...language has always fascinated me, both its' absence a la pre-verbal kids, and the ways smaller groups create and use their own terminology to control access to the group, how much other people know about your business and as one on those areas of everyday life- like clothes, cars, gardens and christmas lights - where the creativity of 'regular' people can be seen in all it's glory...
here's some examples of hipster jargon from the 40s and 50s. some of them are amazingly poetic, some truly hardass, all interesting...
BARBECUE: A hot-looking lady.
BOIL MY CABBAGE: Blues slang for sex.
BUCKET OF BLOOD: A spit and sawdust bar.
BUNK HABIT: Lounging around while others smoke opium, and inhaling the fumes.
BUTTER-AND-EGG: Out-of-town sucker, free with his money.
CHICAGO OVERCOAT: Coffin.
CHICAGO LIGHTNING: Gunfire.
COLD MEAT PARTY: A funeral.
COMMUNITY JOY RIDE: A druggie party.
DEAD SOLDIERS: Empty beer bottles.
DIME DROPPER: An informer (someone who drops a dime in payphone to call the cops).
FACE LIKE A RUSSIAN FLAG: Embarrassed, ie red.
FLORIDA HONEYMOON: A dirty weekend.
FREE TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT: Out of work, unemployed.
HAEMOPHILIA OF THE LARYNX: A blabbermouth.
HARLEM SUNSET: Knife wounds.
HAVE ONE ON THE CITY: Drink some water.
HOT SQUAT/JUICE JOLT: The electric chair.
JACK RABBIT BLOOD: Habitual prison escaper.
KNOW YOUR GROCERIES: Be hip, aware, alert to the situation.
LONGHAIRS: Non-hipsters, squares, lovers of straight music.
MATTRESS ROUTE: Sleeping your way to the top.
MOOSE-EYES: A leering dude.
OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE: Vintage liquor or wine.
PREPARING BAIT: Putting on makeup.
PULLING THE DUTCH ACT: Committing suicide.
RIDING ACADEMY: Brothel.
ROUNDHEELS: Party girl (deriving from a supposed natural ability to regularly fall over backwards).
THE SCRAMBLE EGG TREATMENT: A sex show.
SCREWED, BLUED AND TATTOOED: A wild night out.
SINHOUND: A priest.
SNIFFING ARIZONA PERFUME: Going to the gas chamber.
STRAIGHT FROM THE FRIDGE: Cool. Obviously.
TAKEN OFF THE PAYROLL: Killed/assassinated.
THAT VIBRATES ME: I'm impressed, I really like it.
THROW THAT DIRT IN YOUR FACE: Being buried.
TORSO-TOSSER: Hootchie-coochie dancer, stripper.
VOMIT ON THE TABLE: Speak up.
WEEK AT THE KNEES: Unsuccessful courtship.
YOUR ROOF IS LEAKING: You're a bit crazy.
-30-
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