TheNextBigWriter Premium → Old-time slang
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Does anybody besides me remember being taught in school not to use words like 'okay' (instead of all right), 'guy' (in reference to a man or boy), and of course, the ever-unpopular 'ain't'? My story takes place during the 1940s, and I want to be accurate without getting weird.
Are there any other no-nos (1950s) I should know about? Thanks. JP
Nobody called their male friends "dude". The use of "man" came about with the advent of Elvis Presley movies. "Don't mess with me, man."
Women would rather have been boiled in oil than call another woman "Bitch".
Bill
Or you could read Salinger or Kerouac, my favourite Lowry, or others from that era. It was a great time for American (and some Canadian) literature.
Be sure everyone smokes cigarettes.
... and beats their wife whilst she repeats "Thank you sir, may I have another." after each blow. Then refers to him as Daddy-O and recounts the incident as 'a fine how do you do.'
Word from the bird is that a Saturday Nite knuckle sandwich is not such a drag.
Be sure everyone smokes cigarettes.
The main character does. And because smokers have an unpleasant aroma, I have to make him forget his cigarettes, run out of them, or just have showered before every romantic scene.
Not everyone smoked. My dad quit when I was still a tot; my mom never did.
Thanks Bill, Al, and Dirk. I appreciate your suggestions. JP
... and beats their wife whilst she repeats "Thank you sir, may I have another." after each blow. Then refers to him as Daddy-O and recounts the incident as 'a fine how do you do.'
Word from the bird is that a Saturday Nite knuckle sandwich is not such a drag.
Wow. I'm not sure where that came from, but thanks. As to the suggestions-- the quote: 1800's (not slang); daddy-o: 1950s; 'a fine how-do-you-do': good one; 'word from the bird' (from a song) and 'knuckle sandwich' early 1960s.
Thanks. Keep 'em coming JP
Hi J P,
Just one thought. You mentioned "alright" and "okay" and wanted to know the appropriateness for them during that era. I grew up in the late 40s asnd into the 50s - almost 73 years old. Instead of "oaky" or "alright", where I grew up - St. Louis, Missouri area) - we often said "right-o". and if we wanted to elaborate as bit more, we'd say "right-o, kiddo"
A couple of others, if you're interested:
"Chrome-plated": Someone dressed up real nice
"Passion Pit": drive-in theater
"Radioactive": description of a very popular person
"Backseat Bingo": Serious making out in the back seat of a car.
There are many others but those are the ones that immediately came to mind.
Cool, Sideman. Those sound like over-the-top (1990s) slang from the 1950s to me. You know--exaggerated, playful. I'm working my way through the forties and fifties. When I'm done, I'll have one for every year. Reliving my youth, one might say. At the rate I'm going though, who knows?
Thanks for your help.
I remember "chrome-plated" as being derogatory, as implying a fraud, like, "All hat, no cattle." And "radioactive" I remember as an adjective for someone to avoid.
"Can't dance" meant it wouldn't work.
A DA hairstyle. . . well, I think you know what that was.
Funny, I don't remember hearing those. That's not too hard to believe, though, since I was a nerd (1970s TV sanitized version of the real word, which was 'turd').
Of course, all the bad boys wore their hair in 'ducktails.' I never heard DA; I read it later on.
This might be more 30's, but 'war paint' for makeup.
"Like a fish" for anything someone says which you don't believe (late fifties -- could've been regional, don't know.) Take care. Vern
"Like a fish" for anything someone says which you don't believe (late fifties -- could've been regional, don't know.) Take care. Vern
Sounds like the cry of "rabbit!" we'd hear from the jocks (1960s) whenever they got someone to believe a falsehood. This was in college, where things are so much more cerebral.
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TheNextBigWriter Premium → Old-time slang
