A Review of How the Irish Invented Slang
Daniel Cassidy Documents Influence of Gaelic on American English
May 17, 2009
According to the late Daniel Cassidy, linguists have long believed the Irish/Gaelic language had little or no influence on American English. In his book How The Irish Invented Slang: The Secret Language of the Crossroads [AK Press, 2007], Cassidy dispels what he believes is the myth of no Irish words having entered the American English lexicon.
Daniel Cassidy's Linguistic Studies Explore the Origins of American Slang
Cassidy had inherited a small Irish/English dictionary from a friend who had recently died. That pocket dictionary was to open the doors to a world of language that, combined with a keen interest in his own family’s Irish/American history in Brooklyn, engaged Cassidy’s curiosity for years.
It started with the word Boliver, which was a nickname his grandfather had been given by the older women in his life. No one in the family knew where the word came from. But Cassidy, with the help of his pocket Irish dictionary, unraveled the mystery. The word Boliver was apparently a derivation of the Irish word Bailbhe (pron. baleve) meaning “a mute, silent, inarticulate person,” a description which seemed to fit Cassidy’s grandfather well.
From there Cassidy went on to discover a slew of words of which linguists had never been able to determine the origin, but which seemed to derive from the old Irish language. The thing is, these words are primarily slang words, found in the lexicon of the working class Irish/American neighborhoods of 19th and early 20th century New York.
In his book, Cassidy peppers stories of Irish-American life in 19th and 20th century New York with the slang words he believes are direct derivations of the old Irish language. After each word (which he bolds to highlight) he includes the Irish word, its pronunciation, and its meaning.
Daniel Cassidy’s Book Includes Dictionary of Irish-American Vernacular
Students of both old Irish and American English, particularly the origins of slang, will enjoying perusing the dictionary that Cassidy put together for his book. Here is a sampling of the words Cassidy believes came from the old Irish:
- Baloney (as in “that’s a bunch of baloney;” nonsense or pretentious talk, worthless talk) derived from beal onna meaning silly loquacity, foolish talk, blather, blarner, stupid gossip.
- Blowhard (a loudmouth, a loud speaking person) derived from bealu h-ard meaning loud speaking, loud mouthing.
- By golly (an oath or exclamation) derived from biohd geall air meaning I’ll wager; I’m sure; I’ll bet.
- Cantankerous (stubborn and quarrelsome, given to opposition, contrary, difficult to deal with) derived from ceanndanachtearsaanacht arsa meaning old obstinacy, aged willfulness elderly stubbornness.
- Cop (a police officer, a “copper”) deceapd from ceaap(pron. k’ap) meaning a protector, a leader, a chief.
- Doozer (a remarkable, excellent, or outstanding person or thing) derived from duasoir meaning a prize-winner; something outstanding or remarkable.
- Fink (to act as a labor spy; to act as an informer; to spy, snoop, inform) derived from the Irish fink meaning a paid labor spy; a stool pigeon, an undercover detective, a strike-breaker.
- Fluke (a lucky stroke, an unexpected success) derived from fo-luach meaning a rare result, a rare reward or payment.
- Giggle (considered “vulgar slang well into the 19th century according to Cassidy; a merry squeaking laugh) derived from giog gheal meaning a happy squeak, a merry squeal.
- Jazz (as in the musical genre) derived from Teas (pron. j’ass or chass) meaning heat, passion, excitement, ardor, enthusiasm, anger, highest temperature.
- Moolah (money) derived from moll oir meaning a heap of gold or money.
- Poker (as in the card game, gambling) derived from poca meaning a pocket, in that the poker player gambles against the other player’s pocket or purse rather than the house.
- Scam (a crooked trick, a deceit, a swindle or to swindle) derived from ‘s cam e meaning “it is a trick” or “it is a deception” or “it is a fraud.”
- Slum (a section of the city where the poorest people live) derived from ‘S lom e meaning “it is an exposed, vulnerable place” or “it is poverty.”
- Sucker (a person easily deceived or cheated; an easy mark) derived from sach ur meaning a new or fresh well-fed, prosperous person.
Is Daniel Cassidy’s Book Blarney?
Not everyone agrees that Cassidy’s book is as scholarly as he would have one believe. Grant Barrett, editor of the online Double-Tongued Dictionary, thinks Cassidy’s tome is not to be trusted. He takes to task in his blog what he perceives as Cassidy’s “scholarly incompetence” and lack of etymological evidence.
Perhaps Barrett is correct, and Cassidy’s book is pretty much blarney. But it makes for interesting reading, and fascinating supposition. And perhaps it will provide a springboard for future researchers to prove or disprove Cassidy’s entirely plausible assertions that much of American slang vernacular came from the old Irish/Gaelic language.
To learn more about Irish (Gaelic/Gaeilge) check out the resources listed in "Learn to Speak Irish Language."
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