[1] The preface of Baumann’s Slang and Cant Vocabulary (Londonismen) gives us a good, chronologically arranged catalogue—often with specimens—of the principal representatives of this literature.
[2] Such words are: cad (formerly = a person performing menial offices, esp. omnibus conductor; now = an offensive or ill-bred person, irrespective of social position); pal; row; chum, rum (formerly = splendid, magnificent, as in Rom Vile: the splendid city, London; now = odd, queer); cheek, etc.
[3] I refer, for instance, to the catalogue of »flash», »cant», and »slang» dictionaries—from the beginning of the 15th century down to the present time—given as an introduction to Farmer-Henley’s dictionary of slang and colloquial English.
In France, there is the same confusion of argot (= slang) and langue vulgaire or triviale.
[4] The Gipsy vocabulary seems to have influenced the secret thieves’ slang, and, accordingly, vulgar language, in other countries besides England. Thus, there are in modern Stockholm-cant words such as: lattjo (pleasant), tjej (sweetheart; Gipsy: chel?), pirka (cap), etc., originating, it is said, from the Gipsy language.
[5] In the preface of his Slang and Cant Dict., H. Baumann gives us an excellent essay on Cant, its history and its sources, which I beg to recommend to anybody who is interested in the subject. The above lines on the sources and development of Cant are principally based on this essay.
[6] Cf. I say, mother, our Deb’s bin and smoshed young W.—Done what to un?—Smoshed him.—Why, I never touched him.—Yes, thee have, thee’ve smoshed un—that be the new Lunnun word; made un in love wi’ thee. (Woodb. Farm 17. 35)
[7] Cf. the synonymous huffy, grumpy. Humped > humpy; dotted > dotty, etc. are vulgar formations.
I think it ‘à propos’ to quote here the following, well-known story:
A sentimental young lady once went into a new music shop, where the young proprietor had done very little business, and asked sweetly: »Have you got the ‘Bleeding Heart’?» »No», was the answer, »but I have got ‘the bloody hump’!»