LITERARY GOSSIP

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18419, 27 June 1925, Page 13

LITERARY GOSSIP

• Discussing a Dictionary of Soldier and Sailor Words and Phrases, by Edward Fraser and John Gibbons,. "Affable Hawke" expresses regret in the "New Statesman" that they omitted the bad words and phrases. '"Tlou 6ee liko the two ladies who congratulated Dr. Johnson on the chastity of his dictionary, I have been looking for them. I cannot, however, congratulate the present lexicographers as sincerely as they did. A great many obscene or profane expressions are merely trivial and 'dirty, but among them are some which show the inventive vigour of the popular imagination at its Shakespearean best. The principle of selection hero should have bem literary rather than 'nice.' I think the reader of this dictionary will be disappointed, both with the quality and quantity _of the slang, which had its origin in the Great War. 3lost of the best' specimens are older than the Great War."

"Naval and military slang," he goes on, "is fed from several sources, foreign languages, technicalities, useful abbreviations, slum slang, of which that odd phenomenon, 'rhyming slang,' forms a part. ' Our soldiers and sailors have served in many part 3 of the world, and wherever they have been they have picked up words and pronounced them anyhow. These words they have continued to use long after their origins have been forgotten. Arabic, Russian, Turkish, Hindustani, French, Chinese, Spanish, have contributed ■/to soldier and sailor slang. 'Blighty,' for example,- is a corruption for the Hindustani word Belati, home; 'Bint' is an Arabic word for girl or prostitute; 'Pronto,' hurry up, is a Spanish word of the samo meaning and dates from the Peninsular War. Regimental nicknames often preserve, like a fly in amber, a scrap of history,: and very odd'scraps, too. The 14th Hussars, fOr instance, are called "Tho Emperor's Chambermaids,' because in the Battle of Vittoria in 1813, they seized a silver utensil from the -.coach of Joseph- Bonaparte, a trophy," .which,, filled with champagne, still.serves as a loving cup at their mess .on guest nights. I was disappointed' to find that the name 'Black Watch' had .its origin .only, in the- dark- tartan worn by the battalion of Highlanders who did police duty'in 'the North of Scotland in 1725." ;

"A pleasing coincidence," writes. a correspondent to the ' ''Manchester Guardian," ''has given ,us in the same week Mr Mac Donald' condemning. 'The. Bed Flag' as a bad song and M. Emile Cammaerts praising' nonsense as .good poetry. Nonsense," poetry, and song are a tangled'trinity. Each' has : a private domain of its own -' in ', which the others may not. .trespass.' There ■aresongs without words ■' and poems that cannot, be sung. There is a grand sort of nonsense of . which. Alice /and her animals, are the• Bubtlo ; doctors and which is Logic standing on his fat head. But. it is the common ground where these three things are equally at home that pleases; above -all.. .It is.a magical spot, very, insufficiently explored, and it iscaUed popular song."

In the lecture , just referred to, M.. Cammaerts asked this interesting question: ..: . '/, '.■■'. •-.-

"AH through English -history there was this'trend', of- nonsense - literature. Why was it not found abroad c? ref sWicted "to .very jSligh* eyniptoms? Among men of letters who;had,studied English : poetry there ..was a', general idea that English poetry was the finest poetry in the world, just as^ the finest prose was French. Was. there no connexion between' the- fact that the "Engr lish temperament was so well adapted to poetry and the. fact that its nonsense poetry flourished 60.we11? Was it "not that nonsense poetry was the essence of poetry ;• that' music or jingle of words, an excess of exhilaration and oxuberanco, was produced because the English'had,, to a greater extent than other hatkins, tho poetical 'faculty??'

"Pour : hundred years circumstances of some' privation and.'of extreme peril; William;. Tyndafe published the.first'edition of his". English New .Testament,'.' says the "Church Times,", arid then proeeodß: :

"We do well 'in i 1925 to commemorate that .event of 1525. • It has proved a real landmark,Jn history.'. It': has fluenced, alike the life and the literature •of our people.' Both, indubitably, have been swayed.by the English* Bible. The English Bible has derived much.of its popular power' from the'majestic simplicity of its diction. And that diction it owes ultimately to ; ' one . man. Many translations ''arid; revisions have b:«n made since his time. Yet: the highest praise we accord to all later translators and revisers, is that they made'as few changes as. possible, and that,' when verbal, change was needed, they y£«t had the wisdom to conserve that standard of style., which was set up -once for all by the genius of William Tyndale." '. •..."',

Most people know what, it is to spend their labour; for that:, which profiteth not. Here is Wilfrid Gibson's view of it, reprinted . from the "Nation":— •

Snell moans the .East'-wjn.d, Chill drizzles the rain, Round the lone steading ' Of Labour-m-vain".

Blind are' the windows . With never a pane,' .- And roekless. the chimneys .. Of Labour-in-vain.

Byres empty of cattle," Barns empty of grain. And naked .the rooftree - Of Labour-in-vain.

Yet ' gaunt, peaked, and sallow. As moons on the wane, ■■ • The ghosts 'Of old. tenants ' Haunt Labour^n-vain.

And' shriller than peesweeps Their voices complain,. And greet, for the ruin Of Laboar-in-vain.

"Though life was one heartbreak Of trouble and pain, -Would.we were still living At Labour-in-vain.

"Though life was a struggle, ■ The stress] and the strain Knitted our heartstrings To Labour-in-vain. - "

''We tilledthe sour acres And sowed-- the scant grain, And hoped for a', harvest At Labour-in-vain;

"And' beaten"and;-broken ■ . "-.'■■ In' 1 body.and'brain,- ;■..': Wo breathed our last sadly : • i . At Labour-in-vaib. ■ . '■'!'■.-■'

"In death there •is nothing' : . To lose.or to gain,' . . , While at least hope .was left ua.*At Labour-in-va'in." . '"'.;' Sn»ll -aioans the ,'East-wind,... . i. ■ .Chill drizzles.- the rain, Bound the lone, steading Of Labour-in-yam. .-■

< And shriller than.peesweeps - •'.. Their, voices complain, "'And greet'for,taenia- / , Of.LaboTir-ia-vain. • •■''.« • '-