Flappers' Dictionary: How To Talk The 1920s Talk

We can give you all of the advice you'll ever need about how to dress like a flapper -- fringed dresses, pearls, a cloche to end all cloches -- but no one will actually believe you've stepped out of F. Scott Fitzgerald's most-detailed scene if you can't talk the talk.

Courtesy of Book Flaps comes "A Flappers' Dictionary." Put together in July 1922, there's a few gems we'll be cooing with doe eyes. While wearing cloches, of course.

Take a look at our favorite additions to our everyday vocabulary and head over to Book Flaps for the rest.

Alarm Clock--Chaperone.

Bank's Closed--No petting allowed; no kisses.

Barneymugging--Lovemaking.

Berries--Great.

Brooksy--Classy dresser

Cat's Particulars--The acme of perfection; anything that's good

Cellar Smeller--A young man who always turns up where liquor is to be had without cost.

Clothesline--One who tells neighborhood secrets.

Dingle Dangler--One who insists on telephoning.

Dimbox--A taxicab.

Edisoned--Being asked a lot of questions.

Eye Opener--A marriage.

Father Time--Any man over 30 years of age.

Fire Alarm--Divorced woman.

Fire Bell--Married woman.

Houdini--To be on time for a date.

Lemon Squeezer--An elevator.

Noodle Juice--Tea.

Petting Party--A party devoted to hugging.

Rock of Ages--Any woman over 30 years of age.

Tomato--A young woman shy of brains.

Trotzky (sic)--Old lady with a moustache and chin whiskers.

Umbrella--young man any girl can borrow for the evening.

Wurp--Killjoy or drawback.

Comments

[timetocookdinner]

02:58 PM on 04/14/2011

these are fun! every generation needs its own vocabulary....and the old ones always think it's the End of English.

[Kim Visan]

02:29 PM on 04/14/2011

Fun article!

[cybolt]

03:07 AM on 04/14/2011

Excellent article inspiring some genuine laughs.
Shame eighch pea doesn't realize that a lot more people would appreciate stuff like this ***if they could find it***

[VickySinclair]

11:07 PM on 04/13/2011

I Love this article!!

[Connie Markley Boppre]

10:16 PM on 04/13/2011

this is great !

[Absolon]

02:07 PM on 04/13/2011

Flap on, girls! Flap on!!

[filmex]

12:46 PM on 04/13/2011

More pix of Louise on the front page, please.

Her look has never gone out of style.

[menckensghost]

02:34 AM on 04/13/2011

Wow...who is the doe-eyed beauty pouring the bourbon?

[uberwench]

08:27 PM on 04/13/2011

think it's Louise Brooks - amazing actress who was in "Pandora's Box" and had a second act as a film critic and raconteur.

[timetocookdinner]

02:55 PM on 04/14/2011

She is hysterical--look up her quotes

[Susan Shaffer]

04:30 PM on 04/12/2011

occasionally on late night tv there will be an old black and white film from the 30's and sometimes they are so quick paced with dialogue that it sure would come in handy to have one of these lists for the 1930's

[Comeplayinmyreality]

04:15 PM on 04/12/2011

I am a Fire Alarm Rock of Ages ... LOL

[Shantee]

12:33 PM on 04/12/2011

HA! That was a lot of fun....thank you!

[slowdownsonny]

10:01 AM on 04/12/2011

I think some of those names/phrases could be recycled:

Cellar-dweller: Basement trolls who post inane or mean comments
Alarm clock: clock watching employee
Noodle juicer: Teabagger
Lemon squeezer: Groper
Dimbox: Republican, especially Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, O'Reilly, etc.
Wurp: Derp
Father Time: Any man who marries a woman 25+ years younger than him
Houdini: someone who doesn't show up for their own wedding
Dingle-dangler: A flasher
Trotzky: intestinal flu

[timetocookdinner]

02:56 PM on 04/14/2011

i like it!

[ruthinking]

08:08 AM on 04/12/2011

That is Louise Brook in the photograph,one of the most beautiful actresses ever.

[thetruthhoits]

08:40 AM on 04/12/2011

Discovered Louise at a very young age and she still inspires me.

[Absolon]

02:08 PM on 04/13/2011

Brooks.

[iwritereadrate]

06:37 AM on 04/12/2011

Loving the old slang terms - thanks for posting!

Best regards

Adam
www.iWriteReadRate.com

[NoSillyName]

01:54 AM on 04/12/2011

Ah, The Flappers. Let's look at some of the social forces leading up to the "Jazz Age".

The Nineteenth Amendment was passed in 1918 and ratified by enough states in 1920. Women could vote.

WWI ended in 1918.

The Jazz Age started with radio becoming mainstream at the end of the World War.
It was a New Era for everyone, but the first real taste of freedom for women.

The Equal Rights Amendment was written in 1923 and introduced to Congress that year.
In 1972 both houses of Congress passed it, but it still has not been ratified. I'm sure many of the "Flappers" would be horrified to know that, in spite of all the strides, women still do not officially have equal rights in America..

The first LEGAL Birth Control clinic in America was opened in 1923, although it was only legal for MARRIED women until the Supreme Court decision of 1972 which barred any State from prohibiting UNMARRIED women being denied access to birth control. Still most insurance does not cover birth control, even though they pay for "ED" pills for men. The Right Wing forces want to take away access to birth control and end legal abortion.

Women really have to become more of a force in American Government or risk going back to the "Good Old Days" of the Nineteenth Century.

[Rachel H Scotland]

05:03 AM on 04/12/2011

the 1920's were in the 20th century.

[NoSillyName]

11:38 AM on 04/12/2011

I was referring to the 1800s... pre-the changes of the teens & '20s.

[HeatherRamone]

01:58 PM on 04/14/2011

Wow - it took until 1972!?! How crazy is that?

Excellent post, thanks for taking the time to share. Faved.

[NoSillyName]

12:10 AM on 04/15/2011

Thank you , HeatherRamone. Yes, it is easy to forget history or, more likely, never to have been taught it. The ERA is still unratified, 88 years later.

Glad you enjoyed my post; seems you are the only one.