"High-falutin" recently caught my attention. It began as American slang in 1839. Through the wonder of the Internet Archive, I was able to find the first citation mentioned in the OED, and it's a doozy. 🧵 - ThreadSky

grammargirl.bsky.social • 42 days ago

"High-falutin" recently caught my attention. It began as American slang in 1839.

Through the wonder of the Internet Archive, I was able to find the first citation mentioned in the OED, and it's a doozy. 🧵

Comments

marlowechris.bsky.social•42 days ago

Now I also want to know the story about "the head-bug what swam the Devil's Fork." And this is why my search history looks deranged.

madamehardy.bsky.social•41 days ago

Now I NEED to know what "I reckon they could do a cash business in Florida" meant in 1839.

misterslang.bsky.social•42 days ago

In no way a put down but I see this is listed in Mathews Dict of Americanisms 1951. Seems like we need to push it back.

grammargirl.bsky.social•41 days ago

I always love more historical context or new info, but I'm confused here. Is there a typo in your date?

misterslang.bsky.social•41 days ago

Sorry, I’m submerged in other demands. Which date, pls. If you mean highfalutin I simply meant that the quote in OED probably came from Mathews and I hoped there might be earlier usage than 1839. I looked and seems not as recorded in press .

grammargirl.bsky.social•41 days ago

Ah, no rush at all! I was confused about what you meant by the 1951 date and "highfaluting."

misterslang.bsky.social•41 days ago

The ‘g’ does crop up. I may be misjudging the OED, but there is much of Pac-Man in historical principles lex. And I still believe there could be an earlier use. No sense in 1839 use that it’s something new.

grammargirl.bsky.social•42 days ago

I'm not sure what Pete is going on about here, but later in the letter, he complains that these high-faluting "fellers" would hardly talk to him on a steamboat ride.

You can find the whole letter here: https://archive.org/details/sim_spirit-of-the-times_1839-05-18_9_11/page/n1/mode/2up?q=high-faluting

josemonkey.com•41 days ago

I read that snippet twice and still couldn’t figure out what Pete was trying to say 😅

dannybrown.me•42 days ago

"Steamboat ride" sounds like an amazing euphemism! 🤣

scottperezfox.bsky.social•42 days ago

Very demure.

notsincebreakfast.bsky.social•42 days ago

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply