic servant. "There's `
` millions in it," and "By a large majority" come from Mark Twain's _Gilded `
` Age_. "Pull down your vest," "jim-jams," "got 'em bad," "that's what's `
` the matter," "go hire a hall," "take in your sign," "dry up," "hump `
` yourself," "it's the man around the corner," "putting up a job," "put a `
` head on him," "no back talk," "bottom dollar," "went off on his ear," `
` "chalk it down," "staving him off," "making it warm," "dropping him `
` gently," "dead gone," "busted," "counter jumper," "put up or shut up," `
` "bang up," "smart Aleck," "too much jaw," "chin-music," "top heavy," `
` "barefooted on the top of the head," "a little too fresh," "champion `
` liar," "chief cook and bottle washer," "bag and baggage," "as fine as `
` silk," "name your poison," "died with his boots on," "old hoss," "hunkey `
` dorey," "hold your horses," "galoot" and many others in use at present `
` are all Americanisms in slang. `
` `
` California especially has been most fecund in this class of figurative `
` language. To this State we owe "go off and die," "don't you forget it," `
` "rough deal," "square deal," "flush times," "pool your issues," "go bury `
` yourself," "go drown yourself," "give your tongue a vacation," "a bad `
` egg," "go climb a tree," "plug hats," "Dolly Vardens," "well fixed," `
` "down to bed rock," "hard pan," "pay dirt," "petered out," "it won't `
` wash," "slug of whiskey," "it pans out well," and "I should smile." `
` "Small potatoes, and few in the hill," "soft snap," "all fired," "gol `
` durn it," "an up-hill job," "slick," "short cut," "guess not," "correct `
` thing" are Bostonisms. The terms "innocent," "acknowledge the corn," `
` "bark up the wrong tree," "great snakes," "I reckon," "playing 'possum," `
` "dead shot," had their origin in the Southern States. "Doggone it," "that `
` beats the Dutch," "you bet," "you bet your boots," sprang from New York. `
` "Step down and out" originated in the Beecher trial, just as `
` "brain-storm" originated in the Thaw trial. `
` `
` Among the slang phrases that have come directly to us from England may be `
` mentioned "throw up the sponge," "draw it mild," "give us a rest," "dead `
` beat," "on the shelf," "up the spout," "stunning," "gift of the gab," `
` etc. `
` `
` The newspapers are responsible for a large part of the slang. Reporters, `
` staff writers, and even editors, put words and phrases into the mouths of `
` individuals which they never utter. New York is supposed to be the `
` headquarters of slang, particularly that portion of it known as the `
` Bowery. All transgressions and corruptions of language are supposed to `
` originate in that unclassic section, while the truth is that the laws of `
` polite English are as much violated on Fifth Avenue. Of course, the `
` foreign element mincing their "pidgin" English have given the Bowery an `
` unenviable reputation, but there are just as good speakers of the `
` vernacular on the Bowery as elsewhere in the greater city. Yet every `
` inexperienced newspaper reporter thinks that it is incumbent on him to `
` hold the Bowery up to ridicule and laughter, so he sits down, and out of `
` his circumscribed brain, mutilates the English tongue (he can rarely coin `
` a word), and blames the mutilation on the Bowery. `
` `
` 'Tis the same with newspapers and authors, too, detracting the Irish `
` race. Men and women who have never seen the green hills of Ireland, paint `
` Irish characters as boors and blunderers and make them say ludicrous `
` things and use such language as is never heard within the four walls of `
` Ireland. 'Tis very well known that Ireland is the most learned country on `
` the face of the earth--is, and has been. The schoolmaster has been abroad `
` there for hundreds, almost thousands, of years, and nowhere else in the `
` world to-day is the king's English spoken so purely as in the cities and `
` towns of the little Western Isle. `
` `
` Current events, happenings of everyday life, often give rise to slang `
` words, and these, after a time, come into such general use that they take `
` their places in everyday speech like ordinary words and, as has been `
` said, their users forget that they once were slang. For instance, the `
` days of the Land League in Ireland originated the word _boycott_, which `
` was the name of a very unpopular landlord, Captain Boycott. The people `
` refused to work for him, and his crops rotted on the ground. From this `
