A Dictionary of Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words / Used at the Present Day in the Streets of London; the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; the Houses of Parliament; the Dens of St. Giles; and the Palaces of St. James.

Name: A Dictionary of Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words / Used at the Present Day in the Streets of London; the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; the Houses of Parliament; the Dens of St. Giles; and the Palaces of St. James.
Author: John Camden Hotten

By John Camden Hotten

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About This Book

A compact lexicon assembling several thousand contemporary colloquial, cant, and vulgar terms from London and surrounding circles, offering definitions, suggested etymologies, usage examples, and glossaries for wandering groups such as costermongers and patterers. Prefatory material describes collection methods, the blurred line between cant and slang, and marks used by vagabonds, while the main body gives alphabetized entries with expanded notes on important words, illustrative citations from popular literature and speech, and occasional historical remarks. Obscene terms are generally excluded and cross-references guide the reader through related expressions.

About the Author

John Camden Hotten

John Camden Hotten was a 19th-century English publisher and lexicographer, best known for his influential works on slang and colloquial language. His most notable publication, "A Dictionary of Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Words," provides an extensive collection of terms used in various social contexts, particularly in London. Hotten's work captures the vibrant and often colorful vernacular of his time, reflecting the linguistic diversity of the era. In addition to his dictionary, he contributed to the understanding of slang through other publications, making him a significant figure in the study of English language and its informal expressions.