FW: slang "scotsh" = shirt, 1879;

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

Ads-l member Douglas Wilson has apparently deciphered the nearly illegible 1879 item which had looked to me like "Scotsh" (= shirt).  It turns out to be "Smish" (= shirt), which I had never heard of before. With his permission I now share his message with ads-l (At his request I had sent him two photocopies of the relevant page). Many thanks!

Gerald Cohen

[message from Douglas Wilson]:
'Thanks. I'm virtually sure that this says "Smish". This was my first-glance impression (although I wouldn't have bet my savings on it, given the smudgy
> appearance). I showed it to two consultants (without expressing my own impression); both independently read it the same. None of us three recognized the word immediately, but in fact "smish" = "shirt" appears in
> Partridge, Cassell (Green), Farmer/Henley, etc. ... and in the OED.
>
> -- Doug'
>
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