Tuesday Tidbit: WWII slang

I love slang, and it fascinates me that this informal language differs from state to state and region to region. Quite a bit of WWII slang came from U.S. pop culture such as radio programs, comic strips, music, and movies.

Some of the words have fallen out of usage, while others still season our conversations today:

• All wet: wrong, bad
• Applesauce: nonsense, silliness
• Baloney: strong, negative, not true
• Cheaters: eye glasses
• Copacetic: very good
• Dear John letter: A letter from a wife or sweetheart at home telling someone serving overseas that she was getting a divorce or breaking off the relationship
• Dogs: feet
• Earful: complaints, gossip, news
• Joe: coffee
• Lay off: leave someone alone
• Left holding the bag: to be cheated or framed
• On the Level: honest
• Tell it to the Marines: I don't care about your problem. Go tell someone else.
• What's eating you?: What's wrong with you?

Are you familiar with any of these phrases? Do you have a favorite slang word or phrase you use?

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, speaker, and history geek. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone's throw from Fort McHenry and has lived in historic places all her life. She is a member of ACFW, RWA, and Sisters in Crime. Linda is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library. Visit her website where you can learn more about Linda, check out her books, or sign up for her newsletter.