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They Say Em' From the Golden Era - Slang & Memorable Phrases

olive bleu

One Too Many
Messages
1,667
Location
Nova Scotia
i worked in a pastry shop for 3 years where one of the pastry chefs used to yell that at her minions.( "Shut yer Pie-hole") always made my day.:)
 

Burnsie

Registered User
Messages
267
Location
Virginia
There's a book from 1944 called "The Slanguage Dictionary" and it's absolutely indispensible if you can find it...it's divided into civilian slang, military slang and (gasp) Jazz slang!
I got mine at Whitings Old Paper in Richmond VA for $2.
Hunt it down and start speakin' Slanguage!
 

Forgotten Man

One Too Many
Messages
1,944
Location
City Dump 32 E. River Sutton Place.
For me, I use 30s slang as much as possible! Mostly tough guy terms in phrases like so:

Ok, I'll be down toot-sweet!

Sure, hold the wire!

What's comin' off here?

Keep ridin' me like this, you'll have to pay the fare, get me?

If ya don't get wise to yer self, it'll be just too bad, see!

Say, what's the big idea

Why, ya big palooka?

Ya big ape, ya fouled me!

Say, what's it all about?

Oh, so ya wanna play huh? Ok, you asked for it!

You big dope, watch where yer steppin' or you'll end up with a lump, king sized!

Whoever rocked your cradle over did it!

Get a load of this lug, he's real sharp, as sharp as a bowlin' ball this one... if you're not careful, you'll end up takin' a dirt nap in marble town, read me? lol

Now, my favorite way to tell the storry of "Little Red Riding Hood" comes from
"A Slight Case of Murder"...

So, little Red Ridin' Hood grabs her self a basket of chow and hotfoots it to her Grama's. Now, the wolf who was hangin' around for no good spies Little Red Ridin' Hood trottin' through the woods and tails her. The ol' bag of bones has taken a powder, so the wolf ties on a bonnet and slips into bed and waits for Little Red Ridin' hood; with a look on his pan, like a tramp takin' a hinge in a lunch room.

lol
 

Maguire

Practically Family
Messages
619
Location
New York
I suppose i should add the use of the term "sap". I can't think of any off the top of my head aside from this, although you can very easily recognize the vernacular from that era.
 

Maguire

Practically Family
Messages
619
Location
New York
Forgotten Man said:
Sap is good... lol I've always liked that one and I use it as well.

Also, when someone is complainin' about somethin, I just say: Oh, dry up!

That's another classic term.
wow i didn't realize that was "vintage", i hear my father use it all the time. but then again he's pretty vintage himself (ireland pre 1960s was like the rest of europe pre Iron Age in many ways).
 

Forgotten Man

One Too Many
Messages
1,944
Location
City Dump 32 E. River Sutton Place.
Say, you're a "Slight Case of Murder" fan too? I tell ya, it's got some great stuff! Funny too! One of my favorites!

Nora: Why ain' the prize package in B.E.D?

Douglas: Cuz, I want more to E.A.T. ya ol' C.O.W!

Or the classic line:

Remy: I'm goin' to take care of each and everyone of you guys... come here and take a gander at this, ya know, Marco hasn't been a sleep! Drink Gold Velvet Beer, Remi Marco President...

Mike: That sign boss? It ain't big enough!

Remy: Ah you dope! Ain't ya got any imagination? It's just a miniature model to give you an idea... bahhhhh.

lol
 

Godfrey

One of the Regulars
Messages
243
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Forgotten Man said:
So, little Red Ridin' Hood grabs her self a basket of chow and hotfoots it to her Grama's. Now, the wolf who was hangin' around for no good spies Little Red Ridin' Hood trottin' through the woods and tails her. The ol' bag of bones has taken a powder, so the wolf ties on a bonnet and slips into bed and waits for Little Red Ridin' hood; with a look on his pan, like a tramp takin' a hinge in a lunch room.

lol

That's the best! I've never seen "A Slight Case of Murder". On the list and right to number one!

