Month: November 2024

Slang from Storm Waters, Part 3

Posted on by kat_richardson

The Bird (Give The Bird)

Hey, a term that hung on for a looooooong time and comes from the 1920s, but was still in use into the early 1970s in some places. Which is why I have to differentiate between this “bird” and the “bird” that is flipped via a finger beginning in the late 1950s/early 1960s (this is a bit hard to pin down.) The obnoxious noise implies a degree of derision or disapproval without being overtly obscene (though that noise… well, you know.)

Give the bird: (v) blow a raspberry/”Bronx cheer”; make a derogatory sound with the lips. (not  the flipping of a middle finger.)

I have no idea why the New York City borough of the Bronx gets the nod for this noise, but there it is. Maybe folks from the Bronx are just particularly good at expressing their disgust without actually saying a word. Given that we’ve just emerged from a highly-charged Presidential election cycle here in the United States, I have no doubt there are plenty of people giving others the bird today (of both varieties.) All together, now: put your tongue between your lips and make a very rude noise!

In front of a brick wall, head and shoulders of a young man with curly brown hair "blowing a razberry" or "bronx cheer" with his tongue sticking out between his lips and his cheeks puffed out to make a rude noise.

 

Slang from Storm Waters, Part 2

Posted on by kat_richardson

All Rung Up:

Continuing with the daily slang term from the 1920s and 30s. Will you be celebrating tonight when the election returns come in? Maybe you’ll be “All rung up.” No, you won’t be on the phone until you’re exhausted, nor will you and your party be on the trash pile of election history. Instead, you will be dressed to impress!

All rung up: (adj) dressed in fancy clothes or costume; may imply evening clothes.

This odd phrase shows up in plenty of pulp descriptions of the 1920s and into the early 1940s, when it faded out. Keep an eye out for this phrase when you read Storm Waters.

black and white charcoal sketch of people in many different fancy costumes

 

Slang from Storm Waters Part 1

Posted on by kat_richardson

All Balled Up

So, Storm Waters comes out next week from Fairwood press, and since it’s set in Los Angeles in 1934, I thought I’d post a slang term from the period every day until the book is out. So let’s start with something that might be appropriate, considering that tomorrow is Election Day in the USA:

All balled up: (v) confuse; make a mess of; get something wrong. Eg: “You got it all balled up!”

Because no matter how this election goes, someone will claim it was all balled up. Whatever else you do, don’t ball up your chance to vote!