When we look at an expression such as ‘slush fund’ we immediately start to think about politicians (why would that be, I wonder?)
The great American dictionary the Merriam-Webster explains, by saying that a ‘slush fund’ is ‘a fund for bribing public officials or carrying on corruptive propaganda on behalf of special interests.’
But it began life with a totally different meaning.
From early in the 1800s the notion of the ‘slush fund’ was born on sailing ships travelling over oceans.
In the Royal Navy the food for those on the lower deck was pretty dreadful.
In the days before refrigeration the only meat was salted pork or beef, stored in heavily salted casks for long voyages.
When some of this tough old meat was taken by the ship’s cook and turned into a meal, he would boil it (at some length) in a large tub or pot in his galley.
The first result was a thick layer of fat that was released and floated to the top of the pot.
This semi-liquid fat was scooped off and put into a tub where it solidified.
The fat was called ‘slush’ and the tub where it was stored was called the ‘slush tub.’
When they reached port the contents of this ‘slush tub’ were sold off to ship’s chandlers to be made into tallow candles (this was, of course, the age of the candle—and there was, thus, an endless market for candles of all qualities).
The money that was raised, at least in the early days, was put into a fund to pay for small luxuries for the crew.
This was called the ‘slush fund.’
Over time the meaning of this expression broadened and changed.
It came to refer to any ‘extra’ money that happened by be available.
And by the 1870s in America, it was being used in political circles as the label for any unofficial money being used to pay off officials as ‘illicit commission, bribery, corruption and graft.’
Hence, our use of ‘slush fund’ today.
The odd thing about the expression is that it started off as being essentially a positive term for a positive idea.
Then over time it was corrupted (just like the officials and organisations that are corrupted today by ‘slush fund’ payments).
Ah, well, such is the way of the world—from the good to the corrupt!
(Or am I sounding cynical?)
Tonight I'll join John Stanley on 2GB, 4BC, 2CC and the Nine Radio Network for 'The Word Clinic' -- right after the 10pm news.
The latest edition of Quadrant magazine is now in the newsagents -- including my article on 'Recognizing Racism".
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The May-June issue of Australian Geographic is out now (with the tree frog on the cover) -- inside are my two small columns on 'Placenames' and 'Ozwords'.
If you'd like to see my A-Z list of Aussie slang, you'll find it here in the Australian Geographic website -- A-Z list of Aussie slang. Here’s the link: The A-Z of Aussie slang - Australian Geographic
The liveliest part of this website is usually the Q and A page -- be sure to check it out from time to time.
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