The slang of World War 1: Fancy a shag while lying doggo?

The slang of World War 1: Fancy a shag while lying doggo?

(picture; Flickr/ Manchester Archives)

Wednesday 1 Oct 2014 8:06 pm

It may sound more of an untoward proposal than a friendly invitation.

But during World War I, phrases such as ‘smoking shag while lying doggo’ would have been easily understood.

Shag – a low-quality tobacco used by soldiers – could only be enjoyed in a gap between skirmishes when ‘doggo’ – motionless and quiet.

These are some of the more unusual words featured in a new book about the language of the trenches. The Lingo Of No Man’s Land, first written by Lorenzo Napoleon Smith in 1918 and

reworked for modern readers by Prof Julie Coleman, reveals the distinct vocabulary used by serving soldiers.

Prof Coleman, from the University of Leicester’s School of English, said: ‘The language of the trenches was a fascinating topic, even while the war was under way. Newspapers and recruiting agencies published glossaries of trench slang as a way of bridging the gulf between civilians and those serving on the front line.

‘Terms like fireworks (aerial bombardment), tin hat (helmet) and old soldier (a soldier who evades danger) humanise the experience of war by revealing the humour that made unthinkable conditions bearable.’

The book, which has been made available online by the British Library, is a reissue of a dictionary originally compiled by the Canadian soldier at the end of the war. It shows how the different dialects of men sent to fight came together to create a language that was unique to wartime western Europe.

A century on, many words have disappeared from common use – an invitation to nibble on some ‘rat poison’, or cheese, would not be well received nowadays, for example.

However, others – such as ‘doss’, ‘dud’ and ‘fag’ – survive to this day.

Prof Coleman said: ‘Some of the words and phrases listed in these glossaries have become unremarkable features of everyday language: now anyone can put the wind up someone, do something in an over-the-top way or use a joystick.’

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2014/10/01/the-slang-of-world-war-1-fancy-a-shag-while-lying-doggo-4889367/