And How!

Just like the fashion of a decade, phrases develop and change. The diction in The Sun Also Rises reveals the time period's dialect and the slang words used at the time. On page 107, Bill reports that he "has some darbs." Darbs can be referred to as money or even clothing, though in this case it seems as if Bill is referring to 'darb' as a type of person, possibly a Jewish man. Also throughout the story, the word 'tight' is used to described those who have had too much to drink. Bill says Jake and himself will "get tight now at lunch on the wine of the country" on page 108, and he goes on to add that they will then take a "swell bus ride." When people use the word 'tight' today it means 'cool' or 'awesome'. The word 'swell' equates with 'fantastic' or 'wonderful.' The language of the 20's was more proper than that of today, but the slang terms exist no matter the decade or area of the country.