On my bookshelf
A Dictionary of RAF Slang, by Eric Partridge
Oral history and private, informal writings of members of the Royal Air Force during both world wars can give a fascinating insight into some of the significant events of the 20th century.
Eric Partridge (1894-1979) – a New Zealand-born lexicographer who had served in the Australian infantry in the first world war – published this book in 1945. Some of the slang in this dictionary, such as “joy-stick”, has since entered common usage. Other
phrases are obscure, and one can become lost in a maze of confusing references to words such as “gussies” and “erks”. But largely, this book helps us to understand the derivation of words as well as their meaning.
Many of us know that someone who has “gone for a Burton” is dead. The phrase’s origin lies in Burton upon Trent, a town still renowned for its brewing – literally, the phrase refers to someone going for a beer. What that definition hides is wartime workplaces where the frequent loss of friends and colleagues led to the use of this lighthearted phrase as a euphemism for something much more sinister.
The picture that emerges is of the airforce as more than just a job; it was a sub-culture. To study an unfamiliar culture it is good to have a guide book, and Partridge provided an enlightening one.
Adam Love-Rodgers is the learning officer for the National Museum of Flight and the National War Museum
Eric Partridge (1894-1979) – a New Zealand-born lexicographer who had served in the Australian infantry in the first world war – published this book in 1945. Some of the slang in this dictionary, such as “joy-stick”, has since entered common usage. Other
phrases are obscure, and one can become lost in a maze of confusing references to words such as “gussies” and “erks”. But largely, this book helps us to understand the derivation of words as well as their meaning.
Many of us know that someone who has “gone for a Burton” is dead. The phrase’s origin lies in Burton upon Trent, a town still renowned for its brewing – literally, the phrase refers to someone going for a beer. What that definition hides is wartime workplaces where the frequent loss of friends and colleagues led to the use of this lighthearted phrase as a euphemism for something much more sinister.
The picture that emerges is of the airforce as more than just a job; it was a sub-culture. To study an unfamiliar culture it is good to have a guide book, and Partridge provided an enlightening one.
Adam Love-Rodgers is the learning officer for the National Museum of Flight and the National War Museum