Navy slang (1927)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

There might be some useful antedatings in here, e.g. "joe" for 'coffee'
(HDAS 1930, OED 1941... but MWCD11 already has 1927).

(One oddity: "'girls' are boys"?  Huh?)


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(Danville, Va.) _Bee_, May 27, 1927, p. 3, col. 1

Gobs Slang Amuses N.Y.
List of Many By-Words Used By Uncle Sam's Sailor Boys

NEW YORK. May, 27. -- (INS)
Q. -- What are "dogs?"
A. -- Feet.
Q. -- What is a "cocktail?"
A. -- A dose of castor oil.
Q. -- What is an "ear wiggler?"
A. -- One who tries to make an impression.
Easterners, who have been entertaining the United States fleet, could go
on asking these questions and giving you replies for an indefinite length
of time. They have learned, through contact with the "gobs" that the U. S.
Navy has a language or a "slanguage" all its own.
For instance, the cooks are "grease balls;" the kitchen workers "scullery
maids;" yeomen are "pen pushers;" an old sailor is a "grandpaw;" a young
sailor a "chicken;" girls are "boys" or "blimps;" a dance is a "hop;"
hospital corps men are "pill rollers;" liquor is "rum;" "chow" is
something
to eat; coffee is "joe;" milk is "cow;" spaghetti, "worms;" beans are
"bullets" and sugar is "sand."
When a sailor gets his hair cut "he gets his ears mowed dowwned." When he
takes exercise it is "monkey drill" and he calls marines "cowboys" or
"seagoing bell hops."
Civilian clothes are "sliders" and underwear is "skivvies." And "hit the
deck" is to turn to, and "hit the beach" is to go ashore.
Destroyers are "tin cans." Submarines "subs." A torpedo is a "fish."
That isn't the half of it. Sailor language is an education in itself. Join
the navy and not only see the world but learn a new language.
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--Ben Zimmer