1938-01-20 — Page 18

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, THURSDAY, JANUARY 20.

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EST. 1841.

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συσσσσσσοσι

The

SPEAK SLANG

LANG has had a good overdone till it became a cliche of facetiousness--a meaningless many defenders in re- phrase from the Robot vocabu-

is jury. years. It

cent

'The

claimed that it is vivid. and picturesque-living lan-

expression "OK." has guage in comparison, pre- had a longer life, and justifiably sumably, with the dead so. It is an extremely useful abbreviation in business life-

language of literature. 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- sities will mark documents slang words and expressions "OK." are so good that they become a permanent part will avoid such facetious vari--

Others of the language.

unts 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 "It's perish quickly by general O.K, by me.”

consent.

I trust, however, that they

Slang has two great justiflea- Lions. One is when it adds use- It is these perishers among

ful or picturesque words and ex- wortly that give slang a bad name. Take the slang use of pressions to the language. The other is when it gives those who the word "definitely," for talk it soldiers, schoolboys, example, which is so common to-day. It is a mere sound issu- undergraduates, and thieves, for example the happy feeling that

Hongkong Telegraph. in from the mouth, sometimes they are talking the language of

THUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1938.

meaning scarcely anything at a special community.

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- THE WAR GOES ON is the language of mechanical lish vocabulary. That useful

dolls.

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.

word "mob" was once slang. "Flummoxed" is an admirable word that was used by Tony Weller when he declared that Mr. Pickwick would be fum- moxed if he did not get an "alleybi" in the brench-of-pro-

mise case.

A

"Six Months-and Lay Off the Dames" "rhino," "spondulicks" or "the Slang is an attempt to trans- "Penny-fathing," ugain, 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 very small one; and who than when we use the language who would threaten me, as I "Posh" was little better-and could write a history of strikes of the Chancellor of the Exche passed in the street, with "a this, it is pleasant to learn from without making use of the ex- quer about money? Mr. Partridge, has been "avoided pressive word "blackleg?" "Hot by polite society since about air" scems to me the perfect 1930."

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 is 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 a 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 Central have it, the 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 nation at war.

S. MOUTRIE & CO., LTD. would

YORK BUILDING

BREWERY

UB

SHA

CHAI•

(SOLE AGENTS)

CHATER ROAD.

Undoubtedly

onc

punch on the smeller" or "a clout on the listener," and scom- ed to derive great satisfaction

phrase for what it means, and When I was a boy, we usually from their avoidance of the For some reason or other slang "bankum" has proved by its con- spoke among ourselves of a pedantic use of such words as words expressive of enthusiasm tinued existence that it supplied penny as a "wing" and of a half- "nose" and "car.” seem to have the shortest life a long-felt want.

If you wish to avoid pedantic

ng 4

Sunday-school

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 thing was. "ripping"

or through Mr. Partridge's "Dic- a pedantic habit of grown-up

English, you will find all the people. "spifling" to-day. Nothing is tionary" and put a mark oppo-

words you need in Mr. Part- even "toney" or "dinky," though site every word by which, in I think it may be an instinc 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 net in rica, are still "swell."

been permanently enriched. Only that makes human beings so unconventional speech that his Slang words that perish do a very small percentage, I fancy, constantly give what might be "Dictionary" cannot be com-

called nicknames to things-to mended would pass the test. so, I imagine, because after the interest of novelty is gone, they There are a good many words call a policeman a "bobby," a prize; but it contains a world of they become old-fashioned, they put in the "doubtful" category sense of humour, have no other interest left. As that one would be inclined to "peeler" or a "copper." Slang interest for all who are curious.

also appeals to our elementary about curiosities of speech.

as when we deaden

enliven words, for example, referring human speech.

he is "well-oiled," "stotious," to money, drinks and policemen, say of a man who is drunk that Over-use takes the life out of

Is the language richer for the "blind to the world," or "full up slang words and expressions as existence of such

wordy as inside the tiddley." it takes the life out of quota- tions from the poots. There was a time when "I don't think" was quite amusing expression.in an apt setting. But its use was

rather than

Simultaneously with the state ment of Chiang's intentions came a cabled outline of China's aims, yesterday. From Hankow the authorities made it known that China is fighting for na- tional existence and the main- tenance of international treaties, the qualities which have won

she has leaders

who possess

*"Dictionary of Slang and English." By Unconventional Eric Partridge. Routledge. £2 23.

SHIPSHAPE ENGLISH

occan travel than

of."

No

seament.

*

*

**

When people say that they are "at CHIPSHAPE," as a term of up or bonster "gails 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."