` time any one who came into disfavor and whom his neighbors refused to `
` assist in any way was said to be boycotted. Therefore to boycott means to `
` punish by abandoning or depriving a person of the assistance of others. `
` At first it was a notoriously slang word, but now it is standard in the `
` English dictionaries. `
` `
` Politics add to our slang words and phrases. From this source we get `
` "dark horse," "the gray mare is the better horse," "barrel of money," `
` "buncombe," "gerrymander," "scalawag," "henchman," "logrolling," "pulling `
` the wires," "taking the stump," "machine," "slate," etc. `
` `
` The money market furnishes us with "corner," "bull," "bear," "lamb," `
` "slump," and several others. `
` `
` The custom of the times and the requirements of current expression require `
` the best of us to use slang words and phrases on occasions. Often we do `
` not know they are slang, just as a child often uses profane words without `
` consciousness of their being so. We should avoid the use of slang as much `
` as possible, even when it serves to convey our ideas in a forceful `
` manner. And when it has not gained a firm foothold in current speech it `
` should be used not at all. Remember that most all slang is of vulgar `
` origin and bears upon its face the bend sinister of vulgarity. Of the `
` slang that is of good birth, pass it by if you can, for it is like a `
` broken-down gentleman, of little good to any one. Imitate the great `
` masters as much as you will in classical literature, but when it comes to `
` their slang, draw the line. Dean Swift, the great Irish satirist, coined `
` the word "phiz" for face. Don't imitate him. If you are speaking or `
` writing of the beauty of a lady's face don't call it her "phiz." The `
` Dean, as an intellectual giant, had a license to do so--you haven't. `
` Shakespeare used the word "flush" to indicate plenty of money. Well, just `
` remember there was only one Shakespeare, and he was the only one that had `
` a right to use that word in that sense. You'll never be a Shakespeare, `
` there will never be such another--Nature exhausted herself in producing `
` him. Bulwer used the word "stretch" for hang, as to stretch his neck. `
` Don't follow his example in such use of the word. Above all, avoid the `
` low, coarse, vulgar slang, which is made to pass for wit among the `
` riff-raff of the street. If you are speaking or writing of a person `
` having died last night don't say or write: "He hopped the twig," or "he `
` kicked the bucket." If you are compelled to listen to a person discoursing `
` on a subject of which he knows little or nothing, don't say "He is `
` talking through his hat." If you are telling of having shaken hands with `
` Mr. Roosevelt don't say "He tipped me his flipper." If you are speaking `
` of a wealthy man don't say "He has plenty of spondulix," or "the long `
` green." All such slang is low, coarse and vulgar and is to be frowned `
` upon on any and every occasion. `
` `
` If you use slang use the refined kind and use it like a gentleman, that `
` it will not hurt or give offense to any one. Cardinal Newman defined a `
` gentleman as he who never inflicts pain. Be a gentleman in your slang-- `
` never inflict pain. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER XII `
` `
` WRITING FOR NEWSPAPERS `
` `
` Qualification--Appropriate Subjects--Directions `
` `
` `
` The newspaper nowadays goes into every home in the land; what was `
` formerly regarded as a luxury is now looked upon as a necessity. No `
` matter how poor the individual, he is not too poor to afford a penny to `
` learn, not alone what is taking place around him in his own immediate `
` vicinity, but also what is happening in every quarter of the globe. The `
` laborer on the street can be as well posted on the news of the day as the `
` banker in his office. Through the newspaper he can feel the pulse of the `
` country and find whether its vitality is increasing or diminishing; he `
` can read the signs of the times and scan the political horizon for what `
` concerns his own interests. The doings of foreign countries are spread `
` before him and he can see at a glance the occurrences in the remotest `
` corners of earth. If a fire occurred in London last night he can read `
` about it at his breakfast table in New York this morning, and probably `
` get a better account than the Londoners themselves. If a duel takes place `
