Gentleman Harry Simms, Flash, and the OED

[Jonathan Lighter]

> a shortened form of "flash language"

That would seem to be the simplest explanation.

JL

On Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 3:04 PM, Eric Nielsen <ericbarnak at gmail.com> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Eric Nielsen <ericbarnak at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Gentleman Harry Simms, Flash, and the OED
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>
> 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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