the technical language of the philosopher or the man of science, by the same means and with even greater rapidity. Most of the words soon disappear, but a considerable number make good their place in ordinary speech. We shall study some of these coinages in the next chapter.

The two great classes of mankind are, of course, men and women. The occupations and interests of these classes are distinct in many particulars. As we should expect, the distinction manifests itself in the phenomena of language, for language is the most perfect mirror of all mental operations. Every one knows that the vocabulary of women differs considerably from that of men. In some countries, indeed, where women spend most of their time in retirement, and converse chiefly with each other, a specific women's dialect' has grown up. Even among English-speaking nations, where association between the sexes is but very slightly restricted, such differences are discernible. The use of common, for example, in the sense

of vulgar' is distinctly a feminine peculiarity. It would sound effeminate in the speech of a man.

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So, in a less degree, with person for woman,' in contrast to 'lady.' Nice for 'fine' must have originated in the same way. The women's dialect is often more conservative than that of men,1 and is likely to be marked by greater precision of utterance, as well as by differences in vocabulary.

1 Pliny the Younger remarks, with admiration, that in certain letters written by a friend's wife he thought he was reading Plautus or Terence in prose' (Ep. i. 16).

CHAPTER VI

SLANG AND LEGITIMATE SPEECH

A PECULIAR kind of vagabond language, always hanging on the outskirts of legitimate speech, but continually straying or forcing its way into the most respectable company, is what we call slang. The prejudice against this form of speech is to be encouraged, though it usually rests on a misconception. There is nothing abnormal about slang. In making it, men proceed in precisely the same manner as in making language, and under the same natural laws. The motive, however, is somewhat different, for slang is not meant simply to express one's thoughts. Its coinage and circulation come rather from the wish of the individual to distinguish himself by oddity or grotesque humor. Hence slang is seldom controlled by any regard for propriety, and it bids deliberate defiance to all considerations of good taste.

Slang is commonly made by the use of harsh, violent, or ludicrous metaphors, obscure analogies, meaningless words, and expressions derived from the less known or less esteemed vocations or customs. But the processes involved

1 'Thieves' slang' or 'peddlers' French' (argot, Rothwälsch) stands in a somewhat different position. It is, in fact, the professional jargon of a particular class of society, and is comparable, therefore, to other technical vocabularies, though the art or profession which it represents lies outside the bounds of respectable occupations. It has also the special object of concealment, and belongs therefore to the class of 'secret languages.'

are strikingly linguistic. In fact, slang may almost be called the only living language, the only language in which these processes can be seen in full activity. Take, for example, the expression start in for 'begin.' It is only a metaphor derived from lumbering operations, when men start into the woods in late autumn to begin the winter's work. Break ground,' which is in good use, is a figure of precisely the same kind, from the more respectable profession of building. So 'to pack up one's traps,'1 from the vocation of trapping, is similar to the Latin vasa colligere, 'gather your pots and kettles,' which, originally soldiers' slang, came at last to be the regular expression for 'breaking camp.' 'On the stocks' for 'in preparation,' a metaphor from ship-building, is in good colloquial use. 'Down to bed rock' and 'peter out' are natural expressions among miners, but they become slang when transferred to other circumstances and used as figures of speech. So with the poker terms 'ante up' and 'it is up to you,' with 'come a cropper,' 'to be in at the death,' 'come to the scratch,' 'toe the mark,' 'well-groomed,' 'knock-out blow,' 'below the belt,' 'cock of the walk,' 'mass play,' 'get on to his curves,' and a thousand other expressions that have passed into slang from various fields of sport. None of these phrases is accepted at present, though they differ much in their degree of slanginess, but it is impossible to predict their standing a hundred years hence. For the sport of former days has made many contributions to our legitimate vocabulary. Thus bias (from bowling) is a dignified word, though bowl over is still colloquial. So 'to parry a thrust,' 'to fence' (in an argument), to cross swords with the opposing counsel,' 'to bandy words' (literally, 'to bat them to and fro' as in

1 The Elizabethans said 'truss up your trinkets' in the same sense.

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bandy-ball), 'to wrestle with a problem,' to trip one up' in a discussion, to track or trace a quotation' or 'to lose track of a subject,' 'to run counter' (literally, of dogs who follow the scent in the wrong direction), 'to hit (or miss) the mark,' within an ace of,' are all good English expressions, though most of them were formerly slang and passed through the intermediate stage of colloquialism before they secured admission to the literary language. The now disreputable amusement of cockfighting (which was once respectable enough to divide with scholarship and archery the attention of Roger Ascham) has provided the language with crestfallen, in high feather,' and Shakspere's overcrow (cf. to crow over). To show the white feather' is from the same source, since white feathers in a gamecock's tail are a sign of impure breeding. Often the origin of such words or phrases has been quite forgotten, but, when traced, discloses their true character at once. Fair play is still recognized as a figure from gambling; but foul play, now specialized to 'murder,' is hardly felt as a metaphor at all. the etymologist knows that hazard may be the Arabic al zār, 'the die,' and that chance means the fall of the dice' (L.L. cadentia,2 from cado). Yet both words still have gaming associations: hazard is a particular kind of dice-play, and 'to take one's chances,' 'a good or bad chance,' the chances are against it' are transparent metaphors.

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Only

Many examples might be cited from sports that have the dignified associations of antiquity. Thus, to tilt at' (cf.

1 Cf. St. Paul's famous figure in Ephesians vi. 12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,' etc.

2 Whence also cadence, which has no connection with gaming, but comes from another specialization of the word.

full tilt), to break a lance,' 'in the lists,' to run one's course,' 'to reach the goal,' 'to win the palm.' Slang is no novelty, as many persons imagine. It is only new slang that is novel. 'The ancients did not know that they were ancients.'

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Provincialisms or dialect words are often adopted into slang, exactly as they are adopted into literary language. When Sir Thomas Lipton spoke of 'lifting the cup,' he was merely using a provincialism,1 but when the people of the United States took up the expression in good-natured mockery it became slang. Burns's croon was also a dialect term, but it almost immediately commended itself to the poets, and is now in good use. So vamos is a proper Mexican word (Sp. 'let us go'), but when it is quoted and used by Americans for 'depart' (vamoose), as many words have been borrowed from other languages, it becomes slang. So savvy (Sp. sabe usted, do you know?') is a slang word for comprehension'; but ignoramus (L. 'we do not know,' used as a law term) is excellent English. A fiasco is properly a theatrical failure. The Italian say far fiasco (to make a bottle') for to break down or fail in a theatrical performance.' The origin of the phrase is unknown,2 but fiasco is now sufficiently reputable English, though it is of recent introduction. Many other foreign words, now thoroughly naturalized, seem to have had slangy associations at some period of their history. This is especially likely in the case of those that may have been introduced by soldiers who have served in foreign parts. Bravado (Sp. bravada) looks like a word of this kind. Bizarre (which

we take from French) has never been slangy in English.

1 Compare to lift cattle' and shoplifter.

2 But cf. Aŋkvoisw and ampullor (p. 67, note).