slangwhanger
Sep. 6th, 2013 07:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordslangwhanger (SLANG-whang-er) - n., a loud or abusive talker or writer, especially with a partisan bent.
Originally, specifically a partisan newspaper columnist, one who whangs around the slang. Also, a verb. Another colorful Americanism, but from the start rather than than the middle of the 19th century -- John Pickering (who advocating keep American English "pure," i.e., like that in England) complained bitterly about it as new slang in 1816, as well as the practice. This was current through the century, with the meaning broadening to include orators and bar-room pundits, before largely disappearing in the 20th century.
---L.
Originally, specifically a partisan newspaper columnist, one who whangs around the slang. Also, a verb. Another colorful Americanism, but from the start rather than than the middle of the 19th century -- John Pickering (who advocating keep American English "pure," i.e., like that in England) complained bitterly about it as new slang in 1816, as well as the practice. This was current through the century, with the meaning broadening to include orators and bar-room pundits, before largely disappearing in the 20th century.
---L.
