AMERICA IN THE 1920s
The Music
Music in the 1920s was incredibly important. Jazz, with its free form and frenzied style was kind of an FU to older more staid forms of music. Jazz and jazz clubs were an expression of freedom--freedom to experiment and improvise, freedom to dance with whomever one wanted, and in some cases freedom to interact with people of different races in public spaces.
The Radio
In the 1920s, the United States saw its first commercial radio broadcasts--that is, broadcasts of music, news, and theatrical programs piped out to home listeners. European audiences had access to these kinds of broadcasts ince about 1890. Radio technology was perfected during in the First World War, and shortly after the war ended KDKA in Pittsburgh, PA became the first licensed public radio station.
Flappers!
The etymology of the word "flapper" can be traced back to the 17th century. A few contenders for early usages of the term include:
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A young bird, or wild duck, that’s flapping its wings as it’s learning to fly. (Consider how dancing the Charleston is reminiscent of a bird flapping its wings.)
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A prostitute or immoral woman.
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A wild, flighty young woman.
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A woman who refused to fasten her galoshes and the unfastened buckles flapped as she walked.
Women & Fashion
Women's fashion changed a whole lot during this time. Hemlines got shorter, silhouettes and haircuts became more masculine, women were drinking and dancing in pubilc, and were taking advantage of newfound freedom. Flappers s were often criticized for appearing too masculine and carrying on in an undignified way. Flappers were all IDGAF, let's go vote.
A Flapper's Vocabulary
You know how part of you judges people for not knowing the latest slang? On the flip side, you know how embarrassing it is to learn you're using "old" terms, using terms incorrectly, or feel lost in a conversation when people say things like bae, FOMO, or "Netflix and Chill"? This isn't a new thing. Young people in the 1920s developed their own language based on film reference, pop culture, marketing campaigns, and other media; if you were a big cheese, you didn't get all balled up when someone asked you if you had a clam to spare. The language you used defined who you were: your class, age, cohorts, level of cool, political leanings. Sound familiar?
All Wet - describes an erroneous idea or individual, as in, "he's all wet."
And How - I strongly agree!
Applesauce- an expletive same as horsefeathers, As in "Ah applesauce!"
Appleknocker - A rustic; a farm laborer, especially one who picks fruit
Attaboy - well done!; also Attagirl!
Baby - sweetheart. Also denotes something of high value or respect.
Balled Up - confused, messed up
Baloney - nonsense!
Bank's Closed - no kissing or making out - i.e. - "Sorry, Mac, the bank's closed."
Bearcat - a hot-blooded or fiery girl
Beat it - scam or get lost
Beat one's gums - idle chatter
Bee's Knees - An extraordinary person, thing, idea; the ultimate
Beef - a complaint or to complain
Beeswax - business, i.e. None of your beeswax."
Bell bottom - a sailor
Berries - That which is attractive or pleasing; similar to bee's knees, As in "It's the berries."
Bible Belt - Area in the South and Midwest where Fundamentalism flourishes
Big Cheese - The most important or influential person; boss. Same as big shot
Big six - a strong man; from auto advertising, for the new and powerful; six cylinder engines
Bimbo - a tough guy
Bird - general term for a man or woman, sometimes meaning "odd," i.e. "What a funny old bird."
Blind Date - going out with someone you do not know
Bluenose - An excessively puritanical person, a prude, Creator of "the Blue Nozzle Curse."
Bootleg - illegal liquor
Breezer - an convertible car
Bronx Cheer - A loud spluttering noise, used to indicate disapproval. Same as raspberry
Bull - (1) a policeman or law-enforcement officer including FBI (2) nonsense (3) to chat idly, to exaggerate
Bull Session - Male talkfest, gossip, stories of sexual exploits
Bum's rush - ejection by force from an establishment
Bump Off - To murder, To kill
Butt me - I'll take a cigarette
Caper - a criminal act or robbery
Carry a Torch - To have a crush on someone
Cash - a kiss
Cash or check? - Do you kiss now or later?
Cat's Meow - Something splendid or stylish; similar to bee's knees; The best or greatest, wonderful.
Cat's Pajamas - Same as cat's meow
Chassis - the female body
Cheaters - Eyeglasses
Check - kiss me later
Ciggy - cigarette
Clam - a dollar
Copacetic - Wonderful, fine, all right
Crush - An infatuation
Daddy - a young woman's boyfriend or lover, especially if he's rich
Dame - a female
Dapper - a Flapper's dad
Darb - An excellent person or thing (as in "the Darb" - a person with money who can be relied on to pay the check)
Dead soldier - an empty bear bottle
Deb - an debutant
Dick - a private investigator
Dogs - feet
Doll - an attractive woman
Dolled up - dressed up
Don't know from nothing - don't have any information
Don't take any wooden nickels - Don't do anything stupid
Double-cross - to cheat, stab in the back
Dough - money
Drugstore Cowboy - a guy that hangs around on a street corner trying to pick up girls
Drum - A gathering place; a bar.
