Gentleman Harry Simms, Flash, and the OED

[Eric Nielsen]

Yes, Joel, I assume the "flash" in "flash language" and "flash company" to
be the same attribute. Referring to those who live fast, free, and with a
flourish ( e.g., wearing a yellow handkerchief).

Couldn't "flash" as a noun meaning a type of criminal cant be a shortened
form of "flash language"? The song, of course, is a preservation of usage
from earlier days.

*Flash Company* was first noted in Limerick, sung to the tune of *The Green
Bushes*, on the mid 1850's.

http://mainlynorfolk.info/watersons/songs/flashcompany.html

Eric




On Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 11:25 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: Gentleman Harry Simms, Flash, and the OED
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 9/15/2014 08:31 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> >But in the songs it's an adjective, not a noun meaning criminal lingo.
>
> The OED "flash, adj.3" sense 5.b combines the adj. with "Also
> quasi-noun".  The 1747 quotation is adj., the 1756 noun. Etc.
>
> Joel
>
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