Ducks in a Row (1932); Bees Knees

Bapopik at AOL.COM Bapopik at AOL.COM
Mon Dec 2 21:50:17 UTC 2002


DUCKS IN A ROW

   13 June 1932, WASHINGTON POST, pg. 14:
   We have a world filled today with problems and we are trying to get our economic ducks in a row.

---------------------------------------------------------------
BEES KNEES

   29 June 1923, WASHINGTON POST, pg. 15:
   "Dis am de bee's knees."

   25 January 1925, WASHINGTON POST, pg. SM7:
_THE EVOLUTION OF SLANG_
_Whether It's "Apple Sauce" or "The Oyster's Earrings," You Will Always Find the "Dippy Dialect" Expressive of the Fads and Foibles of Current Life, as Ada Lewis, the Comedienne of Bowery Fame, Here Tells_
   NO NOON hour on the college campus or in the office lunchroom would be complete without the words: "Apple sauce," "red-hot mama," "dumb-dora," "petting," "the bee's knees," "the snake's hips," "the elephant's manicure," not to speak of the "tadpole's teddies."
(...)
(The following is in a box--ed.)
         _Jargon of the Juveniles_
_Grandma_             _Mother_            _Daughter_
Charmer               Vamp                Red-hot mama
Hot air               Spoofing            Apple sauce
Wall flower           Dead one            Flat tire
Heart breaker         Lady killer         Sheik
The laugh             Merry ha-ha         Raspberries
Dude                  Sport               Cake-eater
Four-flusher          Sponge              Lounge lizard
Sparking              Spooning            Petting
Cutie                 Chicken             Flapper
Good for you!         Bully!              Attaboy!
Quit yer kiddin'      Lay off             Be yourself
Up stage              Putting on the dog  Ritzy
Ah, there!            O you kiddo!        Hot dog!
The goods             The cheese          Cat's meow
Guy                   Poor simp           Poor fish
Beat it               Skidoo              Ankle along
Poor sport            Tight-wad           Cheap skate


(I'll have to look up "Ada Lewis, mistress of modern slang" in the NYPL Performing Arts Library's clipping files--ed.)



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