MINTING MODERN SLANG.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 91, 10 January 1908, Page 9

MINTING MODERN SLANG.

America is tho great mint in which modem slang-is. coined. A word or a phrase gets into tho papers, and is at once current. Tho representative of an English paper adopts a now ,term, and introduces it into an article, at first in invorted commas, afterwards without, thorn. Hoodlums" has been thus distinguished in tho "Times"; soon it will bo usod in the same august columns without quotes. Then/.it will bo ready for common employment in England; " Strap-hanger" camo to us first in tho samo way. "Chaliffour" was first a torm. of opprobrium. It camo, to us from Franco, whore, during the Reign of. Torror,, brigands, whoso ploasaut fancy it was to burn the feet of tboir victims to make, thorn roveal their treasure, woro so called. ...."Chauvinism," which had an enormous voguo. during , tho Russo-Japanese war, "came from, tho same land, taken from ,a Eroncli play.of sbvonty years ago, to anticipate t)io..immcrisb,favour which. "Jingo" was' later ,to,. enjoy in England., Tho first Tories wore robbors,,just as tho first Hoosiors, the..namb .'give'ii..'to. tho. citizons of tho State of yindiapaij tfbrp J'htishers,.' pilose methods or piMiig'-out ~of 'tho'fight those whom they intondod to rob tho latter torm unpleasantly suggests.