Victorian Slang and Curses

"Remember, my son, keep your Arbor Vitae away from Miss. Laycock"

To prove that a fascination with slang and vulgarity predates Urban Dictionary, take a look at the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue published by Project Gutenberg. Its author claims it documents "all the peculiarities of language by which the man of spirit is distinguished from the man of worth," that sort of thing being very important to Victorians.  Apparently they were also worried about people discussing "twiddle diddles" around women.

I can't help but think that there is more than moral instruction behind this dictionary, but also a smidgen of lurid curiosity. Some Highlights:

Many of these so-called vulgar terms are now standard or even quaint idioms. Take KICK THE BUCKET (die), CANARY BIRD (prisoner) or PIG HEADED (stubborn). SHAG and SCREW have maintained their meaning over the last two hundred years, but VIXEN has changed for the better. (For more on that, see my Word of the Moment feature on "fox" here).

Quite a few words have disappeared, except in print. I suspect ATHANASIAN WENCH and QUICUNQUE VULT have lost a bit of their punch. And I've never heard a patron at Lisa's Billiards and Brews complain about the guy staring at her DIDDEYS or DUDS (although I think APPLE DUMPLIN SHOP is due for a comeback).

The Grammar Police currently wringing their hands over the abbrevs kids are using these days may be dismayed to find two hundred year old chimney sweeps using YEST (for yesterday). Among the other terms I'd love to bring back are COCK ALLEY, DICKED IN THE NOB and FART CATCHERS (admittedly limited in usage these days, but what a mental image!).

By the way, if you're curious, "twiddle diddles" are the same thing as "nutmegs" and "tallywags."