SLANG AND CANT
IN
JEROME K. JEROME’S WORKS
A STUDY
BY
OLOF E. BOSSON
CAMBRIDGE
W. HEFFER & SONS, LTD.
1911
LUND 1911
PRINTED BY HÅKAN OHLSSON
| Preface | 5 | |
| Bibliography: Chronological list of Jerome K. Jerome’s Works | 8 | |
| Introduction | 9 | |
| A Grammatical Survey | 17 | |
| I. | Phonetic Notes | 19 |
| II. | Accidence | 22 |
| III. | Syntax | 26 |
| Slang | 31 | |
| Slang > Colloquial English | 37 | |
| Vulgarism or Cant | 45 | |
| Vulgarism > Colloquial English | 67 | |
| Index | 79 | |
The object of this essay is to examine vulgarismand slang in the works of Jerome K. Jerome (b. 1859).
Jerome gives us very good specimens of theordinary language of the Victorian era. His style is notsurprisingly original, but he shows a remarkable talentin rendering with perfect accuracy the characteristic talkof different classes of society. The persons he introducesto us need only utter a few words, before we are ableto form a conception of their social position, their degreeof culture, etc.; very often we get in this manner a cluealso to their character. The author has led an exceptionallyvaried life—in his early years he was atdifferent times a clerk, a teacher, an actor, a journalist. Hehad, accordingly, frequent opportunities of communicatingwith individuals of different social position and differentculture, and of studying their language. He does no