Vietnam War Slang: A Dictionary on Historical Principles

In 2014, the US marks the 50th anniversary of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the basis for the Johnson administration’s escalation of American military involvement in Southeast Asia and war against North Vietnam. Vietnam War Slang outlines the context behind the slang used by members of the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War.   Troops facing and inflicting death display a high degree of linguistic creativity. Vietnam was the last American war fought by an army with conscripts, and their involuntary participation in the war added a dimension to the language. War has always been an incubator for slang; it is brutal, and brutality demands a vocabulary to describe what we don’t encounter in peacetime civilian life. Furthermore, such language serves to create an intense bond between comrades in the armed forces, helping them to support the heavy burdens of war.   The troops in Vietnam faced the usual demands of war, as well as several that were unique to Vietnam – a murky political basis for the war, widespread corruption in the ruling government, untraditional guerilla warfare, an unpredictable civilian population in Vietnam, and a growing lack of popular support for the war back in the US. For all these reasons, the language of those who fought in Vietnam was a vivid reflection of life in wartime.   Vietnam War Slang lays out the definitive record of the lexicon of Americans who fought in the Vietnam War. Assuming no prior knowledge, it presents around 2000 headwords, with each entry divided into sections giving parts of speech, definitions, glosses, the countries of origin, dates of earliest known citations, and citations. It will be an essential resource for Vietnam veterans and their families, students and readers of history, and anyone interested in the principles underpinning the development of slang.

History

Dalzell, Tom

Military

Routledge

In 2014, the US marks the 50th anniversary of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, the basis for the Johnson administration’s escalation of American military involvement in Southeast Asia and war against North Vietnam. Vietnam War Slang outlines the context behind the slang used by members of the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. Troops facing and inflicting death display a high degree of linguistic creativity. Vietnam was the last American war fought by an army with conscripts, and their involuntary participation in the war added a dimension to the language. War has always been an incubator for slang; it is brutal, and brutality demands a vocabulary to describe what we don’t encounter in peacetime civilian life. Furthermore, such language serves to create an intense bond between comrades in the armed forces, helping them to support the heavy burdens of war. The troops in Vietnam faced the usual demands of war, as well as several that were unique to Vietnam – a murky political basis for the war, widespread corruption in the ruling government, untraditional guerilla warfare, an unpredictable civilian population in Vietnam, and a growing lack of popular support for the war back in the US. For all these reasons, the language of those who fought in Vietnam was a vivid reflection of life in wartime. Vietnam War Slang lays out the definitive record of the lexicon of Americans who fought in the Vietnam War. Assuming no prior knowledge, it presents around 2000 headwords, with each entry divided into sections giving parts of speech, definitions, glosses, the countries of origin, dates of earliest known citations, and citations. It will be an essential resource for Vietnam veterans and their families, students and readers of history, and anyone interested in the principles underpinning the development of slang.

"Spectacular vernacular—delivered with fresh flavor."—Playboy "Hang with this slang and reep these righteous words!" This entertaining, highly readable book pulses with the vernacular of young Americans, tracing slang terms and expressions from the end of the nineteenth century to the present. In addition to alphabetical listings for each decade, it features fascinating word histories and sidebars about language and culture—jazz cat jive, the argot of Beat poets, gritty inner-city street talk, and other captivating colloquialisms. A master storyteller and wordsmith, Tom Dalzell is the author of The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English and The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English. In Flappers 2 Rappers, he presents more than just lists of words. His introductions to each chronological chapter offer fascinating insights into the ways in which slang reflects the era's historical mood and significance. Great for browsing, this unique reference will delight students of history as well as word and language enthusiasts.

Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang

Reference

Dictionaries & Thesauruses

Dover `

Language plays an important role in the culture of dissent, and slang can serve as a means of defiance and liberation. "It is no accident that the liveliest language in America is often the product of the ghetto, shtetl, slum, barrio, barracks, and prison yards," notes author Tom Dalzell. "Slang becomes for the oppressed an outward and physical manifestation of a subversive refusal to be subservient—a witty, humorous, and effective gesture of resistance." This fascinating survey examines hundreds of colorful expressions, each accompanied by examples of usage in books, movies, periodicals, and other sources. Vernacular sources include communities of African Americans, immigrant minorities, poor whites, gay men, the armed forces, prisoners, the workplace, and countercultures. Students of language and casual readers alike will savor this lively look at an age-old form of protest.

Damn the Man!: Slang of the Oppressed in America

Words, Language & Grammar

Dover Publications

An equal-opportunity pastime, poker is played everywhere from country clubs to penitentiaries and has even developed into a spectator sport. In this entertaining gift book for poker fanatics and students of American vernacular, a cultural historian and slang authority offers a compendium of traditional poker slang, as well as the new vocabulary of online poker and jargon from high-stakes tournaments.

The Slang of Poker (Dover Children's Activity Books)

Humor & Entertainment

Puzzles & Games

Diane Pub Co.

The Slang of Sin

Merriam-Webster

"An engaging look at the colorful language of teens from every decade of the 20th century. Includes fascinating word histories and sidebars about language and culture. Illustrated by well-known artists, including Guy Billout, Victoria Roberts, and Istvan Banyai."

Lists and defines the terminology used in association with such vices as drinking, sex, drugs, and gambling

Vice Slang

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Dalzell, Tom. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Dalzell, Tom

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Dalzell, Tom. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Vietnam War Slang: A Dictionary on Historical Principles

Vietnam War Slang: A Dictionary on Historical Principles

Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang

Damn the Man!: Slang of the Oppressed in America

The Slang of Poker (Dover Children's Activity Books)

Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang

The Slang of Sin

Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang

The Slang of Sin

Vice Slang