obscure words part 5

Not only did people in the nineteenth century use words that have fallen into obscurity, but there are also phrases and  ''sayings'' that have gone by the wayside, too. There is a modern day phrase or saying right there: gone by the wayside. I didn't even intend to use one in that sentence, it just happened. That's the thing about these phrases and sayings. We all use them regularly and we don't even realize it. People in the nineteenth century did the same thing. Lets check out some interesting obscure phrases and sayings that I've unearthed. This first one is my favorite!
          1. Acknowledge the corn : to admit the truth, to confess, to face one's own lie[s] or shortcoming[s].
              A. I suggest that you spot crying and acknowledge the corn before it's too late!
          2. Biggest toad in the puddle : the most important person in a group, room or place, an important person.  
              A. He walked around that hall like he was the biggest toad in the puddle!
          3. [Not] born in the woods to scared by an owl : one who is experienced and not afraid.
              A. That lawyer I met was not born in the woods to be scared by an owl!
          4. Elephant, to see the : to have seen, heard or experienced it all.
              A. When she walked into the party with that Negro on her arm I saw the elephant!
          5. Go the whole hog : to go all the way.
              A. If ladies are going to wear those bloomers they might as well go the whole hog and wear inexpressibles, too!
          6. Nigger in the woodpile :  to explain an unsolved mystery or something missing.
             A. After she left and my my food came up missing I knew there was a nigger in the woodpile.
          7. Pile on the agony : to add insult to injury.
             A.  I piled on the agony until he burst into tears!
          8. Post the pony : pay up
             A. You might as well post the pony before I call the authorities.
          9. Seven by nine : someone or something of inferior or common quality.
             A. She was just a seven by nine trying to pass as refined and cultured.

more obscurities after this massage from our sponsor!

Hi ! Are you a writer trying to get your book sequel finished? Are you self-published and doing everything yourself? Are you blogging everyday to keep your motivation and conviction strong? Well, the makers of Get off your butt and just do it have a new and improved version called Shut-up! Stop complaining and get to work!
    Here is a testimonial from a satisfied customer : With new and improved Shut-up! Stop complaining and get to work I've gotten nine more pages written so far this month on my sequel! I've been picking up extra shifts on my day job to replace the money I had to borrow from my book publishing and promotions savings to repair my bike. And I've researched method acting to get a feel for my article on ''method writing'' I'm going to write for SGL BookLovers Magazine! I've also been keeping up with my five blog postings a week! I highly recommend new and improved Shut-up! Stop complaining and get to work! If it works for me it can work for you, too!
    Well, there you have it folks! So, dig deep within and get yourself some Shut-up! Stop complaining and get to work today! Supplies are unlimited but time isn't! So, hurry, don't wait! Go within yourself and get yours-NOW!

obscure words part 4

Although information about LGBT people in the nineteenth century is scanty there were words used to identify us. They were not flattering words, especially during the first half, but at least they denoted some sort of existence. One word I almost included in yesterdays post on words still used today but with different meanings was the word gay. Gay was a common word in the nineteenth century but it meant happy, cheerful or in good spirits. It had nothing to do with a person's sexuality. That usage did not become commonplace until the 1970's, although people did use it alittle before that.
    In the nineteenth century people we now call gay were called sodomite[s] and it was not used in a polite sense. There was no politically correct way to describe a gay person. Homosexuality was a perversion and or a sickness-period! It was also a crime punishable by death. So, if you wanted to take a trick home you would have needed to be extra careful because it could have resulted in a treat at the gallows!
    Everyone in the nineteenth century was not hostile to gay people, however. In 1864 the first ''polite'' word to identify gay people was coined by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs. The word was uranian and in 1869 the word homosexual was coined by Karoly Maria Kertbeny. Homosexual was more of a clinical term used to denote a type of condition, although it was not necessarily mean either.
    Other nineteenth century words used for gay people or rather effeminate males were nancy/nancy-boy and, later in the century, mary. 
    The word I find most interesting and obscure is uranian. It has practically vanished. I think it's hay day, if a word can have such a thing, was around the turn of the century. It may have morphed into the now obscure homophile used in the 1950's.

obscure word part 3

There is such a thing as, what I call, word demographics. It's the way words move and change over time like a population. There are many words that have survived the nineteenth century and are still with us but have ''changed'' in terms of their meaning. Here are a few of them and their nineteenth century definitions.
          1. Grocery : a bar or drinking establishment
               A. He took us all to the grocery to celebrate is success.
          2. Gum : lies, exaggerations
               A.His explanation was nothing but gum.
          3. Bummer : a lazy hobo or drunk
               A. The city is full of bummers by day and strumpets by night.
          4. Horn : a glass of liquor or ale
               A. It took only one horn to inebriate him.
          5. Picture : one's face, one's person
               A. She sure has a pretty picture to behold.
               B. He asked if I had any money on my picture.
          6. Smile : a drink, to take a drink
              A. Sit down with us and have a smile or two!
      So, the next time somebody ask you what your smiling about,  ask them if shows on your picture. Then, tell them you just came from the grocery and had few horns with a local bummer, and that's no gum!
              

