Salinger, J.D.: 1919 - 2010

The Catcher in the Rye, 1951 - Vocabulary

  • Critical reviews affirm that the novel accurately reflected the teenage colloquial speech of the time. Words and phrases that appear frequently include:

    "Flitty" – homosexual
    "Give her the time" – sexual intercourse
    "Necking" – kissing, hugging, and caressing passionately
    "Phony" – people who are dishonest or fake about who they really are
    "Prince" – a fine, generous, helpful fellow (often used in sarcastic fashion)
    "Rubbernecks" – people who turn their heads to gaze in curiosity
    "To shoot the bull" – To make small talk to pass the time
    "Snowing" – deceiving, misleading, or winning over by glib talk, flattery, etc.

    Information from Wikipedia