Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1891 — Alien Slang Words. [ARTICLE]

Alien Slang Words.

Many slang forms are corruptions or modifications of fo.olgn words wrested from their original meaning. Thus “cahoot,” a Western term meaning to be in company or alliance with, Is from the French cohort, while tho bacchanalian “spreo" Is esprit twisted around and Anglicize!, or rather Aniorlcanlzed. From the Spanish wo get “savvy" from sabo, to know; “vamooso, ” from vamos, to go, and “cavort," from eavor, to caper. The German gives us “loafer," from laufer, an Idle fellow, and “bower,” the term used In sorao card games, from bailor, a card-player. Tho Dutch and Holland language contributes “boozy,” from biilzen, drunk; “logy,” from log. dull; "boss,” from bass, a master, and “landlubber,” from landlooper, a vagabond Rochester Post-Express.