Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Such Language! Part 6

Well, first things first. Thank you all so much for your suggestions during our birthday week--we'll be incorporating them into Nineteenteen over the course of the year. And don't forget, we're always open to suggestions and feedback, whether it's our birthday or not.

Now the fun part...the winner of our birthday giveaway is MysteryRobin! MysteryRobin, please email me through the contact form on my website and we'll get your Borders gift card and other goodies out to you.

It's been a while since we had a vocabulary lesson...enjoy these from the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue:

Beau-nasty: a slovenly fop, finely dressed but dirty. ("No, I didn't waltz with that beau-nasty Tom; he may dance like a dream, but his linen doesn't bear thinking about.")

Squeeze-crab: a sour-looking person ("I declare, that Agatha is such a squeeze-crab she makes lemons appear sweet!")

Horse-godmother: A large, muscular woman. ("Isn't it lovely that Pearl's being such a horse-godmother hasn't stopped Lord Brobdinang from paying her suit?")

Fellow-commoner: Cambridge University slang for an empty bottle, so called because fellow-commoners (a class of students) were not held to be over-full of learning. ("Seeing the row of fellow-commoners on the stairs outside his door, I have to wonder just what kind of an education dear Freddy is getting.")

Lollpoop: A lazy, idle person. ("Oh, don't be such a lollpoop and come walk in Hyde Park with me!")

Tickle-pitcher: A thirsty fellow or drunkard. ("Dear Freddy says his friend Hodges is much more of a tickle-pitcher than he.")

Red rag: the tongue. ("I do wish Harry would stop waving the red rag at Miss Mortimer; she looks as if her ears are in pain from his incessant chatter.")

6 comments:

Robin Lemke said...

Wow, thank you so much! I was just clicking through Google Reader and did a double take when I saw my name. :)

Also, Beau-Nasty might be my favorite slang word ever. I think it could use a comeback. :)

Robin Lemke said...

PS I, of course, blogged about my fabulous win!

Marissa Doyle said...

There are some terms in the 1811 Dictionary that are unprintable in this venue, but none the less hilarious. :)

Dara said...

LOL, I love "lolpoop." I'll have to incorporate that in my daily vocubulary.

QNPoohBear said...

These are hilarious! I love beau-nasty!

Marissa Doyle said...

Beau-nasty is soooo evocative, isn't it? :)