"Some called it the age of Jazz, others the Plastics Age, a time of "Flaming Youth" dubbed the lost generation by Gertrude Stein. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote of the Great Gatsby, Henry Ford fulfilled his dream and bootleggers like Al Capone and Dutch Shultz shot it out with J. Edgar Hoover and Eliot Ness. A time of prosperity where everyone could dream of being a millionaire

One of the most prominent symbols of the 20's was the 'flapper,' a young woman who seemed more interested in personal freedom than political activism. A shock to pre-war morals, flappers discarded corsets in favour of lightweight dresses, bobbed hair, rolled down stockings and cigarettes.

The twenties were also a more polite time, especially in New Zealand, where despite new found freedoms men were expected to act as perfect gentlemen. 'Civilised conversation' was an art form and social events such as that where our live game is set, were often the highpoint of one's social calender."
Source:1920's Investigators Companion -CoC

Terms referring to people:
· Flapper: Outspoken young woman with boyish manners and dress. Flappers actually modeled their style based on the look of French prostitutes; the companions of many a lonely American soldier (or "doughboy") during World War I.
· Sheik: A sexy young man; often the boyfriend of the flapper. A sheik's girlfriend might also be called a Sheba. Term inspired by sexy movie star Rudolph Valentino, famous for playing sheiks in films.
· Jazz babies: Another term for flappers
· Beaut: A cute flapper
· Joe College: Male college student
· Joe Zilch: A loser
· Jazzbo, jellybean: More terms for hip, hot young males
· Gold-digger: Flapper on the make for a rich boyfriend or husband
· Cat's Meow, Cat's Pajamas: "He's the cat's meow;" means "he's cute," "she's cute (or wonderful)," etc. Could also refer to things.
· Bee's knees: Same as "cat's meow."
· Two-timer (or) Ex: Terms referring to cheating and rejected suitors
· Petter, heavy necker, heavy petter, snugglepup: Amorous, frisky young guys
· Playboy, sugar daddy, big cheese: Financially well-to-do men, often with reputations for being generous in spending for gifts. A good catch for a gold-digger.
· Dumb Dora, dumbell: Stupid girl; airhead

Dating terms
· Hickie: Red mark left on girlfriend's neck by heavy petting boy
· Park: Verb meaning to stop at lover's lane, etc. and make love
· Carry a torch: A jilted lover's inability to let go of a former relationship
· Blind date: Date between a boy and girl who'd never met before; usually arranged by friends
· Petting, necking, heavy petting, etc.: Making love, making out; usually meant kissing and "feeling up" more than actually "going all the way."
· Stuck on: Attached; in love. Those two are "stuck on" each other.

Prohibition/Drinking terms:
· Speakeasy, gin mill, whoopee parlor: Secret, illegal bars
· Fried, crocked, ossified, juiced, etc.: Among the many terms for being drunk
· Moonshine, sauce, giggle water, hooch, bathtub gin, Jake-leg, etc. : Among the many terms for bootleg liquor
· Hair of the dog: A shot of alcohol
· Upchuck: Vomit, puke
· Rumrunner: Someone who smuggled good (not bootleg) alcoholic beverages into the United States

General Slang terms:
· Copacetic: An exclamation meaning great, excellent, cool, I understand, I dig that, etc.
· Bunk (or) baloney: Exclamations meaning it's b.s., it's not true, that's nonsense, it's a lotta hooey, it's a scam
· Banana oil: Same as bunk
· Absolutely, Positively, Posi-lootly: Exclamations meaning yes, of course, you bet; used by flappers and usually said slowly to accentuate each syllable
· Nifty, swell: Cool, excellent, that's great
· Ritzy, swanky: High class, cool
· Peppy: Full of energy, giddy
· It: Sex appeal
· Goofy: Something or someone stupid. Can also mean in love. "He's goofy for her." Also, a goof is a goofy/silly person.
· Whoopee: Makin' whoopee meant heavy petting or having sex. Whoopee also just meant have fun in general, getting drunk, partying, etc.
· Fly a Kite! (or) Go fly a kite!: Shut up, get away from me, get out of my face, go to Hell, jump off a bridge, etc.
· For crying out loud!: Something outrageous, stupid, unbelievable.
· Hard-boiled: Someone, usually a guy, with cold manners, not sentimental, a hard case.
· Hot diggety! Hot diggety dog!: Expression of excitement; or an emergency situation (Hot diggety! I gotta get going!)
· Get Hot!: Dance floor, party expression. Used to encourage dancers to perform a wild Charleston dance.

Some 1920's Links

The 1920's Live Game Website

The Roaring Twenties

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