The Slang Dictionary of 1859 — Publix Press

The Publix Press edition of The Slang Dictionary of 1859 by John Camden Hotten:

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The Slang Dictionary of 1859 was originally compiled by publisher and lexicographer John Camden Hotten in 1859. Originally titled Dictionary of Modern Slang, Cant and Vulgar Words, the book includes language used in the streets of London, the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the houses of Parliament, the dens of St. Giles, and the palaces of St. James. This publication includes criminal slang, back slang, rhyming slang, and other types of slang. Its author, Hotten, included histories of some slangs (back slang and rhyming slang), a detailed bibliography, and definitions of slang as "that evanescent, vulgar language, ever changing with fashion and taste... spoken by persons in every grade of life, rich and poor, honest and dishonest... Slang is indulged in from a desire to appear familiar with life, gaiety, town-humour and with the transient nick names and street jokes of the day... Slang is the language of street humour, of fast, high and low life... Slang is as old as speech and the congregating together of people in cities. It is the result of crowding, and excitement, and artificial life. It is often full of the most pungent satire, and is always to the point. Without point Slang has no raison d'etre." Hotten's work was arguably the most important work on swears since Francis Grose's 1785 Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.

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