SLANGUAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1924, Page 2

SLANGUAGE

NEW VORK, May 27

’i’o I hose who are seeking to establish a better understanding between tin- Rriii-li and American nations. Miss Gertrude Laurence, wllo during the la-: live month- bail made a conspicuous bit on the New Voik it age offers some amusing suggestions on the subject of ‘•Slanguage."

Her plight resembled that well-known English traveller, who, in reply to a rrpurtorial inquisition, confessed that America was the only country whose language he could not understand. Miss Lawrence to-day plaintively asks Americans why they call a police officer a "cop.” a man "a bird.” a girl

"a skirt.” a farmer “hick.” an electric tramway-car ‘‘a rattler.” an overcoat “a lxmny.” shoes “kicks,” a foot ‘‘a dog.” an umbrella "a mush,” a face a “mug.” money “dough.” a pass to a theatre ”n ducat.” a horse “skate,” an eye “a lamp,” and a hath “a splash.” She inquires. “How can Americans expect a girl, brought up by staid English parents, fairly familiar with the English language, coining to a country where people are supposed to speak the same tongue, to know, when she hears one man say to another. “Beat it or I’ll bean you.” that what ho means is “Unless the gentleman goes about his business the speaker will strike him on the head with possible dire results’ ?” Miss Lawrence describes some of her personal experience’s. She ‘says: “1 went into the theatre a few afternoons ago to see if there wore any letters for me. and I overhead one of the stage workmen sav to the stage doorman. ‘What’s the dirt?’ finch a question to a dear. kind, nice old man who lets me iu and oifi of the stage door worried me. I asked him what was the possible meaning of the expression. He told me it was the svtionvtn of scandal” Miss Lawrence, advises Kngh-.li peo;>‘e before coming to this country, to take a post-graduate course in its “hfiRHUBC,”