Informal English
Puncture Ladies, Egg Harbors, Mississippi Marbles, and Other Curious Words and Phrases of North America
Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Language Arts, Public Speaking, Speech, Grammar
| Author: | Jeffrey Kacirk | ISBN: | 9780743271950 |
| Publisher: | Touchstone | Publication: | April 25, 2005 |
| Imprint: | Touchstone | Language: | English |
| Author: | Jeffrey Kacirk |
| ISBN: | 9780743271950 |
| Publisher: | Touchstone |
| Publication: | April 25, 2005 |
| Imprint: | Touchstone |
| Language: | English |
Gleaned from antiquated dictionaries, dialect glossaries, studies of folklore, nautical lexicons, historical writings, letters, novels, and miscellaneous sources, Informal English offers a captivating treasure trove of linguistic oddities that will not only entertain but also shed light on America's colloquial past. Among the gems are:
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Surface-coal: cow dung, widely used for fuel in Texas
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Bone-orchard: in the Southwest slang for a cemetery
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Chawswizzled: "confounded" in Nebraskan idiom. "I'll be chawswizzled!"
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Leather-ears: to Cape Cod inhabitants, a person of slow comprehension
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Puncture lady: a southwestern expression for a woman who prefers to sit on the sidelines at a dance and gossip rather than dance, often puncturing someone's reputation
Whether the entries are unexpected twists on familiar-sounding expressions or based on curious old customs, this wide-ranging assortment of vernacular Americanisms will amaze and amuse even the most hard-boiled curmudgeon.
Gleaned from antiquated dictionaries, dialect glossaries, studies of folklore, nautical lexicons, historical writings, letters, novels, and miscellaneous sources, Informal English offers a captivating treasure trove of linguistic oddities that will not only entertain but also shed light on America's colloquial past. Among the gems are:
-
Surface-coal: cow dung, widely used for fuel in Texas
-
Bone-orchard: in the Southwest slang for a cemetery
-
Chawswizzled: "confounded" in Nebraskan idiom. "I'll be chawswizzled!"
-
Leather-ears: to Cape Cod inhabitants, a person of slow comprehension
-
Puncture lady: a southwestern expression for a woman who prefers to sit on the sidelines at a dance and gossip rather than dance, often puncturing someone's reputation
Whether the entries are unexpected twists on familiar-sounding expressions or based on curious old customs, this wide-ranging assortment of vernacular Americanisms will amaze and amuse even the most hard-boiled curmudgeon.
