AMERICANISMS.
The Globe, in an article by an ‘American Journalist,’ says: ‘The opportunity may here be taken to gently suggest that the word Yankee is very often misapplied on this side of the Atlantic. It is a genuine American word, but it only applies to the inhabitants of a certain part of the big Republic. A stranger in the States describing an inhabitant of Cincinnati, or St Louis, or Richmond, Virginia, as a Yankee, would stand a good chance of a broken head, or even worse. As a matter of fact, the Yankees are the people who inhabit the New England States, and the title is considered a term of reproach, not to say insult, by all others. This, however, is all by the way. There are three terms very often quoted as American “slang,” which possess certain peculiarities of locality. These are “guess,” “calculate,” and “reckon.” One may travel through what are known as the Southern States for five years and never once hear either of the first two words, unless spoken by a Northerner or a man from the West. The Southerners “reckon” everything, except, perhaps, consequences, and they are left to take care of themselves. “Guess” is more or less universal in the States, and “calculate” is common only to the North and extreme East. “Straanger” is frequently erroneously used by English writers and speakers as an ordinary colloquialism of all Americans. It is the property of the South and South-west only, and even there is rapidly becoming obsolete. But to these expressions it is hardly fair to append the stigma of “slang.” Now there are plenty of slang words and phrases in vogue in America which probably are meaningless to English minds. A lady has purchased an article for considerably more than its value; she shows it to her husband, proclaiming its beauty and cheapness. He, seeing that she has been overcharged, endeavours to persuade her that such is the case, vainly, for she is quite satisfied with her bargain. “All right,” says he; “it’s not my funeral.” This is slang, pure and simple, but it has a derivation. It is an unintentional protest against the elaborate obsequial ceremonies indulged in by all classes in the United States, and it is a grim reference to one of those not unfrequent “shindies” that take place in Western bar-rooms, from which the men who escape with whole skins have reason to thank their stars that “it is not their funeral.” Many are the political and party expressions which may well come under the head of slang terms, such as “log-rolling,” “the bloody shirt”—a reference to the late civil war—“mugwumps”—a name given in ridicule to independent voters—“the ticket,” meaning the list of candidates recommended for election by either party, and so on. The speculative nature of nearly all Americans has originated the expression “you bet,” which is the basis of many phrases, as, “you bet your life,” “bet your sweet life,” “bet your bottom dollar,” “bet your boots,” “stake your pile,” “go the lot on that.” Favourite games of cards have caused such expressions as “euchred!” to signify that one is exposed or thwarted; “I pass,” meaning that one declines further conjecture or speculation; “let’s make a Jack-pot,” a proceeding in the game of poker similar to making a pool; “pooling the issues,” denoting an intention or proposal to put all the results of some action together and “divvy up” or divide equally among the partners. To “catch on” means to understand or comprehend quickly, and has its parallel on this side of the Atlantic in “do you catch my meaning?” It is usual in the States to call railways “railroads,” railway lines “tracks,” carriages “cars,” and stations “depots.” Tramway carriages are referred to as “street” or “horse” cars, in contradistinction to “steam-cars” or railway trains. A railway engine is known as a “locomotive,” in opposition to a stationary engine. The guards are all “conductors;” and there is no luggage, but all “baggage,” and hence porters are called opprobriously “baggage-smashers,” from their anything but gentle handling of the baggage. The speed of the trains has given rise to the phrase “to railroad a thing through,” meaning to get a thing done quickly; and the huge lamp which flashes along the line from the front of the engine has given its name to a special lamp-oil called “headlight oil.” Very nearly every State has its special provincialisms, and they are as numerous as the words peculiar to the counties of England. Climate has had a great deal to do with many of these peculiarities, the languid heat of the Southern States having induced a soft drawling accent and a habit of slurring over certain letters, syllables, and sounds.’