ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 April 1933, Page 2

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

NEW DICTIONARY PUBLISHED.

INCLUSION OF COLLOQUIALISMS.

The astonishing growth of the English language during the past 30 years and the numerous changes which it has undergone are revealed by the publication, of tw, 0 volumes of Shorter Oxford English dictionary. The dictionary has been designed primarily to give in miniature all the features of the great Oxford English Dictionary, which was only recently completed. In the second place the new work has been designed to include all words in regular literary and colloquial use —including words which came into use with the Great War, scientific changes and importations, chiefly American.

In the first volume of the Oxford

English Dictionary, which was pub- j lished in 1888, “Airmanship,” for ex- j ample, was described as “skill in man- i aging a balloon.” An aeroplane was a “plane placed in the air for aero- , statical experiment.” i “Broadcasting” (unheard of in 1888) is now “to disseminate (audible matter) from a wire transmitting station,” and 1921 is quoted as the year of its . origin. |

WORDS FROM THE WAR

The Great War has led to many new words. “Blighty” (1915) included in the dictionary, and “Whizzbang,” which is described as a “shell of a small-calibre high velocity German gun (1915)." "Bolshevik" and. “Fa'scist" are included for the first time. The former is "a member of the extreme wing of the Russian Socialist Party (later, the Communist Party) which seized supreme power in Russia alter the revolution of March, 1917 ; first applied to the party advocating the maximum Socialist Programme in 1903." A Fascist, on the other hand, is “one of a. body of Italian Nationalists organised in 1919 under Benito Mussolini to oppose Bolshevism. Hence Fascism.”

Coming to American words, there is “Jazz” (American Negro), which is “a kind of music in syncopated 4-4 time, as played by negro! bands in the United States; a dance to this music characterised by a rolling step and zigzag procession.”

SOME TRANSATLANTICISMS

“Wise” lias been given a new and special meaning. “Wise (1919) —To wise up” United States slang, “get wise,” “put wise.” “Speakie” (or “Talkie”) is attributed to the United States and dated 1928. “Speakeasy” is the United States slang “for an illicit liquor shop.” “Whoopee” (United States 1845 and pronounced “Hoopi” with a short “i”) can now be taken officially as being" ‘an exclamation accompanying or inviting to hilarious enjoyment—to have a good time, go on the razrcledazzle.”

The much-abused “Hike” is given itsorigin in 1809, and means “to tramp (now especially for pleasure).” “Un-der-graduette” (1920) and “Nightclub” are included for the first time. “Shavian” (1920) appears as “latinised from proper name Shaw. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic lof, George Bernard Shaw (1856 —) or his plays or other writings.” “Gangster” (in its new sense), “Dora,” ' “Tote,” “Floodlighting,” “Wisecrack,” “Non-stop” and Gasper” have not yet achieved dictionary rank.