Western slang and lingo (Idioms)

[Sam Talley]

I'm facinated with the origin of terms such as "getting on the bandwagon" which comes from peddlers who played music to get people to approach so he could sell his wares, "above board" meaning no tricks, "axel grease" was butter, etc. Here's a site that has hundreds of them - www.legendsofamerica.com. I hope some of you less knowledgeable folks like myself will enjoy them. 

[anthony martin]

  Sam,

    Period slang is lots of fun and would be great source material for an ongoing spot on the forum.My personal favorite is stretching the blanket,meaning to exaggerate or lie.Now about"getting on the bandwagon";in the sense that we use it of someone going along with the crowd or popular mass opinion, the generally accepted origin derives from the wagons with bands that political candidates used in elections.To actually get on or follow the wagon closely about was a show of support or agreement with that particular candidate's position.For a long time now it has enjoyed a broader interpretation-Someone going along with a popular trend,being a team player or even derisively applied to someone who goes along with a fad and is consequently viewed as shallow.I doubt if anyone actually climbed on an overcrowded peddler's wagon besides the salesman himself!Thanks for the source and share some more FUNperiod slang with us.

[Sam Talley]

I'm pushing 70 yrs old now and wish I would have paid more attention to all the sawings that my grandfather used. I didn't and forgot them, and now they are gone. But when I hear one used by someone I immediately write it down. To those members that can remember some or use these idioms all the time, write them down or they may be lost. The discussion about 'bandwagon' by Anthony Martin makes clear sense. I'd like to hear more of them to put in my file.

[anthony martin]

   Hey Sam,

      I was very serious about the period slang being an ongoing bit on here.I kept threatening to do this with another member until he was suitably stumped but being a member good and true of Mundo's Procrastinator Group I just haven't gotten around to it yet!Some of my favorites are post Victorian-"Well,if that doesn't take the hand painted,corrugated pancake flipper"was a silly 20's embroidery of "I f that doesn't take the cake" which was a bona fide Victorianism.I won't explain that one and we can wait and see if someone here provides the correct answer,the winner receiving a free smug smile to apply and wear all day!

[Sam Talley]

Is it like 'splitin' the sheets' meaning a couple is breaking up?

[anthony martin]

  Sam,

    You got it!

[Sam Talley]

I am told that during the civil war when troops came home without casualties papers were stamped with the mark 0 Killed; thus, we got O.K. meaning all is good.

[Sue Cauhape]

legendsofamerica.com is a great site. Thanks for sending the URL. I only wish the photo sequencing in the video had been slower so I could really look at and enjoy them. What a country we live in. WOW!

[anthony martin]

  Sam,

    There's a number of conflicting accounts about that one.One source cites it as an acronym for "OLL Korrect" by someone who used to mark supplies for the military who wasn't particularly literate!I've a feeling that this one is particularly hard to nail down!

[Gay Mathis]

There is even a book about it:  OK: The Improbable Story of America’s Greatest Word by Allan Metcalf

[Sam Talley]

He's so mad, he's spittin' nails. I always thought they were carpenter's nails, but I guess they are finger nails that the person bit off.