The word ‘slang’ is generally used to refer to informal language, often associated with particular age or social classes – but a precise definition can be elusive, as words and phrases slide in and out of various categories over time.
But one of the most charming qualities of slang is that it can be quite ephemeral, associated with a particular – sometimes brief – period when it resonated with a certain group of people.
Of course, there’s slang in every language – both a linguistic treat and a headache to the translator – but sticking with English for now, here are some nineteenth century terms that were all the rage… until they weren’t:
‘Bang up to the elephant’: perfect and complete.
‘Cheese and Crust’: a politer alternative to an exclamation that sounds similar – can you guess?
‘Doing the bear’: hugging your beloved in the process of courtship.
‘Gas-pipes’: tight trousers.
‘Got the morbs’: feeling temporarily mournful.
‘Smothering a parrot’: knocking back a glass of absinthe.
If those phrases sound odd to you, imagine what today’s slang will sound like in 150 years!
As you can imagine, slang can be exceedingly difficult to translate. The best option is to find an equivalent phrase in the target language, even if the literal meaning is vastly different.
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