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The
Thongkong Telegraph.
Thursday, JANUARY 20, 1938,
THE WAR GOES ON
An authoritative statement that Marshal Chiang Kai-shek does not intend to quit his post, that he does not intend to negotiate for peace on terms entailing surrender, but that, as a matter of fact, he in laying plans for intensification of the campaign against the invader, puts a full stop to the paragraph of rumours and suspicions which has been growing a bit beyond the bounds of credulity. The statement given by EL high official source to the Hongkong Telegraph yesterday needs no supplementary explanation. It is a compilation of cold and calculated facts, and it gives the impression that far from being panicky, as some tale-bearers
authorities in China are grimly determined. Such determina- tion must be based on confidence. In any event it breeds that de- sirable quality of mind in ination at war.
S. MOUTRIE & CO., LTD. would have it, the Central
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THE
"TELEGRAPHS"
EVERYWHERE
S
IT'S
GOOD TO
SPEAK SLANG
LANG has had a good overdone till it became a cliche
of facetiousness-a meaningless phrase from the Robot vocabu-
many defenders in re- cent years. It is lary. claimed that it is vivid
and picturesque-living lan- The expression "O.K." has guage in comparison, pre had a longer life, and justifiably sumably, with the dead go. It is an extremely useful language of literature. abbreviation in business life- an indispensable shorthand. It To my mind there are seems to me quite probable that some kinds of slang that the time will come when even are worth defending and Archbishops of Canterbury and others that are not. Some Vice-Chancellors of the univer mark documents slang words and expressions "OK." are so good that they
I trust, however, that they become a permanent part will avoid such facetious vari- of the language. Others ants on it as "Oke" and "Okey- have no more vitality than Dokey" and even such a tedious- the ordinary foxtrot and ly needless locution as: perish quickly by general Ŏ.K. by me."
consent.
It is these perishers among
sitles will
"It's
Stang has two great justifica- tions. One is when it adds use- words that give slang a bad ful or picturesque words and ex- name. Take the slang use of pressions to the language. The the word "definitely," for other is when it gives those who talk it soldiers, schoolboys, example, which is so common to-day. It is a mere sound issu- undergraduates, and thieves, for ing from the mouth, sometimes example the happy feeling that meaning "yes" and sometimes they are talking the language of
a special community, meaning scarcely anything at all. It is repeated on all sides In the matter of usefulness as if by a race of Robots. This and picturesqueness, slang_has is not living language at all; it contributed richly to the Eng- is the language of mechanical lish vocabulary. That useful dolls.
word "mob" was once slang. "Flummoxed" is an admirable word that was used by Tony Weller when he declared Mr. Pickwick would be flum- that
moxed if he did not get an "alley bi" in the breach-of-pro-
The rate of mortality in this kind of slang is, fortunately, high. How good it is to know that the word "top-hole" as an expression of high praise is al ready as dead as the Dodo. It was already obsolete, according to Mr. Eric Partridge's new "Dictionary of Slang," by 1915.
mise case.
"Six Months-and Lay Off the Dames" "rhino," "spondulicka" or "the Slang is an attempt to trans- "Penny-fathing," again, gives ready"? Is conversation livelier late ordinary speech into a us a real image of the old high and more picturesque when we livelier, more knowing language. bicycle with one large wheel and say "tanner," "bob" and "quid" When I was a child, I knew boys one very small one; and who than when we use the language who would threaten me, as I could write a history of strikes of the Chancellor of the Exche- passed in the street, with "a without making use of the ex- quer about money?
punch on the smeller" or "a clout on the listener," and seem- pressive word "blackleg?"."Hot
ed to derive great satisfaction
"Posh" was little better and this, it is pleasant to learn from Mr. Partridge, has been "avoided by polite society since about air" seems to me the perfect 1930."
phrase for what it means, and When I was a boy, we usually from their avoidance of the "bunkum" has proved by its con- spoke among ourselves of a pedantic use of such words as words expressive of enthusiasm
For some reason or other slang tinued existence that it supplied penny as a "wing" and of a half. "nose" and "ear."
a long-felt want, seem to have the shortest life
¢
J
has leaders who possess
SHIPSHAPE
No
was
***Dictionary of Slang and English." By Eric Partridge. Routledge. £2 28.
ENGLISH
penny as a "make," as if to call of all. When I was a boy, every- It would be interesting to go a coin by its correct name were
If you wish to avoid pedantic thing Waa "ripping" or through Mr. Partridge's "Die a pedantic habit of grown-up
English, you will find all the "apiffing"___to-day. Nothing -is-tionary and-put-a-mark-oppo- people.
-words-you-need_in_Mr. Fart- even "toney" or "dinky," though site every word by which, in I think it may be an instine- ridge's mountainous collection. some things, especially in Ame one's opinion, the language has tive desire to avoid pedantry He has cast so wide a not in rica, are still "swell."
been permanently enriched. Only that makes human beings so unconventional speech that his Slang words that perish do & very small percentage, I fancy, constantly give what might be "Dictionary" cannot be com-
would pass the test.
called nicknames to things-to mended 08 A Sunday-schoo! so, I imagine, because after the interest of novelty is gone, they
call a policeman a "bobby," a prize; but it contains a world of There are a good many words "peeler" or a "copper." Slang interest for all who are curious have no other interest left. As that one would be inclined to also appeals to our elementary about curiosities of speech. they become old-fashioned, they put in the "doubtful" category sense of humour, as when we denden rather than
enliven words, for example, referring say of a man who is drunk that human speech..