Mine:
"What's the rumpus?" (Millers Crossing)
"What's the hub-bub... bub?"
"That's a girl that would make the bishop kick out the stain glass" - Chandler - but probably not the direct quote just the one I have in my head
 

Hemingway Jones

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
6,099
Location
Acton, Massachusetts
I like to say, "How do you do?" when I meet someone. It has a bit of Old Time charm to it.

I've also somehow adopted the vintage Brittishism, "Can't be helped," which aids me greatly in keeping things in perspective.

Does anyone else have a tendecy to answer casual vernacular American English with very formal classic American English?

Like this:

"Yo, Wasshup?" When meeting someone.
"How do you do?" as a response.

Being distinquished is distinquishing oneself.
 

Darhling

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,517
Location
Norwich, RAF County!
Hemingway Jones said:
I like to say, "How do you do?" when I meet someone. It has a bit of Old Time charm to it.

I've also somehow adopted the vintage Brittishism, "Can't be helped," which aids me greatly in keeping things in perspective.

Does anyone else have a tendecy to answer casual vernacular American English with very formal classic American English?

Like this:

"Yo, Wasshup?" When meeting someone.
"How do you do?" as a response.

Being distinquished is distinquishing oneself.


Remember to politely answer them first, before you ask how they are doing. Being distinquished is to me about being polite and friendly even to those you do not wish to be politely too. To ignore their questions would be quite snobbish - to me anyway.
 

Hemingway Jones

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
6,099
Location
Acton, Massachusetts
Darhling said:
Remember to politely answer them first, before you ask how they are doing. Being distinquished is to me about being polite and friendly even to those you do not wish to be politely too. To ignore their questions would be quite snobbish - to me anyway.
I'm not sure it's polite to answer a rhetorical question at all. When most people ask how you are doing? They do not expect a literal response. In fact, it is often impolite to give them one. "Shall I burden you with a litany of my woes?"

Though it is common practice to answer a rhetorical question with a rhetorical question; with a warm smile smoothing over the particulars.
Such as, "What's going on?"
"What's going on with you?"

I am polite to everyone I meet. Making connections with other people is one of the most wonderful things in this world. Meeting a new person is an amazing opportunity to discover a new world; every person is a world unto themselves.

The example above was hypothetical. I'll leave what is and isn't snobbish to you. I don't see the world in those terms. I embrace all humanity as I find them and invite everyone into my world. It's the writer in me. :)
 

KittyT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,463
Location
Boston, MA
Hemingway Jones said:
I like to say, "How do you do?" when I meet someone. It has a bit of Old Time charm to it.

I use "it's a pleasure to meet you" quite frequently.

Does anyone else have a tendecy to answer casual vernacular American English with very formal classic American English?

I wouldn't say I have a tendency to do it, but I do engage in it, depending on the circumstances.
 

Darhling

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,517
Location
Norwich, RAF County!
Hemingway - that is where the world is thankfully different. I have always been brought up with being polite towards peopoe and learned quite an bit it in my private school too. Of course I would not answer with that example you gave!! lol lol Who would??!!

If someone asks you (they ask you, it is a question, not neccesarily a retorical one) how do you do?/yo wassup? I always answer, thank you, I am doing very well or something along those lines. THEN I ask them, how they are and they always respond back.
 

Miss Neecerie

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,616
Location
The land of Sinatra, Hoboken
Darhling said:
Hemingway - that is where the world is thankfully different. I have always been brought up with being polite towards peopoe and learned quite an bit it in my private school too. Of course I would not answer with that example you gave!! lol lol Who would??!!

If someone asks you (they ask you, it is a question, not neccesarily a retorical one) how do you do?/yo wassup? I always answer, thank you, I am doing very well or something along those lines. THEN I ask them, how they are and they always respond back.


This might be a cultural difference then.

In America, people say most of these phrases as a platitude and don't actually WANT to hear how you are and in fact would look at you as if you grew a third arm if you started to actually say how you were.

The acceptable answers to "How are you?"


are

"fine, thanks and you?'

"doing okay, and you?"

etc.

One would use these same things even if you were bleeding to death......;)
 

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