A slang dictionary is a reference book containing an alphabetical list of slang, which is vernacularvocabulary not generally acceptable in formal usage, usually including information given for each word, including meaning, pronunciation, and etymology. It can provide definitions on a range of slang from more mundane terms (like "rain check" or "bob and weave") to obscure sexual practices. Such works also can include words and phrases arising from different dialects and argots, which may or may not have passed into more common usage. They can also track the changing meaning of the terms over time and space, as they migrate and mutate.
Slang dictionaries have been around for hundreds of years.
The Canting Academy, or Devil's Cabinet Opened was a 17th-century slang dictionary, written in 1673 by Richard Head, that looked to define thieves' cant.[1]
In recent years, dictionaries with a more academic focus have tried to bring together etymological studies in an attempt to provide definitive guides to slang while avoiding problems arising from folk etymology and false etymology. The study of slang is now taken seriously by academics, especially lexicographers like the late Eric Partridge, devoting their energies to the field and publishing on it, including producing slang dictionaries.
fromoldbooks.org version of the Vulgar Tongue with one page per entry, links to examples and to another canting (thieving) dictionary
Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhyme, edited by John Farmer (1896)
British Library article on The Canting Academy
April 13, 2024
slang, dictionary, slang, dictionary, reference, book, containing, alphabetical, list, slang, which, vernacular, vocabulary, generally, acceptable, formal, usage, usually, including, information, given, each, word, including, meaning, pronunciation, etymology,. A slang dictionary is a reference book containing an alphabetical list of slang which is vernacular vocabulary not generally acceptable in formal usage usually including information given for each word including meaning pronunciation and etymology It can provide definitions on a range of slang from more mundane terms like rain check or bob and weave to obscure sexual practices Such works also can include words and phrases arising from different dialects and argots which may or may not have passed into more common usage They can also track the changing meaning of the terms over time and space as they migrate and mutate Contents 1 Famous slang dictionaries 1 1 17th and 18th centuries 1 2 Modern times 1 3 Examples 1 4 Vulgar slang 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksFamous slang dictionaries edit17th and 18th centuries edit Slang dictionaries have been around for hundreds of years The Canting Academy or Devil s Cabinet Opened was a 17th century slang dictionary written in 1673 by Richard Head that looked to define thieves cant 1 A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew was first published c 1698 A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose was first published in 1785 2 3 4 Grose s work was arguably the most significant English language slang dictionary until John Camden Hotten s 1859 A Dictionary of Modern Slang Cant and Vulgar Words 5 Modern times edit In recent years dictionaries with a more academic focus have tried to bring together etymological studies in an attempt to provide definitive guides to slang while avoiding problems arising from folk etymology and false etymology The study of slang is now taken seriously by academics especially lexicographers like the late Eric Partridge devoting their energies to the field and publishing on it including producing slang dictionaries Examples edit Green s Dictionary of Slang by Jonathon Green Chambers ISBN 978 0 550 10440 3 2010 comprising three volumes A E F O P Z Chambers Slang Dictionary by Jonathon Green Chambers Harrap Publishers ISBN 978 0 550 10439 7 2008 previously Cassell Dictionary of Slang Cassell Reference 1998 last edition 2006 ISBN 978 0 304 36636 1 Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English by Eric Partridge and Paul Beale Routledge 2002 ISBN 0 415 29189 5 The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang by John Ayto and John Simpson Oxford University Press 2005 ISBN 0 19 861052 1 Vulgar slang edit There have also been a subsequent amount of tongue in cheek efforts which tend to focus on the more vulgar slang terms Roger s Profanisaurus Rex The Ultimate Swearing Dictionary third edition Viz 2005 ISBN 0 7522 2812 9 Slang Defined by Aaron Peckham Andrews McMeel 2006 ISBN 0 7407 5143 3 Urban Dictionary By Aaron Peckham 1999See also editJargon Thieves cantReferences edit British Library article on The Canting Academy British Library Texts in Context 1785 Grose s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue fromoldbooks org version of the Vulgar Tongue with one page per entry links to examples and to another canting thieving dictionary A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue at Project Gutenberg Tony Thorne 2000 Slang and the Dictionary External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article A Dictionary of Slang Jargon amp Cant British Library Texts in Context 1785 Grose s Dictionary of the Vulgar TongueA Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue at Project Gutenberg fromoldbooks org version of the Vulgar Tongue with one page per entry links to examples and to another canting thieving dictionary A 1737 dictionary of canting slang produced by Nathan Bailey Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhyme edited by John Farmer 1896 British Library article on The Canting Academy Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Slang dictionary amp oldid 1152251582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