` in Paris he can read all about it even before the contestants have left `
` the field. `
` `
` There are upwards of 3,000 daily newspapers in the United States, more `
` than 2,000 of which are published in towns containing less than 100,000 `
` inhabitants. In fact, many places of less than 10,000 population can `
` boast the publishing of a daily newspaper. There are more than 15,000 `
` weeklies published. Some of the so-called country papers wield quite an `
` influence in their localities, and even outside, and are money-making `
` agencies for their owners and those connected with them, both by way of `
` circulation and advertisements. `
` `
` It is surprising the number of people in this country who make a living `
`
` piquant and terse manner than standard usage ordinarily admits. A school `
` girl, when she wants to praise a baby, exclaims: "Oh, isn't he awfully `
` cute!" To say that he is very nice would be too weak a way to express her `
` admiration. When a handsome girl appears on the street an enthusiastic `
` masculine admirer, to express his appreciation of her beauty, tells you: `
` "She is a peach, a bird, a cuckoo," any of which accentuates his `
` estimation of the young lady and is much more emphatic than saying: "She `
` is a beautiful girl," "a handsome maiden," or "lovely young woman." `
` `
` When a politician defeats his rival he will tell you "it was a cinch," he `
` had a "walk-over," to impress you how easy it was to gain the victory. `
` `
` Some slang expressions are of the nature of metaphors and are highly `
` figurative. Such are "to pass in your checks," "to hold up," "to pull the `
` wool over your eyes," "to talk through your hat," "to fire out," "to go `
` back on," "to make yourself solid with," "to have a jag on," "to be `
` loaded," "to freeze on to," "to bark up the wrong tree," "don't monkey `
` with the buzz-saw," and "in the soup." Most slang had a bad origin. The `
` greater part originated in the cant of thieves' Latin, but it broke away `
` from this cant of malefactors in time and gradually evolved itself from `
` its unsavory past until it developed into a current form of expressive `
` speech. Some slang, however, can trace its origin back to very `
` respectable sources. `
` `
` "Stolen fruits are sweet" may be traced to the Bible in sentiment. `
` Proverbs, ix:17 has it: "Stolen waters are sweet." "What are you giving `
` me," supposed to be a thorough Americanism, is based upon Genesis, `
` xxxviii:16. The common slang, "a bad man," in referring to Western `
` desperadoes, in almost the identical sense now used, is found in `
` Spenser's _Faerie Queen_, Massinger's play _"A New Way to Pay Old `
` Debts,_" and in Shakespeare's _"King Henry VIII_." The expression "to `
` blow on," meaning to inform, is in Shakespeare's _"As You Like it_." `
` "It's all Greek to me" is traceable to the play of _"Julius Caesar_." `
` "All cry and no wool" is in Butler's _"Hudibras_." "Pious frauds," `
` meaning hypocrites, is from the same source. "Too thin," referring to an `
` excuse, is from Smollett's "_Peregrine Pickle_." Shakespeare also used `
` it. `
` `
` America has had a large share in contributing to modern slang. "The `
` heathen Chinee," and "Ways that are dark, and tricks that are vain," are `
` from Bret Harte's _Truthful James_. "Not for Joe," arose during the Civil `
` War when one soldier refused to give a drink to another. "Not if I know `
` myself" had its origin in Chicago. "What's the matter with----? He's all `
` right," had its beginning in Chicago also and first was "What's the `
` matter with Hannah." referring to a lazy domestic servant. "There's `
` millions in it," and "By a large majority" come from Mark Twain's _Gilded `
` Age_. "Pull down your vest," "jim-jams," "got 'em bad," "that's what's `
` the matter," "go hire a hall," "take in your sign," "dry up," "hump `
` yourself," "it's the man around the corner," "putting up a job," "put a `
` head on him," "no back talk," "bottom dollar," "went off on his ear," `
` "chalk it down," "staving him off," "making it warm," "dropping him `
` gently," "dead gone," "busted," "counter jumper," "put up or shut up," `
` "bang up," "smart Aleck," "too much jaw," "chin-music," "top heavy," `
` "barefooted on the top of the head," "a little too fresh," "champion `
` liar," "chief cook and bottle washer," "bag and baggage," "as fine as `
