WAR WORDS AND PHRASES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2961, 27 December 1916, Page 7

WAR WORDS AND PHRASES

" NARPOO "--NOTHING DOING

A correspondent in tho "Daily Mail" recently'drew attention to the common use in tho Army of the word -"Narpoo," coined by Tommy. Atkins from the French "N'y a plus," and applied by him to : qlmost anything—a village shop or its proprietor: as a substitute for the expression "Nothing doing" ("I went to the War Office—but narpoo"); a polite refusal ("I asked her to marry me, but got the narpoo"); or a false alarm ("We were all ready for them with fixed bayonets—but narpoo").

Not only has this Entente-Gallicism been freely adopted by the men at- the front; it lias found its way into .common use over here, and is often heard in ' general conversation among those who keop paco with tho times. In fact, "Narpoo" ,shares with the German word "strafe" the distinction of being among the moro popular of tho many words and phrases associated with the Great War.

When Germany found that we were not "oing to stand aside while she overthrew Belgium, France, and Russia preparatory to her "last and greatest reckoning with England," as Treitschko advised, she gave vent to her feelings of - disappointment, chagrin, and hatred by inventing the phrase "Gott strafe England!" which speedily became the popular salutation, tho official malediction, the heartfelt prayer, or tho recognised toast throughout Hunland. The effect upon the British people was characteristic: they gave the enemy the retort courteous by adopting his word "strafe" (punish), even as a-writer in a Toronto newspaper parodied tho "Hymn of Hate" by substituting "Sauerkraut" for "England." The word "strafe" is now almost universally used. Not only is an offensive bombardment of tho enemy's lines or a successful trench raid desoribed by Tommy as "strafing the Fritzes," but there are occasious when certain "brass hats" (especially those who have a weakness for parades and inspections) or non-coms., the War. Office, the A.S.C., or the politicians aro strafed by imprecation. And quite recently tho prcsont writer heard a working-class woman in a London back-street shout to one of her offspring, "Wait till I git 'old of yer: I'll strarfe yer, I will 1" "Blighty" and "Anzao." Another word that has "caught on" with, the British public, and which we have come to associate with both pain and joy, is "Blighty." This is Tommy's name for a wound serious enough to necessitate a man being sent homo to bo nursed in England,'* and also Tommy's pronunciation of the Hindu word for this country—"tlio land across tho black water." "So-and-so stopped sonic shrapnel and is back at the base in hospital," wrote a friend of mino in tho early days of tho Big Push ; "he wasn't lucky enough to got a. Blighty." It is onlv those who have "been out thore"

and spent many weary months in the trenches who can appreciate where the luck conies in. "Blighty" has also been traced to the Arabic "belad-i," "my country" or "my home"; but this is a point I will loave to philologists to settle. Whatever its origin, ono feels sure , that "Blighty" will long remain a synonym for "home" or for the country ill defence of whose honour and safety so many of hor sons have suffered or died. Wo may yet hear the greatest of all songs rendered as "There's no place like Blighty I" "Anzao," too, is a word that bids fair to be reckoned among the immortals, for it is a name that will serve to bind! tho Dominions to the Motherland moro than all the. speches, tariffs, leagues, or legislation imaginable; and one may assert that our literature will be enriched by tho adoption of a war phrase or expression' so often used (alas I) during the jiast two years—"Gone west." Ever since man first began to clothe his mothertonguo in poetry ho has sought- to take the sting out of death (as it wore) by substituting somo other word or phrase. "Laid to rost," "In peace," "Into the Unknown," "Over tho Border," naturally occur to one's mind; but nono of those equals in simplicity or sentiment the expression commonly used by Tommy when referring to those who have lost their • lives in the sacred cause of Duty. Assimilated or Anglicised Words. In addition to "liarpoo" Mr.' Atkins has acquired, assimilated, or Anglicised othor foroign words and colloquialisms as a result of his fraternising with the gallant poilus or tho brave "Belgies," and with tho splendid fighters from India- and the Dominions. Tho Fronch bon was soon adopted: "Boil,'" "no bon," "tros bon" or "plenty bon" (good, no, good, and very good). "Plenty" is an Americanism, like tho superlative "some," that word which has' "caught on" so much in this country since the invasion of Groat Britain by Tagtime and American films.

"Compray" (understand), "no compray" and "plenty compray": "nlougy" (from maugor —fo eat); ' fini" finished) ; "merci boko" (merci boaucoup —"thanks, very much"); "allay" (allcr or allcz--vous : on —"Go ■ away!" or "Away with you I"); "apros-la guerre'' (after the war): and good for de bust" (good for the stomach) are among those for which Tommy has to thank his "French or Belgian comrades. Doubtless he has furnished them with many choico goms of his own invention, or from the rich store of Cockuoy and provincial idioms, which will be trea-sured'and-used on the Continent long apres la guerre.

"Scrounge" is a favourite trench term (a word of Tommy's own invention, no doubt), meaning "to find," to "pinch," to "cadge anything." A "scrounger" i 3 a forager. "What are you doing in there, you scrounging old bounder?" demanded a Tommy one dark night, as he peered into a dug-out and saw a<n indistinct form inside. Receiving no reply, he had a, oloser viow—and then took to his heels. It was his own captain 1

"Bnckshee" (probably derived from "Backsheesh," meaning extra rations, or anything over after an issue has been made; buckshee loaf, buckslice "fags," etc.); "cushy' (a contraction of "cushion" meaning "soft"— "He's got a cushy job")—"kip" (to sleep, from "kip-house," a low-class lodginghouso); "rooti" (Hindustani for bread); ''gipoo" (gravy or grease); "burgoo" (porridge); "pozzy" (jam); "brew up," or "drung up" (to make tea. overseas expressions), aro among the many words and terms commonly used by the men,at the front, and will doubtless be a» commonly used when the war is over and the survivors of Britain's wonderful New Anny have returned to civil life and occupation in dear old "Blighty" once more. For men will not easily break themselves of tho habit of rofcrring to articles of everyday uso or association in the language of the trehches or expressing themselves in the more common idioms of our Gallic friends, and although such phrases as "A scrap of paper," "Silver bullets," "Business as usual," and "Too proud to fight" may provo to bo ephemeral (and it is hoped, for the sake of peace aud quietness, that the latter will soon drop into disuso!), there can be little doubt that the fact of this great struggle affecting so many men aud women, of all classes and -bringing them in contact with Army life apd military matters will result in' many of tho words and phrases directly associated with tho war and much of its nomcnolaturo. merging into our everyday speech and conversation and ultimately forming part, of the English language.—O.SiP. in the "Daily sfail."