THE KING'S ENGLISH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 93, 13 January 1908, Page 9

THE KING'S ENGLISH.

"AS SHE IS SPOKE." \ ' SOME QUEEII EXPRESSIONS. It is extremely doubtful whether.'the language) of any other nation has suffered, such grievous irtiquitioi) as those which have been inllictcdupon our own toothor* tonguo ill foccnt years. , .The stolid, sober days are gone. Y/o have, become strenuous. There is no- timo for • dignity either in action or •speech."- ' Everybody' is in- isn • everlasting hurry to "got there" with the least possible delay aiid a minimum of trouble,' and we havo bccomo. shockingly .'slangy. Instead of remarking of an inebriate—rwlio is observed to bo amorously cuddling a l^mp-post—that he .is "thti worse for liquor" or "intoxicated," ■the slangy youth of the day will probably venture an opinion, that , the sftid individual is "shikarred," "potty,", or "absolutely." If,.th6 cbhstable on tho the beat appreciates ■tho situation, he. 'is said "to taki}' a tumble," and. ths "shikar."...is .forthwith "lumbercdj". | "juKgjjil,!'.; :'aei6miiidflaterl in • tho ■''booliy ■hatch, ' and "had up : before .the beak" liox't morning. .. A man. docs . not- dine now-a-days—he "foods," and if "the tack" is good, lie will probably havo what is popularly known as ■"a good blow out." if, on the. other hand, the'.fare, is mcdicorc, then the repast, is usually described as . "deadly." After dinner he indulges in."a lag" (ethcrwiso a cigarette), and "takes a squint" at tho "rag,", which, if it does not contain anything of a •sensational nature, ho characterises - it. as' .•'tripo.," .Then follows a stroll, "on his own,", "with the mob," or with "his little bit of skirt." Tho rest of the •evening may be : profitably spent at "the gaff." During- the interval, if he bo hospitably inclined, lie •.''turns it on" for.his "mates," at tho nearest "pub." . On taking leave of "the blokes" preparatory to going "to bunk,"; ho has a variety of valedictory expressions to choose from—ho . may say "hooray," "too-ra-loc," "skip tho gutter," or "over tho river,". If the services of an employee aro such ,as to suggest to tlio "boss" that ho is not ■ a profitablo investment', the chances are that .ho -.will either .be "bumped,", "fired," or /"pushed out on his car." Tho opportunity may present itself, before ho goes, of "getting 0110 on to the boss," "hitting him up," and "giving him a pretty good knock/' .ivhich expressions must not bo interpreted to mean bodily assault, but merely the "told off" iudividal's stated opinion of his. late cm-; plover. if Bill concoives a violent dislike for. Jim he "has him sot," and. would probably take 3 considerable dogreo of pleasure in putting ,his enemy's "pat- on." By way of variation ■ lie may elect to "chew him up in one act," or "give him a elotch," in which case, the poace of the community is endangered. When an individual informs his , bosom "cobbor" that lie is "a giddy old sausage," the description is interpreted to indicate a love of- conviviality on the part of the said "cobbor," who is also described as a "great bit of stuff" or a "snorter." • If the devotee of the turf "is sweet with tho stable," ho will probably "bo swung on" to "a ready" (a cut-out race). This horse may in due course turn out to "bo a stiff," or "run a slintor." His "moral" or "cert" on which he has "plunged" may bo "snuffed out" by."a whisker," and his "bit of brass" hopelessly "blewed. » If olio of tho parties to a political argument concludes a remark by saying "dmkum," ho is understood to desiro his observations to bo taken seriously. Tho other side may not believe hinl, in which case tho orator* may ■ bo- "chyackod," and entreated to "ring off," or "turn it up." Resenting this, ho says "dicken," and requests his ; audienco to havo "a bit o' common." 'When tho drouthy individual desires a "gargle," he "swims in" to tho bar of a hotel and makes his wants known to the "piece" who presides over the beer -pump 'and decanters. . If ho is very thirsty lie asks for a "long sleevcr" (a pint of beer), but if his desires run to soinetliing more modcrato, a "medium shandy" (boer and lemonade) will satisfy him. Tho coniloisscur in "nose-paint" divides his allegiance between "dogs' noses]' (gin and beer), "stono fences" (dry gin and giuger beer), or "eye openers" (rum and milk). If he bo not sociably inclined, he has a drink "with tho flies" or "on his ace," or has what is known as a "Jimmy Woodser." l'uro English, either in speech or writing is apt to lie put down as being priggish. Certain slang terms, like a certain class of popular song, have a groat voguo for a while and then drop out of current phraseology. "What ho, she bumps," "bonsor," and its corruptions "boshter" and "boskor," had a great ruu somo littlo timo ago, but aro scl'dom hoard now-a-days. "What-ho" still survives as a popular salutation.