But when we call a person a "wast-iron bars used aboard ship, and very from China's point of view, is of the people, and that they of those who dwell in the seagirt

istes known as Great Britain.

er," we are using the wrong word. handy in a fracas,

time It was In Nelson's

spelt They tell one that something has mainly one of self-preservation. have courage and skill to direct other language contains so many

phrases and expressions that smack "waister." The waist of the ship taken the gill off the gingerbread" The international treaties are her in a long defensive cam-of ships and seafaring.

doing without at all realising that they are manned by the bands was A man who has known no more of rough and dirty work, such as was recalling the stirring days of Nelson

trip ons the despised by abic by-the-way. Besides, when nopaign. From the humanitarian

The and Collingwood. The claborate 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

"Laken aback."

of the line-o-battleship was called "ginger- To a sailor this ed down upon by the rest

bread work" in the Fleet, and it was international agreements which moved to pity for this spectacle means that the sails have been laid crew.

Another mistake the landsman always well gilded. Years of cruis- one party or another has already of almost unexampled horror fint against the mast by a puff of

wind.

familiar "lend a hand"

plain sailing." What he means 1s hence the expression which we tre- violated, it is unreasonable to which is sweeping China. But is a sca-term, as is the equally makes is when he says that "all is ing and fighting dulled the gilding

familiar "sheer

"plane sulling," which, according to quenlly 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 science of navigation, in calculat-what it means. enemies taking the burden of their de-her

are moved by real meanings of some scafaring ing a vessel's course as if the earth's

phraseo which have become so much surface were flat Instead of rounded, i Modern colloquialisms owe a good deal to the Navy. For an example, a part of our ordinary talk that wo

* forget that have ever come from the

there is "push off," which "To the bitter end" does not mean seu at all.

When a boat It has reached a point, now, China's refusal of the peace and go" without knowing that to tremity of a\desperate situation. The leaves a ship, the moa in the ster

We speak of a thing being "touch what the landsman thinks it means, landsmen use daily to mean going

It has nothing to do with the last ex-away or deporting. when the man-in-the-street in terms reportedly offered by Azallor the phrase brings the Idea of

puts it against the ship's side, and quite literally pushes off. There is every country in the world must German intermediary, says that a ship that Just, manges to derage bitter end" of a cable is the turn of sheets takes an var or a beathook,

through shoal water without actually a cable around the bills. recognise just what is happen- the

n-well-known Navy phrase, "I'm Government grounding. Neither do we realise Then there the phrase, "cut and

well-known

In this the first word has in the boat; push off," to indicate a ing in the Far East to-day; and "ignored the magnanimity" all la blue" originally meant nothing to do with the slang "cut," selfish egoist who thinks only of his

own convenience. China will not win more shown by the Japanese Imperialul a ship putting out from port got for to abscond. To "cut and run,

"Wash-out" recalls the slate on into the open sea, where all was blue; in sallor phraseology, means to cul sympathy than she already has, Government," people in touch water.

the hempen cables and run before which signals were taken down, only the wind,

to be washed out when another was been given by making of her with the facts are not vastly Something we say that we were That well-known expression, "The to be recorded. The slang "to ditch" In the sense of abandon-has a desperato defence n sort of Impressed with Japan's show of "brought up all standing" by a devil to pay and no pitch hot," is re- crusade in the name of righte-distress at the continuation of maladroit remark in the course of dolent of the sea. In it, however, the naval origin. To the sailor the ocean conversation. This comes from the enemy of mankind is not referred to. is the dlich, and to "ditch" anything hostilities. It must have old days of salt and applied to a ship The devil was a large and important to throw it overboard.

For years landlubbers have used under why which was auddenly seam in a ship's deck, and to pay IL stopped. "No grent makes referred was to caulk it. Being an extra large the word "bane In the sense of stealing Ballors know about the of pitch to complete the process of

ST

GHT

R

fence upon her shoulders. No, China's heroism. It is best to keep the issue clear.

When Tokyo, referring to

COUNT. THE

"TELEGRAPHS"

EVERYWHERE

ousness.

1

National

It is China's misfortune that been recognised by now that

the that

expression run."

many

she is in the way of expansion nothing short of surrender will to the shaking of a sail by a laht', seam, it wanted an extra large supply of Lieutenant Hone, who, a'king.

of an ambitious power. It is satisfy Tokyo, Marshal Chiang her good fortune, and paradoxic has delivered his answer. The ally it may be her sorrow, that war goes on,

wind.

As beats a marlonie, we caulking properly. Therefore, if time ago, so far forgot that he was found of deseribing others in nau- here was no pitch hot, the work an officer and a gentleman as to

and somebody orculate a ship's funds. *** (erne. An able and experienced would be delayed,

Vaughan Dryden

un "knows the rope, a hypoecilat would get into trouble.-