Slags

[Sam Flynn]

I still avoid walking under ladders, just in case however

My friends and I were talking about the supernatural, etc, in the schoolyard one Autumn afternoon. I, arch-sceptic then as now, was "pooh-poohing" everything as usual and, when the conversation got round to superstitions I decided to seize the moment. Spotting a ladder propped up against the swimming-pool wall, one of my mates dared me to walk under it. "No problem!", I said, and strode purposefully towards the ladder. I wasn't to know that, following a storm the previous night, a large quantity of leaves had bunged up the guttering on the roof of the swimming block, and the school caretaker had decided at that very moment to brush them off the roof. No sooner had I walked under the ladder than a pile of filthy, soggy leaves showered down onto my head.

Amid the general hysterical laughter, friends and caretaker alike, I blundered around the corner of the building, wiping the gunge off myself as I went. Had I been a little more observant at that stage, I might have noticed the first-formers having a "fruit-fight" in the middle distance. More to the point, I might have spotted the missile flung by one of them towards us, and ducked out of the way. As it was, I copped a very ripe banana on my shoulder, which promptly burst and shed its sickly contents all over my left lapel.

Almost thirty years later, I still think twice about walking under ladders.

True story.

[Celesta]

I am wondering if anybody knows where the word slag or slags comes from? One source claims that it originated from 1950's America but it is also used in the film 'From Hell'
Another reason why I am asking is because I recently dabbled with a Ouja board with an open mind and not taking it too seriously,more for a bit of a laugh than anything.We were all convinced that each other was moving the glass especially when 'Jack' supposedly came through.It was then decided that I would take my finger off the glass and the two lasses I was with would continue with me just asking the questions.The glass continued to move around the makeshift board and kept on spelling out the word,'slags' among others.I have an open mind but I wasn't convinced but it did get me thinking about wether or not this was a common term used in the nineteenth century.
All the best
Rob

Hi Rob,

Here is a short item that explains what slag is. You've heard the term slag-heap? Slag is the byproduct of ore smelting. I imagine any number of slang terms may have derived from this. Another general use for slag that I've seen is for a waste product from mining, or ore-processing.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-slag.htm

Also, I wouldn't recommend the Ouija at all. I made the mistake of doing that long ago. It was about 2 years before I could sleep without a light on in my room.

Best,

Cel

[Khanada]

You've heard the term slag-heap? Slag is the byproduct of ore smelting. I imagine any number of slang terms may have derived from this. Another general use for slag that I've seen is for a waste product from mining, or ore-processing.

Yep. There's an enormous slag-dump forming the backdrop of a large shopping mall, up near Pittsburgh, PA. Parked nearby, along the road behind the mall, is one of the rail cars used to transport the molten slag out to the dump -- my mother can remember seeing them dumping the stuff there in the 1950's (looong before the mall), said it looked at night like lava flowing.

That's the first definition I ever knew for "slag", until seeing Priscilla, Queen of the Desert a few years ago, wherein the line, "Oh listen to you! You sound like two fat slags at a pie bake-off!"

As for Ouija boards... To each his own POV, but my S.O. and I refuse to have one of the foul things in the house. It just doesn't quite rate up there on the "entertainment only" scale next to Monopoly or checkers for us. Others of course will feel differently, which, again, to each his own, 'cause it's not a one-size-fits-all world.

(Also, we are marginally frightened that Dids would come through, and we could never explain it in therapy... )

[Mike Covell]

A few years back a good friend of mine, had gone on a double date with two girls and some kid, who was pretty weird. During the evening he suggested they go to his flat and pick his ouija board up.

They did so and proceeded to a dark spot in the country, near a cemetery. They put the board on the back seat and began messing with the board, until something communicated with them.

In no uncertain terms it told them that 1 of them would be dead before midnight.

The group laughed it off, went to see a movie and later went for a drive, probably to engage in a lengthy groping session, before driving back to Hull. On the return home the car careered off the road, and hit a tree.

The driver and his date got out of the vehicle, as did the second girl but the weird kid was lifeless in the rear of the car. They could not revive him and petrol fumes filled the air. Within minutes the car was in flames and the kid never made it, the car was written off and sent to scrap, when a few weeks later an officer called the drivers home to tell him they had retrieved some of his belongings. Thinking it was his tools from the boot he went to the station to be presented with a pristine ouija board.

Apparently it was left intact on the rear seat!

This was the begining of a series of bad luck for the driver.
His mother was diagnosed with cancer, his father complained of ear ache one night, sat down, nodded off and never awoke, and his brother has tried committing suicide on numerous occasions.


Another friend, called Matt and his older sister Claire also dabbled in their parents ouija board, whilst living in Felixstowe. They were told "You have unlocked a doorway, it's too late now" and decided to close down the board and put the box away. For months the family was plagued with paranormal activity, much of which they documented. They moved within 3 months and arrived in Hull, were Matt and I became good friends.

I get a lot of emails for "House clearances" from people who have dabbled in the occult, and the only way to stop people dabbling is to educate and inform them of the dangers.

Is it a game, or are there actual powers at work which we don't yet understand? I have always thought it was a subconcious movement which moves the pointer, but when you get stories like that, it does make you wonder.

Ouija is of course the combination of the French word for "Yes" and German word "Yes" and was mass marketed as a "Talking toy board" by the Parker Brothers. The earliest time such an item is actually mentioned dates back to 1200 China, when Planchettes were used to speak to the dead!

