The language of the 1800s

[Jessie]

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Original Post-

I love some of the language and colloquial expressions used in past times like, 'capital' idea/ I'm your ' huckleberry' and others. They were very descriptive and sometimes now, lost to meaning.
Do you have any favorites?

 

[Alpo]

From about the end of the War until maybe the 1930s, something that was really neat, or pretty, or just GOOD, was a "daisy". That, by the way, is why when Ringo said he could kill Doc, Doc said, "You're a daisy if you do". "If you can kill me, you are awful damn good."

In 1886, a guy that worked for the Plymouth Iron Windmill Company, invented an all metal air rifle. After testing it, he said, "That's a daisy."

I'm sure you've heard of the gun.

Daisy BB Guns - Cart - Daisy Airgun Museum in Historic DownTown Rogers Arkansas!

 

[shaggist]

Two of my maternal Grandfather's expressions were:

from kin see to kant see-from dawn til dark;

and

saucered and blowed-his coffee was cool enough to drink, because he had poured part of it into the saucer and blew on it to cool it, and then poured it back into the cup.

He was born in 1880, and died in 1956.

 

[Jessie]

My Grandfather was born in 1889 and didn't talk much at all.
That's why he blew me away one time while riding in the car we passed a house that had a turret built on one side and he said" you know why that was built round? So the cat can't **** in the corner".
My parents and I were dumbfounded. That's all he said during the whole 3 hour trip. I still laugh when I think about it.

Dagnabit! I think I just hijacked my own thread.

 

[jmtgsx]

The colorful dialog of the remake of "True Grit" is what makes me prefer it over the original. More people in 1800's that could read, got their learnin' from the King James Bible than not.

 

[PA Guns & Ammo]

This thread is swell!

 

[soFlaNative]

Bah, Humbug!

 

[Jack Flash]

This may not qualify, but I always enjoyed the Gunsmoke episodes with Festus. His "difficulty with verb tenses" was surely very common in the Old West.

"What has went on here?"
"If there's any shooting to be did, I'll be the one what done it."

Actually, it wasn't that uncommon to hear similar infractions of the King's English when I was growing up in rural Michigan in the '50s and '60s.

 

[Texas Star]

I read some older books that used the phrase, "top of the morning to you."

 

[gdnagle]

For me coming up there was always "folding money" and calling everyone "friend". There are a lot more but these I heard the most.

 

[shouldazagged]

"Lock, stock and barrel."

"A flash in the pan."

"He's a straight shooter."

"Long in the tooth."

 

[tops]

Two of my maternal Grandfather's expressions were:

from kin see to kant see-from dawn til dark;

and

saucered and blowed-his coffee was cool enough to drink, because he had poured part of it into the saucer and blew on it to cool it, and then poured it back into the cup.

He was born in 1880, and died in 1956.

My grandpa was born in 1890 and died in 1958 but he never poured the coffee back in the cup. He just drank it out of the saucer. Working from can see to can't see is what it took for poor people to make a living. Larry

 

[Jessie]

This may not qualify, but I always enjoyed the Gunsmoke episodes with Festus. His "difficulty with verb tenses" was surely very common in the Old West.

"What has went on here?"
"If there's any shooting to be did, I'll be the one what done it."

Actually, it wasn't that uncommon to hear similar infractions of the King's English when I was growing up in rural Michigan in the '50s and '60s.

Festus was one of my favorites. His expressions said volumes. He did have a way with words, didn't he? Another favorite of mine was Walter Brennan. Classic.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Just hoping none of you are as worthless as **** on a boar hog.

And please do me that favor. I will give you a Yankee dime.

 

[Bkreutz]

This may not qualify, but I always enjoyed the Gunsmoke episodes with Festus. His "difficulty with verb tenses" was surely very common in the Old West.

"What has went on here?"
"If there's any shooting to be did, I'll be the one what done it."

Actually, it wasn't that uncommon to hear similar infractions of the King's English when I was growing up in rural Michigan in the '50s and '60s.

I still hear it today, can't say any more or I'll get dinged.

 

[mi2600]

Does anyone use "two bits", "four bits", etc anymore?

 

[rwsmith]

Here are some colorful ones...

He has teeth so crooked he could eat corn on the cob through a picket fence.

If all his brains were dynamite, there wouldn't be enough to blow his nose.

He's studying to be a half wit.


He ain't fit to shoot at when you want to unload and clean yo' gun.

It was so dry the bushes followed the dogs around.


I have to admit, I looked these up, but they are pretty authentic western gibberish.

 

[Calaveras Slim]

This may not qualify, but I always enjoyed the Gunsmoke episodes with Festus. His "difficulty with verb tenses" was surely very common in the Old West.

"What has went on here?"
"If there's any shooting to be did, I'll be the one what done it."

Actually, it wasn't that uncommon to hear similar infractions of the King's English when I was growing up in rural Michigan in the '50s and '60s.

A lot of folk started talking like Dizzy Dean, ex pro player, who was an announcer for the Tigers in the late 40 and 50's. When I lived in Port Huron, MI. in the 50's, used to listen to him and tried to copy him and Gabby Hayes

 

[soFlaNative]

He loves him like the Devil likes Holy Water.
Haven't seen him in a Month of Sundays / Coons Age
Knee high to a ....
Hornswoggled

 

[Cdog]

How about these dying terms/expressions?

Please
Thank You
You're welcome

Yes/No Ma'am, Sir

Ya'll get the gist, Shucks and fiddlesticks, I'll stop here so's not to bore.