Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 1.pdf/14

 orthodox English in juxtaposition with the argots of other European nations, notably those of the French, German, Italian, and Spanish peoples. The historical usage of slang is amply illustrated by the quotations appended to each example. These comprise in their range the whole period of English literature from the earliest down to the present time, my plan having been to give the first ascertainable use of any given word or phrase, tracing it down century by century, winding up with an example "down to date." These illustrative quotations, roughly speaking, number upwards of 100,000 for the whole work. I was fortunate enough shortly after commencing my final task of revision to have about 12,000 quotations placed at my disposal by Mr. G. L. Apperson, of Wimbledon, who for many years has had special knowledge of the requirements of such work, having sub-edited certain sections of the New English Dictionary. I am glad to be able to make special mention of my indebtedness in this respect; as also to Mr. G. A. King, of Croydon, an old Wykehamist, for invaluable aid in connection with public school words and phrases.

Copious materials for a comparative study of English and foreign slang will be found in the oftentimes lengthy lists of analogous and synonymous terms appended to the more important and more commonly used examples in the body of the work. This branch of my study I shall deal with more fully in an article to follow the completion of the vocabulary proper, and I purpose to enhance the usefulness of that portion of the dictionary by a complete alphabetical list of all the foreign slang words and phrases herein used, with full references to page and column.