` silk," "name your poison," "died with his boots on," "old hoss," "hunkey `
` dorey," "hold your horses," "galoot" and many others in use at present `
` are all Americanisms in slang. `
` `
` California especially has been most fecund in this class of figurative `
` language. To this State we owe "go off and die," "don't you forget it," `
` "rough deal," "square deal," "flush times," "pool your issues," "go bury `
` yourself," "go drown yourself," "give your tongue a vacation," "a bad `
` egg," "go climb a tree," "plug hats," "Dolly Vardens," "well fixed," `
` "down to bed rock," "hard pan," "pay dirt," "petered out," "it won't `
` wash," "slug of whiskey," "it pans out well," and "I should smile." `
` "Small potatoes, and few in the hill," "soft snap," "all fired," "gol `
` durn it," "an up-hill job," "slick," "short cut," "guess not," "correct `
` thing" are Bostonisms. The terms "innocent," "acknowledge the corn," `
` "bark up the wrong tree," "great snakes," "I reckon," "playing 'possum," `
` "dead shot," had their origin in the Southern States. "Doggone it," "that `
` beats the Dutch," "you bet," "you bet your boots," sprang from New York. `
` "Step down and out" originated in the Beecher trial, just as `
` "brain-storm" originated in the Thaw trial. `
` `
` Among the slang phrases that have come directly to us from England may be `
` mentioned "throw up the sponge," "draw it mild," "give us a rest," "dead `
` beat," "on the shelf," "up the spout," "stunning," "gift of the gab," `
` etc. `
` `
` The newspapers are responsible for a large part of the slang. Reporters, `
` staff writers, and even editors, put words and phrases into the mouths of `
` individuals which they never utter. New York is supposed to be the `
` headquarters of slang, particularly that portion of it known as the `
` Bowery. All transgressions and corruptions of language are supposed to `
` originate in that unclassic section, while the truth is that the laws of `
` polite English are as much violated on Fifth Avenue. Of course, the `
` foreign element mincing their "pidgin" English have given the Bowery an `
` unenviable reputation, but there are just as good speakers of the `
` vernacular on the Bowery as elsewhere in the greater city. Yet every `
` inexperienced newspaper reporter thinks that it is incumbent on him to `
` hold the Bowery up to ridicule and laughter, so he sits down, and out of `
` his circumscribed brain, mutilates the English tongue (he can rarely coin `
` a word), and blames the mutilation on the Bowery. `
` `
` 'Tis the same with newspapers and authors, too, detracting the Irish `
` race. Men and women who have never seen the green hills of Ireland, paint `
` Irish characters as boors and blunderers and make them say ludicrous `
` things and use such language as is never heard within the four walls of `
` Ireland. 'Tis very well known that Ireland is the most learned country on `
` the face of the earth--is, and has been. The schoolmaster has been abroad `
` there for hundreds, almost thousands, of years, and nowhere else in the `
` world to-day is the king's English spoken so purely as in the cities and `
` towns of the little Western Isle. `
` `
` Current events, happenings of everyday life, often give rise to slang `
` words, and these, after a time, come into such general use that they take `
` their places in everyday speech like ordinary words and, as has been `
` said, their users forget that they once were slang. For instance, the `
` days of the Land League in Ireland originated the word _boycott_, which `
` was the name of a very unpopular landlord, Captain Boycott. The people `
` refused to work for him, and his crops rotted on the ground. From this `
` time any one who came into disfavor and whom his neighbors refused to `
` assist in any way was said to be boycotted. Therefore to boycott means to `
` punish by abandoning or depriving a person of the assistance of others. `
` At first it was a notoriously slang word, but now it is standard in the `
` English dictionaries. `
` `
` Politics add to our slang words and phrases. From this source we get `
` "dark horse," "the gray mare is the better horse," "barrel of money," `
` "buncombe," "gerrymander," "scalawag," "henchman," "logrolling," "pulling `
` the wires," "taking the stump," "machine," "slate," etc. `
` `
` The money market furnishes us with "corner," "bull," "bear," "lamb," `
` "slump," and several others. `
` `
