AMERICAN SLANG

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6541, 24 February 1928, Page 4

AMERICAN SLANG

WORDS OBTAIN HIGH PLACE NEW YORK, Jan. 11. Words which hitherto were described ns slang have been borrowed from American English and find a place in the Oxford Dictionary, according to advices from London, which state that the final volume of the famous work is now complete, and in the printer’s hands. The making Of the Oxford Dictionary is one of the romances of English literature. Before its vast scope it is declared that Dr. Johnson’s effort pales into insignificance. It is asserted that it will be the most complete authority on the moaning and derivation of English words in existence. Two of its editors have died since the work was commenced : Sir James Murray, who began it, and Dr. Henry Bradley, who worked on it for 27 years. It ha cost £50,000 to produce, part of which has been raised by public subscription. The present editors of the dictionary are Dr. W. A. Craigic and C. T: Onions. Dr. Craigic was a professor of English at the University, of Chicago. It would be interesting to know what "Big Bill’ Thompson, Mayor of the city where machine-guns are the vogue for Christmas presents, who is pursuing an antiBritish campaign, even in the hospitals, would think of a Chicago professor holding this high honour in the English’ literary world. "The time for prejudice against Americanisms is past,” said Professor Craigio recently. "They have already proved their value as additions to the English tongue wherever it is used. It is in phrases made up of common nouns and verbs that the inventive genius of the American tongue most displays itself. .No doubt, many of these might be described as slang, but ti’ov have a way or rising out of this character and taking their place in serious discourse and writing.”