Books with title 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

The “1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue,” was written by Francis Grose (a British soldier) just after the American Revolution. The word "vulgar" means slang, though some of them are vulgar. This book was banned in military camps at the time. This book is hysterical, both educational and entertaining. It shows how normal people spoke over 200 years ago, and provides endless possibilities for insulting friends. It is an old dictionary of words that will "pitch kettle" (confound) people if you actually use them, and others are still around, like "to catch a crab" (to fall backwards by missing one's stroke in rowing). If you are into quirky dictionaries like this, then you'll enjoy it.

Excerpts..The merit of Captain Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue has been long and universally acknowledged. But its circulation was confined almost exclusively to the lower orders of society: he was not aware, at the time of its compilation, that our young men of fashion would at no very distant period be as distinguished for the vulgarity of their jargon as the inhabitants of Newgate; and he therefore conceived it superfluous to incorporate with his work the few examples of fashionable slang that might occur to his observation.But our Jehus of rank have a phraseology not less peculiar to themselves, than the disciples of Barrington: for the uninitiated to understand their modes of expression, is as impossible as for a Buxton to construe the Greek Testament. To sport an Upper Benjamin, and to swear with a good grace, are qualifications easily attainable by their cockney imitators; but without the aid of our additional definitions, neither the cits of Fish-street, nor the boors of Brentford would be able to attain the language of whippism. We trust, therefore, that the whole tribe of second-rate Bang Ups, will feel grateful for our endeavour to render this part of the work as complete as possible. By an occasional reference to our pages, they may be initiated into all the peculiarities of language by which the man of spirit is distinguished from the man of worth. They may now talk bawdy before their papas, without the fear of detection, and abuse their less spirited companions, who prefer a good dinner at home to a glorious UP-SHOT in the highway, without the hazard of a cudgelling.But we claim not merely the praise of gratifying curiosity, or affording assistance to the ambitious; we are very sure that the moral influence of the Lexicon Balatronicum will be more certain and extensive than that of any methodist sermon that has ever been delivered within the bills of mortality. We need not descant on the dangerous impressions that are made on the female mind, by the remarks that fall incidentally from the lips of the brothers or servants of a family; and we have before observed, that improper topics can with our assistance be discussed, even before the ladies, without raising a blush on the cheek of modesty. It is impossible that a female should understand the meaning of TWIDDLE DIDDLES, or rise from table at the mention of BUCKINGER'S BOOT. Besides, Pope assures us, that "VICE TO BE HATED NEEDS BUT TO BE SEEN;" in this volume it cannot be denied, that she is seen very plainly; and a love of virtue is, therefore, the necessary result of perusing it.The propriety of introducing the UNIVERSITY SLANG will be readily admitted; it is not less curious than that of the College in the Old Bailey and is less generally understood. When the number and accuracy of our additions are compared with the price of the volume, we have no doubt that its editors will meet with the encouragement that is due to learning, modesty, and virtue.

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The merit of Captain Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue has been long and universally acknowledged. But its circulation was confined almost exclusively to the lower orders of society: he was not aware, at the time of its compilation, that our young men of fashion would at no very distant period be as distinguished for the vulgarity of their jargon as the inhabitants of Newgate; and he therefore conceived it superfluous to incorporate with his work the few examples of fashionable slang that might occur to his observation.

THIS IS NOT A HASTILY ASSEMBLED SCAN OR "FACSIMILE EDITION" OF THIS WORK. EVERY LETTER AND WORD OF THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RESET AND CAREFULLY PROOFED FOR ACCURACY. Description: A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence Synopsis: The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue is a wonderful and hilarious compendium of street jargon, phrases of an indelicate nature, and other expressions of the riff-raff, university students, men of fashion, and other unsavory types popularly in use in and around London at the beginning of the Nineteenth Century. This is one of the most controversial dictionaries ever produced and not for the faint-hearted. Totally out of line with today's standards of propriety and political correctness, Captain Grose's Dictionary unapologetically takes aim at every human foible, quirk and oddity. Nothing is spared. If you love the English language, if you are curious about the true origins of much of the slang and street talk in use today, if you are not easily shocked, this is the Dictionary for you. This edition preserves the original spellings found in Grose's work and include his own interesting methods of censoring words even he found to be objectionable. This is NOT the Kings English!

Francis Grose (1731-1791) was an antiquary, a lexicographer, of Swiss extraction, and a Richmond Herald from 1755 to 1763. He published Antiquities of England and Wales (1773-87), which was well received, and thereafter, in 1789, set out on an antiquarian tour through Scotland, the fruit of which was Antiquity of Scotland (1789- 91). He afterwards undertook a similar expedition to Ireland, but died suddenly at Dublin. He also wrote A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785), which was revised and republished under the title 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue in 1811. His other works include A Provincial Glossary (1787) and A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons. He was an accomplished draughtsman, and illustrated his works.