JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
" You're shaking like a blancmange my dear creepmouse. I assure you, passementerie tassles on that dress would put you in a bad box. You can't gammon me your new husband isn't a banging big-bug. I don't see him cutting his stick before the ceremony at sight of you, with or without passementerie tassles. Now don't be a mollygrub or you'll end up giving him the mitten and there will be no wedding. Hurry up the cakes, the minister just arrived. "
I'd point out some of the terms above were vulgarisms except ' vulgarism ' is archaic too. Nothing is vulgar in 2019.
Anyone referring to the new hubby that day would have been speaking of the new, bump road in front of the church, not her spouse. Tough pinning down which terms, phrases and now archaic words came into our language where. It's also crazy thinking 1861-1865, the war years, were separated from 1860or 1850 or really, 1870. 150 years later however, it's a whole, ' nother language.
Blancmange, a gelatinous dessert.
Creepmouse, term of endearment ( although generally used for children )
Passementerie tassles, seems to have been beads and wood on sticks.
gammon, to kid or fool
banging, big, amazing, important
big-bug, someone of vast important
mollygrub, crabby
give the mitten, dump one's sweetheart
Hurry up the cakes, move it.
These two are talking about the reception and how to keep the men sober. A gazillion terms indicating someone was drunk - a few here.
half seas over
corned
disguised
And to be disguised without one's spouse being aware, you were a jerry sneak.
Only partially tongue ( sorry ) in cheek, there's a lot of discussion about what it would be like going back in time to rub elbows with our ancestors. One thing is clear. You'd be the tourist with the 1860's-2019 translation guide in your pocket. While fascinating, being able to chat with your great great grandmother, you'd understand one word in three of her conversation.
They could be French or Swiss for as well as you'd understand what they're saying to each other. Well, unless you're bilingual, too.
It may not have been helpful listening in on whispered conversations. You wouldn't understand what they said anyway.
Browse the first 3 pages of any Godey's, Demorest or heck, newspaper. Like being at Babel. Women's literature seems to require more translation than usual simply because so many articles of clothing do not exist 150 years later. Romance writers also tended to wax lyrical, novelettes ( another ) were littered with now archaic, if delightful terms.
Just fashion loses you. Rigged yourself out in fichus, clockmutches , and although a cassaque, was extremely pretty when attending a seaside fete. One's hair? Puffs, rolls and sometimes crepe- that's hair not bakeries and funeral garb.
Told you it was pretty- cassaque!
There is ( of course ) a lot more. TBC.... wouldn't like to be a blatherskite in the first post.
Whatever they were saying, love to listen in.