Dry up - shut up, get lost
Ducky - very good
Dumb Dora - a stupid female
Earful - enough
Edge - intoxication, a buzz. i.e. "I've got an edge."
Egg - a person who lives the big life
Fall Guy - Victim of a frame
Fire extinguisher - a chaperone
Fish -(1) a college freshman (2) a first timer in prison
Flat Tire - A dull witted, insipid, disappointing date. Same as pill, pickle, drag, rag, oilcan
Flivver - a Model T; after 1928, could mean any old broken down car
Flapper - A stylish, brash, hedonistic young woman with short skirts & shorter hair
Fly boy - a glamorous term for an aviator
Frame - To give false evidence , to set up someone
Gams - A woman's legs
Get a wiggle on - get a move on, get going
Giggle Water - An intoxicating beverage; alcohol
Gin Mill - An establishment where hard liquor is sold; bar
Glad rags - "going out on the town" clothes
Gold Digger - A woman who associates with or marries a man for his wealth
Goofy - in love
Hair of the Dog - a shot of alcohol
Handcuff - an engagement ring
Hard Boiled - a tough, strong guy
Hayburner - (1) a gas guzzling car (2) a horse one loses money on
Heebie-Jeebies - The jitters
High-Hat - To snub
Hit on all sixes - to perform 100 per cent; as "hitting on all six cyclinders"
Hooch - Bootleg liquor
Hood - hoodlum
Hoofer - Dancer
Horsefeathers - an expletive ; same usage as applesauce
Hotsy - Totsy - Pleasing
It - Sex appeal
Iron - a motorcycle
Jack - money
Jake - OK, as in , "Everything is Jake."
Jalopy - Old car
Jane - any female
Java - coffee
Jitney - a car employed as a private bus. Fare was usually five cents; also called a "nickel"
Joe - coffee
John - a toilet
Joint - (1) an establishment (2) A club, usually selling alcohol
Juice Joint - a speakeasy
Keen - Attractive or appealing
Kisser - Mouth
Know your onions - (1) a reference to C.T. Onions, a renown Shakespeare lexicologist. (2) to know a lot about a subject
Left holding the bag - (1) to be cheated out of one's fair share (2) to be blamed for something
Level with me - be honest
Line - Insincere flattery
Live wire - a lively person
Middle Aisle - To marry
Mrs. Grundy - A priggish or extremely tight-laced person
Moll - A gangster's girl
Neck - Kissing with passion
Nifty - great, excellent
"Now you're on the trolley!" - Now you've got it, now you're right!
Nobody Home - Describes some one who is dumb
On the lam - fleeing from police
On the level - legitimate, honest
On the up and up - *see above*
Orchid - an expensive item
Ossified - a drunk person
Owl - a person who's out late
Palooka (1) a below-average or average boxer (2) a social outsider, from the comic strip character Joe Palooka
Pet - Same as neck, but more so
Piker - (1) a cheapskate (2) a coward (3) derrogatory term for a gypsy or English traveler
Pill - (1) a teacher (2) an unlikable person
Pinch - To arrest
Pipe down - stop talking
Pushover - A person easily convinced or seduced
Putting on the Ritz - after the Ritz hotel in Paris; doing something in high style
Rag-a-muffin - a dirty or disheveled individual
Razz- to make fun of
Real McCoy - The genuine article
Ritzy - Elegant (from the hotel)
Rubes - A country bumpkin
Sap - a fool
Says you - a reaction of disbelief
Scram - Ask someone to leave immediately
Sheba - A woman with sex appeal (from the move Queen of Sheba) or (e.g. Clara Bow)
Sheik - A man with sex appeal (from the Valentino movies)
Shiv - a knife
Sinker - a doughnut
Speakeasy - An illicit bar selling bootleg liquor
Spifflicated - Drunk. The same as canned, corked, tanked, primed, scrooched, jazzed, zozzled, plastered, owled, embalmed,
lit, potted, ossified or fried to the hat
Spiffy - An elegant appearance
Spoon - to neck, or at least talk of love
Struggle Buggy - making out in the back seat of a car
Stuck On - Having a crush on
Swanky - Ritzy
Swell - Wonderful. Also: a rich man
Take for a Ride - To drive off with someone in order to kill them or give them a good beating.
Tin Pan Alley - the music industry in New York, located between 48th and 52nd street
Tomato - a female
Torpedo - A hired gun
Upchuck - To vomit when one has drunk too much
Wet Blanket - a solemn person, a killjoy
What's eating you? - What's wrong
Whoopee - (1) To have a good time (2) sex
You slay me - that's funny