peeps

[Page Stephens]

A peep to me is a private eye but my slang is long out of date.

Page Stephens

> [Original Message]
> From: George Thompson <george.thompson at NYU.EDU>
> To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Date: 3/8/2006 10:46:06 AM
> Subject: peeps
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
-----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       George Thompson <george.thompson at NYU.EDU>
> Subject:      peeps
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
>
> A day or so ago, JL sent us a farrago of current street talk.  I noted
> with interest the appearance in it of the word "peep" -- I assume
> shortening of "people"?  I don't see the word in the OED.
>
> Here is the same word in a different sense, from the underground press
> of 1853:
>
>         If that peep, who goes by the name of W—n, . . . don’t put a
> stop to his blowing, he may get himself in trouble.
>         Life in Boston and New York, October 1, 1853, p. 3, col. 2
>
>         Those four Micks who hang out in Grand, a few doors from Allen
> street, make perfect peeps of themselves by putting on such airs.
>         Life in Boston and New York, October 1, 1853, p. 3, col. 8
>
> GAT
>
> George A. Thompson
> Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
> Univ. Pr., 1998, but nothing much lately.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org