` The custom of the times and the requirements of current expression require `
` the best of us to use slang words and phrases on occasions. Often we do `
` not know they are slang, just as a child often uses profane words without `
` consciousness of their being so. We should avoid the use of slang as much `
` as possible, even when it serves to convey our ideas in a forceful `
` manner. And when it has not gained a firm foothold in current speech it `
` should be used not at all. Remember that most all slang is of vulgar `
` origin and bears upon its face the bend sinister of vulgarity. Of the `
` slang that is of good birth, pass it by if you can, for it is like a `
` broken-down gentleman, of little good to any one. Imitate the great `
` masters as much as you will in classical literature, but when it comes to `
` their slang, draw the line. Dean Swift, the great Irish satirist, coined `
` the word "phiz" for face. Don't imitate him. If you are speaking or `
` writing of the beauty of a lady's face don't call it her "phiz." The `
` Dean, as an intellectual giant, had a license to do so--you haven't. `
` Shakespeare used the word "flush" to indicate plenty of money. Well, just `
` remember there was only one Shakespeare, and he was the only one that had `
` a right to use that word in that sense. You'll never be a Shakespeare, `
` there will never be such another--Nature exhausted herself in producing `
` him. Bulwer used the word "stretch" for hang, as to stretch his neck. `
` Don't follow his example in such use of the word. Above all, avoid the `
` low, coarse, vulgar slang, which is made to pass for wit among the `
` riff-raff of the street. If you are speaking or writing of a person `
` having died last night don't say or write: "He hopped the twig," or "he `
` kicked the bucket." If you are compelled to listen to a person discoursing `
` on a subject of which he knows little or nothing, don't say "He is `
` talking through his hat." If you are telling of having shaken hands with `
` Mr. Roosevelt don't say "He tipped me his flipper." If you are speaking `
` of a wealthy man don't say "He has plenty of spondulix," or "the long `
` green." All such slang is low, coarse and vulgar and is to be frowned `
` upon on any and every occasion. `
` `
` If you use slang use the refined kind and use it like a gentleman, that `
` it will not hurt or give offense to any one. Cardinal Newman defined a `
` gentleman as he who never inflicts pain. Be a gentleman in your slang-- `
` never inflict pain. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` CHAPTER XII `
` `
` WRITING FOR NEWSPAPERS `
` `
` Qualification--Appropriate Subjects--Directions `
` `
` `
` The newspaper nowadays goes into every home in the land; what was `
` formerly regarded as a luxury is now looked upon as a necessity. No `
` matter how poor the individual, he is not too poor to afford a penny to `
` learn, not alone what is taking place around him in his own immediate `
` vicinity, but also what is happening in every quarter of the globe. The `
` laborer on the street can be as well posted on the news of the day as the `
` banker in his office. Through the newspaper he can feel the pulse of the `
` country and find whether its vitality is increasing or diminishing; he `
` can read the signs of the times and scan the political horizon for what `
` concerns his own interests. The doings of foreign countries are spread `
` before him and he can see at a glance the occurrences in the remotest `
` corners of earth. If a fire occurred in London last night he can read `
` about it at his breakfast table in New York this morning, and probably `
` get a better account than the Londoners themselves. If a duel takes place `
` in Paris he can read all about it even before the contestants have left `
` the field. `
` `
` There are upwards of 3,000 daily newspapers in the United States, more `
` than 2,000 of which are published in towns containing less than 100,000 `
` inhabitants. In fact, many places of less than 10,000 population can `
` boast the publishing of a daily newspaper. There are more than 15,000 `
` weeklies published. Some of the so-called country papers wield quite an `
` influence in their localities, and even outside, and are money-making `
` agencies for their owners and those connected with them, both by way of `
` circulation and advertisements. `
` `
` It is surprising the number of people in this country who make a living `
`