telegraphese colloq. or humorous.
(ˌtɛlɪgrɑːˈfiːz, -æ-)
[f. telegraph n. + -ese.]
1. The concise and elliptical style in which telegrams are worded. Also attrib. or as adj.
| 1885 Pall Mall G. 26 Sept. 2/2 We shall gradually give up English in favour of Telegraphese, and Electric Telegraphese is as short and spare as Daily Telegraphese is longwinded and redundant. 1905 Athenæum 7 Oct. 469/2 We rather relish the leisurely semicolons and sentences of the eighteenth century after..the ‘telegraphese’ of many a modern stylist. 1951 R. Hoggart Auden i. 18 Auden's ‘telegraphese’ style..is distinguished by its omission of articles, relatives, connectives, personal, demonstrative and other pronouns, and auxiliary verbs. 1978 Radio Times 18–24 Mar. 15/1 The actor's opinion hardened into the following telegraphese note: ‘Willy beyond question toughest director I've ever worked for.’ |
2. An elaborate or inflated style, such as was attributed to leading articles in the (London) Daily Telegraph newspaper.
| 1885 [see 1]. 1889 Universal Rev. Oct. 215 The man who writes for the Telegraph must write Telegraphese. 1892 Leisure Hour May 455/2 The elaborate, rounded, allusive style which has gone down to fame as Telegraphese. 1895 Westm. Gaz. 9 Dec. 3/1 Sala was not only the patentee of Telegraphese. He was also the first, and in some ways the best. |