to money, drinks and policemen. he is "well-oiled," "stotious," Over-use takes the life out of Is the language richer for the "blind to the world," or "full up Unconventional slang words and expressions as existence of such words as inside the tiddley." Simultaneously with the state-it takes the life out of quota- ment of Chiang's intentions tions from the poots. There came a cabled outline of China's was a time when "I don't think" aims yesterday. From Hankow was quite amusing expression in an apt setting. But its use was the authorities made it known that China is fighting for na- tional existence and the main-she
When people say that they are "at tenance of international treaties. the qualities which have won 66CHIPSHAPE," as a leent of ap- or boaster "sails under false colours." {
proval, shows how the spirit of Those in easy circumstances are "on loggerheads" with someone they may not understand that loggerheads were But we judge that the war, the affection, loyalty and trust the ocean has permeated the speech an even keel." from China's point of view, is of the people, and that they of those who dwell in the seagirt But when we call a person n "wast-iron bars used aboard ship, and very
fates known as Great Britain.
cr, we are using the wrong word. handy in a fracas, language contains so many mainly one of self-preservation. have courage and skill to direct phrased and expressions that smack walster. The waist of the ship taken the gift off the gingerbread"
time It
spelt In Nelson's
They tell one that something has.
The international treaties are her in a long defensive cam of ships and seafaring.
was manned by the hands doing without at all realising that they are A man who has known no more of rough and dirty work, such as was recalling the stirring days of Nelson by-the-way. Besides, when no-paign. From the humanitarian
The and travel than a trip on the despised by able stamen.
Collingwood. The one else loses much sleep over point of view the world must be "Saucy Sally will tell you that he is "waister," therefore, was rather look-carving on the stern of an old-time "taken aback." To a sailor this ed down upon by the rest of the line-o'-battleship was called "ginger- international agreements which moved to pity for this spectacle means that the sails have been laid crew.
bread work in the Fleet, and it was Another mistake
Years of cruis- the landsman always well glided. one party or another has already of almost unexampled horror flat against the most by a pul of wind. The familiar "lend a hand"
plain sailing." What he means is hence the expression which wo tre violated, it is unreasonable to which is sweeping China. But is a sea-term, as is the equally makes is when he says that "all is ing and fighting dulled the gilding
fumillar "sheer off."
"plane salling which, according to quently use without at all knowing. expect or suggest that China is at the same time all peoples but
It is interesting to trace back the the selence of navigation, is calculat- what it means.
seafaringing a vessel's course as if the earûi's taking the burden of their de her enemics are moved by real meanings of some
phrases which have become so much surface were flat instead of rounded. Modern colloquialisms owe a good fence upon her shoulders. No, China's heroism.
n part of our ordinary talk that wa
Navy. For an example." *
deal to the forget that have ever come from the
off," which it is best to keep tho issue clear. When Tokyo, referring to sea at all.
"To the bitter end" does not mean there is "push what the landsman thinks it means. landsmen use daily to mean going
boat It has reached a point, now, China's refusal. of the peace and go" without knowing that to remily of a desperate situation. The leaves a ship, the man in the stern-
speak of a thing being "touch ws nothing to do with the last ex-away or departing. When when the man-in-the-street in terms reportedly offered by 4 sailor the phrase bring the idea of j
puts it against the ship's aide, and every country in the world must German intermediary, says that a ship that just manages to scrape "bitter end" of a cable in the turn of sheets. Lates an oar or a boathook,
a cable around the bitts. through shoal water without actually
quite literally pushes off. There is recognise just what is happen-the National Government | grounding. Neither do wo realise Then there is the phrase, "cut and a well-known Nuvy phrase, "I'm
In this the first that the well-known expression | run." ing in the Far East to-day; and "ignored
word has in the bout; push of," to indicate a tho magnanimity "u all is blue" originally meant nothing to do with the song "cut" netosh egoist who thinks only of his China will not win
more shown by the Japanese Imperial till a ship putting out from port got for to abscond. To "cut and run," sympathy than she already has Government," people in touch into the open sen, where all was blue in sallor phraseology, means to cut the hempen cables and run betore the wind. been given by making of her with the facts are not` vastly |
That well-known expression, Something we say that we were
**The desperato defence a sort of impressed with Japan's show of "brought up all standing" by a devil to pay and no pitch bot, the naval origin. To the sailor the ocean.
maladroit remark in the course of dolent of the sen. In it, however, crusade in the name of righte- distress at the continuation of conversation. This comes from the enemy of mankind is not referred to. is the ditch, and to "ditch" anything
hostilities. It must have old days of sail and applied to a ship The devil was a large and important is to throw it overboard.
For years landlubbers have used. under way which was suddenly Beam in a ship's deck, and to pay it It la China's misfortune that been recognised by now that stopped. "No great shakes" referred was to caulk .. Being an extra large the word "bene" in the she is in the way of expansion nothing short of surrender will wind.
to the shaking of a sail by a light scam; it wanted an extra large supply stooling. Baliors know about the of piteti to complete the process of case of Lieutenant Bone, who, a long of an ambitious power. It is satisfy Tokyo, Marshal Chiang |
fumo 'ngo, so far forgot that he was As befits a, maritime people, we caulking properly. Therefore,
an officer and a gentleman be to her good fortune, and paradoxic- has delivered his answer. The are found of describing others in nau- there was no pitch hot, the work
tical terms. An able and experienced would be delayed, and somebody peculate a ship's funds, Tally it may be her sorrow, that war goes on.
man "knows the ropes," a hypocrite would got into trouble."
оцапева.
occan
We
water.
*
*
*
"
*
own convenience.
*
claborate
many
"Wash-out" recalls the slate on which signals were taken down, only to be washed out when another was to be recorded. The slang "to ditch" in the sense of abandon-kas e
sense of
Vaultan- Dryden
Page 30Page 31