[cats meat man]

Hi All,
Many thanks for your interesting observations on this one.Apart from spelling out the word slags it also spelt out the word daughter in response to my question,'Who was the first victim?' and then the names,Annie and Mary.When I asked if Annie was also known by another name it spelt out the word black.A number of times the glass went to the word No when asked specific questions and kept spelling out the word slags and garden for some reason.
Now,where's that game of Twister?
All the best
Rob

[Limehouse]

It has been interesting to read the various origins posed for the word 'slag' and how it might relate to women.

What I think is also important is how widespread the use of the word may have been within particular a region. (And for region you could think of quite a small area). From my own experience, I find that these slang terms are often used regionally for a while, only to be replaced with another similar word for a few years, and then the original term seems to come back into use. For example, I grew up where east London meet Essex, not too far from the east end. Many of the older people locally had moved out of the east end just before WW2. In the 1970s, we never used the word 'slag' to mean a woman who 'looked easy'. We always used 'scrubber'. However, it is clear that 'slag' was in widespread use at the time in other locations (for example, just down the road in north London) and just before I left London in the 1980s, the term 'slag' was in general use in my part of London and 'scrubber' had fallen out of use.

So, to summarise, word use can vary widely even within the same city and what is used in one small part of a city may not be used in another location a few miles away. This practice is not fixed however, and words can fall in and out of use and this applies particularly to slang words.

What do others think?

[Mike Covell]

One of the down sides of alleged spirit communication, is that its all open to interpretation and does not, as some groups claim, prove the afterlife exsists.

Spirit communictaion should always be used as a secondary tool after scientific analysis has been undertaken.

If your playing Twister Rob, don't forget the grease!!

[Carrotty Nell]

Hi All,
Apart from spelling out the word slags it also spelt out the word daughter in response to my question,'Who was the first victim?' and then the names,Annie and Mary.Rob

Does this mean Edward Walker was JTR?

I took part in a seance at University thinking it would be a load of clap. I deliberately tried to 'push' the glass and found I could not because it was too heavy with everyone else's fingers on it.

[cats meat man]

Hi Carrotty Nell,
This was the only part during the Ouja board that made me sit up and take notice due to my research into my JTR suspect,James Hardiman whose 12 month year old daughter,Harriet Maria died as a result of congenital syphillis on 18 June 1888.As far as I am aware my friends weren't aware of my research and they were both touching the glass at the time whereas I wasn't.I think the key word here was that I asked who the first victim was and not his first victim.They kept asking me what it all meant and I only explained afterwards.They were convinced that other forces were at work but I have to admit that I still remain sceptical about it all.
All the best
Rob

[Celesta]

Yep. There's an enormous slag-dump forming the backdrop of a large shopping mall, up near Pittsburgh, PA. Parked nearby, along the road behind the mall, is one of the rail cars used to transport the molten slag out to the dump -- my mother can remember seeing them dumping the stuff there in the 1950's (looong before the mall), said it looked at night like lava flowing.

That's the first definition I ever knew for "slag", until seeing Priscilla, Queen of the Desert a few years ago, wherein the line, "Oh listen to you! You sound like two fat slags at a pie bake-off!"

As for Ouija boards... To each his own POV, but my S.O. and I refuse to have one of the foul things in the house. It just doesn't quite rate up there on the "entertainment only" scale next to Monopoly or checkers for us. Others of course will feel differently, which, again, to each his own, 'cause it's not a one-size-fits-all world.

(Also, we are marginally frightened that Dids would come through, and we could never explain it in therapy... )

Hiddy-ho K,

Your image of slag is exactly what comes to mind when I think of slag and lava is a descriptor that pops into my mind!

I was wondering if the term might be related to sluggard?

You're right of course about the Ouija being a matter of opinion. I just had a bad experience with it. Weird night that was.

Best to you.

Cel

[Dan Norder]

I get a lot of emails for "House clearances" from people who have dabbled in the occult, and the only way to stop people dabbling is to educate and inform them of the dangers.

Yeah, I've heard that before. I've also heard that the only sure way to cure mental dysfunctions is to open holes into people's skulls to let the demons out. I don't see how someone could treat one of those suggestions seriously but not the other, as they are based upon the same premise and are equally ridiculous.

But then maybe I'm just grumpy because some guy on the street downtown always insists on "educating and informing" everyone about the dangers of aliens abducting humans out of their beds and putting tracking devices into their bodily cavities. From the way he walks it's obvious he has a specific cavity in mind. People have tried to tell him that Preparation H can clear that right up. For some reason he takes more comfort in the notion that the reptiloids from Altair 7 think he's special and want to know what he's up to at all times as part of their preparations for destroying the world and harvesting the human race for food than dealing with the fact that he's just some guy with a common medical ailment and a loose grip on reality.

[Robert]

There is also, of course, the expression "to slag off" meaning to strongly criticise.

[cats meat man]

Hi Dan,
The Reptiloids are from Altair 7 ? !!
All the best
Rob

[Celesta]

There is also, of course, the expression "to slag off" meaning to strongly criticise.

I think I'll write this one down, Robert. Thanks.

[DVV]

A ueful verb, indeed.I and all Corsicans ****Sarkozy.


ps: Linda, our son is now in the best (catholic) school in Addis, waiting for the the day French diplomats will not be droïds.
That is why I am there and it is a good step (since he came from Somali boarder).
Meilleures pensées pour toi (and I will always inform you).