A History of Cant and Slang Dictionaries Volume I 1567-1784 [Hardcover]

The first of three volumes (volume 2, 1785-1874, forthcoming in 2005; volume 3, 1874 to present, forthcoming in 2007) comprising a complete history of the recording of English cant and slang - the jargon of sport, trade, and crime - which give unparalleled insights into the history of slang and the people who used it. Provides information on words and their meanings such as 'ziff' (a young thief), 'bundletail' (a short fat or squat lass), and 'arsworm' (a little diminutive fellow).

Abbreviations and Conventions
List of illustrations
Introduction
1. The beggars are coming to town
2. The Harman-lists
3. The Head-lists
4. The B. E.-lists
5. The life of Bampfylde-Moore Carew
6. Other cant and slang lists
7. Cant in other dictionaries
8. Conclusions
Tables
Canting songs
Bibliography
Index

Julie Coleman lectures in English Historical Linguistics and Medieval Literature at the University of Leicester. She has written widely on English lexicology and lexicography from the medieval period onwards, and is founder and current chair of the International Society for Historical Lexicography and Lexicology (http://www.le.ac.uk/ee/jmc21/ishll.html).