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Antebellum and Civil War Slang
12-19-2013, 12:31 PM (This post was last modified: 12-19-2013 01:58 PM by BettyO.)
Post: #1
Antebellum and Civil War Slang
Just for fun, I found this little bit of "period atmosphere" on the web -
The Vocabulum; or, The Rogue's Lexicon by George Washington Matsell, circa 1859.

This is a compilation of "every day slang" and "street talk" utilized in the middle half of Victorian era America and was apparently written to "assist" law enforcement at the time. Doubtless it also found it's way into the army - both North and South.

Here is a downloadable free eBook -

https://archive.org/details/cu31924073798740

A fun and informative read....

"The Past is a foreign country...they do things differently there" - L. P. Hartley
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12-19-2013, 01:18 PM
Post: #2
RE: Antebellum and Civil War Slang
Vicki and I are going shopping on hangman's day and hope we don't encounter a bludget.
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12-19-2013, 02:03 PM
Post: #3
RE: Antebellum and Civil War Slang
I bought my sister a "tattler" for Christmas - I now have to "raise the wind" in order to pay for it by working late tonight!

"The Past is a foreign country...they do things differently there" - L. P. Hartley
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12-19-2013, 07:42 PM (This post was last modified: 12-19-2013 07:45 PM by Eva Elisabeth.)
Post: #4
RE: Antebellum and Civil War Slang
I wonder if a caper cove is what I think it is, it seems a bit one of the odd ones out in the dominant word field, sounds rather like argot than street talk! Did common people use such slang?

However, the next one who nails a trivia question, I'll call clean, and I wish a chaffey Xmas.
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12-20-2013, 06:19 AM
Post: #5
RE: Antebellum and Civil War Slang
(12-19-2013 07:42 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  However, the next one who nails a trivia question, I'll call clean, and I wish a chaffey Xmas.

I will sure try hard especially if you add a lot of coach vvhkhls as a prize.
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12-20-2013, 08:47 AM
Post: #6
RE: Antebellum and Civil War Slang
(12-19-2013 07:42 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  However, the next one who nails a trivia question, I'll call clean, and I wish a chaffey Xmas.

Is there a special ointment for that I can get at the drugstore?

So when is this "Old Enough To Know Better" supposed to kick in?
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12-20-2013, 08:51 AM
Post: #7
RE: Antebellum and Civil War Slang
(12-20-2013 08:47 AM)Gene C Wrote:  
(12-19-2013 07:42 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  However, the next one who nails a trivia question, I'll call clean, and I wish a chaffey Xmas.

Is there a special ointment for that I can get at the drugstore?

Ask Rollo Diller.

Best
Roh

Abraham Lincoln in the only man, dead or alive, with whom I could have spent five years without one hour of boredom.
--Ida M. Tarbell

I want the respect of intelligent men, but I will choose for myself the intelligent.
--Carl Sandburg
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12-20-2013, 10:02 AM
Post: #8
RE: Antebellum and Civil War Slang
(12-20-2013 06:19 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  
(12-19-2013 07:42 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  However, the next one who nails a trivia question, I'll call clean, and I wish a chaffey Xmas.

I will sure try hard especially if you add a lot of coach vvhkhls as a prize.
I'm afraid I could only offer €, strangely they are not mentioned...and not a lot as well as I'm lacking high tide.
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