obscure words part 2

People today have this idea that profanity, swearing, euphemisms and taboo words are some kind of modern phenomenon. Historical TV dramas and movies tend to romanticize the past and, I believe, don't give an accurate picture of everyday life. If you take away today's technologies, clothing styles and junk foods people were exactly the same as they are now. If  a scene I'm writing calls for profanity, swearing, a euphemism or some taboo word, most of which are not considered taboo today, I use them because people in the mid nineteenth century would have used them. Some of these words are timeless classics and need no definition like : fuck, shit, horny, screw, cocksucker, cunt, pussy, bastard, prick, [the]clap, and ass. However, there are some words that have faded, been redefined or have become acceptable. Here is and example of some of these words.
          1. Adventuress : this is a euphemism for a prostitute or a wild women
                A. Stay away from those adventuress types while your in the city.
          2. Condom : a taboo word because condoms were illegal for most of the century.
              Jesse : hell
                A. He beat the jesse out of that redneck.
          4. Leg : this word was considered naughty or taboo. People used ''limb'' as a polite substitute.
          5. Lickfinger : a suck-up or kiss-ass.
                A. That lickfinger told her everything we said!
          6. Necessary : euphemism for outhouse or bathroom.
                A. Where might I find the  nearest necessary?
          7. Scalawag : a mean, rotten, evil or worthless person.
                A. The inn keeper was a scalawag of the worst kind.
          8. Strumpet : a whore or slut
                A. Strumpets walk the streets day and night in Baltimore.
           9.Trouser, Pants : taboo for most of the century. Instead, people said inexpressibles, unmentionables,
                 nether garments or sit-down-apons.
               

obscure words part 1

As a writer of historical fiction my goal is to take the reader back in time and make him or her feel as though they are actually there. In my case I'm referring to mid nineteenth century America. I have to do a lot of research to achieve this feeling and I find it to be a lot of fun. One of the most interesting aspects of my research is the language and speech patterns. To have authentic dialogue I try to find and use words and phrases that were common at the time but are little known and almost never used today. Here is an example of some obscure words that were commonplace in mid nineteenth century America :
             1. Balderdash : nonsense, ridiculous, meaningless babble
                A.  I believe Everything he said was complete balderdash!
             2. Chirk : happy, cheerful
                A. My mood was chirk and lively at the party last night.
             3. Corned : drunk, inebriated
                A. They all got corned last night and slept all day today.
             4.Groggery, grog shop : a bar, usually a dive
                A. He always goes to the grog shop alone but he never leaves alone.
                B. The town groggery burned down last week.
              5. Plug-ugly : a rowdy or rough-neck type of person
                A. The cities are full of dangerous plug-uglies on every corner.
              6. Sockdologer : a powerful punch or blow
                A. I'll give you a sockdologer you'll never forget !
              7. Shut pan : shut-up! shut your mouth!
                A. The man would not shut pan and let her speak.
    This is just an example of some of the words I've rediscovered in my research. I find them interesting. If you heard someone use any of them today what would you think?

I don't know what to call this post [that's the tiltle]

My bike tire ripped Tuesday, so I had to spend another $35.00 on a new tire and inner tube. I didn't have another accident or anything, it was just worn out. Anyhow, I'll give you three guesses where that money came from to repair it :
           1. my publishing and promotions budget
           2. I robbed a bank
           3. The queen of England wired me some fast cash[ she's my home girl! ]
If you chose #2 your correct! I'm just kidding. Actually, It was #1. The only robbery I committed was robbing Peter to pay Paul, again. S%#@ happens. Somehow I'll just have replace it, that is until the next emergency comes up.
    I talked to my recording engineer a few days ago about the issues I had with the book trailer's audio. He understood what I was saying and said he'd fix them. I still haven't seen the video part though. Hopefully, When this book trailer is done, and posted on YouTube, it will have been worth the struggle it took to get it done.
    My writing is going well so far this month, but then again I should hope so. We are only two days into the month! If I can't keep a 31 day commitment two days into it I might as well throw in the towel right now. I might forgive myself for a slip-up or two half way through the month, but at this point there are no excuses. Well, unless he's tall, dark and handsome!