Colloquialisms?

[cookiejar]

Anyone have any good sites on them? I'm basically looking for American colloquialisms in the 1800's. I've googled but nothing seems to fit.

 

[minsue]

Found a site on 19th Cent. British slang, but so far none for American.

Edited to add: I posted too soon...19th Cent. American Slang

 

[cookiejar]

Found a site on 19th Cent. British slang, but so far none for American.

The same here, I know it's out there, now to find it. Where's Sherlock Holmes when you need him?

BTW...morning!

 

[minsue]

Morning

See edit above. The site claims

"And so, dear reader, here be but a microcosm of America's nineteenth-century colloquialisms and slang, some from the upper class, some from the lower, and much from the strata in between."

Hope that helps!

 

[cookiejar]

Morning

See edit above. The site claims

"And so, dear reader, here be but a microcosm of America's nineteenth-century colloquialisms and slang, some from the upper class, some from the lower, and much from the strata in between."

Hope that helps!

Thanks a bunch. I guess I should have looked huh?

 

[minsue]

Thanks a bunch. I guess I should have looked huh?

Donchya hate it when people go and edit their posts?

My favorite from the As -

All-overish: uncomfortable.
1855: I grew - all-overish - no other phrase expresses it. Putnam's Magazine, December

 

[cookiejar]

Donchya hate it when people go and edit their posts?

My favorite from the As -

All-overish: uncomfortable.
1855: I grew - all-overish - no other phrase expresses it. Putnam's Magazine, December

Lol...I love confinement for pregnancy.

 

[Alex De Kok]

You could try the library, too. Writer's Digest Books publish a tome called The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800s which has a chapter on slang and everyday speech, including the naughty words. ISBN: 0-89879-541-9

It's a good book for anyone considering a nineteenth century story.

Alex

 

[cookiejar]

You could try the library, too. Writer's Digest Books publish a tome called The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800s which has a chapter on slang and everyday speech, including the naughty words. ISBN: 0-89879-541-9

It's a good book for anyone considering a nineteenth century story.

Alex

Thanks Alex, good idea.

 

[OldnotDead]

Cookie,

Some general comments. The colloquiallisms of 1803 and those of 1893 would be vastly different. There would also be a great deal of regional uniqueness to what was popularly used and what would be understood.

At the same time, there was a veritable explosion of publishing that occurred later in the century. If you are thinking of something in the second half, check out your local library for some of the popular authors of the time and look at how they have their characters speak.

Biographies are also a great source of quotations from any time period.

Lots of local historical societies have set up collections of letters, newspapers and such. If there is something like that near you it can be a lot of fun to go look them over. If you do not, there are more and more books that have been assembled over letters and diaries covering different periods. The Civil War has the most.

Do not forget the music. One of our family friends published a book years ago called The Singing Sixties. It was not about Hippies and Woodstock, but about The Civil War years and the music from both North and South. In the music you find a lot of popular expressions as well.

Have fun.

 

[cookiejar]

Cookie,

Some general comments. The colloquiallisms of 1803 and those of 1893 would be vastly different. There would also be a great deal of regional uniqueness to what was popularly used and what would be understood.

At the same time, there was a veritable explosion of publishing that occurred later in the century. If you are thinking of something in the second half, you check out your local library for some of the popular authors of the time and look at how they have their characters speak.

Biographies are also a great source of quotations from any time period.

Lots of local historical societies have set up collections of letters, newspapers and such. If there is something like that near you it can be a lot of fun to go look them over. If you do not, there are more and more books that have been assembled over letters and diaries covering different periods. The Civil War has the most.

Do not forget the music. One of our family friends published a book years ago called The Singing Sixties. It was not about Hippies and Woodstock, but about The Civil War years and the music from both North and South. In the music you find a lot of popular expressions as well.

Have fun.

Thanks OnD...I actually have a couple of books supposedly penned during the Civil War and a trip to the library is next. Thanks hon.