Title: Slang of the 20th Century: From Flappers to Rappers
1Slang of the 20th CenturyFrom Flappers to
Rappers
- How does Hurstons slang influence the readers
perception? Remember perception is reality!!
2Some Opening Notes
- A) Slang changes quickly
- 10 retention rate every 10 years (Eble, 1987)
- B) But slang is reincarnated over and over again
- The same terms are seen every generation
- Often w/ different meanings (drag, fat, bimbo)
- C) Used almost exclusively by the young
- D) Every generation slangs what is important to
them - Studying their slang is a way to understand a
generation
3Some Opening Notes
- E) Why is slang used?
- 1) It conceals meaning from parents
- But do kids use slang in front of them?
- 2) It identifies you as part of the tribe
- 3) It defies authority (talking like a rebel)
- 4) It makes one feel special important
- 5) It excludes other peer groups
4Lets Test Your Knowledge of Slang
- Number your paper from 1 through 21.
- For each question, give me your best guess.
- At the end of class, we will award the
Championship to the Hippest Cat! - No Cheating!!
5I. From 1900-1919
- Before the end of WWI (1919) there was little use
of slang - Why Mass media was not a national phenomenon
- Terms could not be shared or spread by the youth
culture - College students used slang locally
- At UK, we have Ho, POT, the Keys
- But there was one NATIONAL exception . . .
6I. From 1900-1919
- 1) 23 Skidoo
- Three meanings OK, Good, See You Later
- This was the 1st National Slang Term (1905)
7II. 1920-30s From Flappers to Jazz
- 1920s captured by Harlem Renaissance writers
- Times were good and decadent
- The early 30s were depression years
- Times were tough
- The late 30s were swing and big-band jazz (the
gangster rap of the age) - Strong slang influence from blacks culture
8II. 1920-30s From Flappers to Jazz
- 2) Half-cut, fried, jammed, juiced, pie-eyed,
polluted, plastered, shot, tanked - Drunk (most popular reference of the age)
- 3) Bat, brawl, buzz, rag, toot, wrestle, egg
harbor - A dance party
- 4) 5 Things Gob stick, dog house, gobble pipe,
skins, git box - Instruments clarinet, bass, sax, drums, guitar
- If you got all 3, you are swanky or tasty
9III. 1940s From the War to Babies
- 1941-45 saw WWII
- Much slang was based on male war interactions
- After the war, America experienced good times
- Happy Days Are Here Again 1 Song
10III. 1940s From the War to Babies
- 5) Drooly, pappy, swoony, BTO (big time
operator), PC (prince charming) - An attractive man (big-time operator, prince
charming) - 6) 5 Things Moss, blinkers, flops, schnozz,
pillars - Body Parts Hair, eyes, ears, nose, legs
- 7) Fatal pill, go-away kiss, lead pill, check
out, blotto, in the drink - WWII Terms Bullets and dying
- If you got these 3, you are a real hep cat (most
popular term)
11IV. 1950s From Cool to Beat
- 1950s were Happy Days, at least on the surface
- But there were always Fonzies
- Young were restless (rejection of parents)
- Salingers Catcher, Brandos Wild One, Deans
Rebel, Elvis Jailhouse Rock - The Beatnick movement also exploded
- Wore black, drank coffee, read poetry
- Terms Hipster, like, daddy-o, cat, dig
12IV. 1950s From Cool to Beat
- 8) Bad news, beast, bomb, hack, kemp, wedge
- Cars Hot Rods (many terms)
- 9) Cut the grass, dont tense, fade out, get bent
- Insults Shut up, take it easy, disappear, I hate
you - 10) Squaresville, deadsville, dullsville
- A bad place to be
- If you got all 3, you are cool (1), creamy, fat,
mad, hairy
13V. 1960s From Surf to Dope
- Breaking away from the conservative 50s
- Rock Peaked
- Motown, British Invasion, Acid Rock, Hippie Rock,
folk, Woodstock - It was the most politically active individually
expressive decade of the Century - Anti-Vietnam, Feminism, Civil Rights, Free Love,
Free Speech, Black Power, etc.
14V. 1960s From Surf to Dope
- 11) Barf, blow, beets, flash, heave, ralph,
- To get sick
- 12) Category Hang ten, stoked, bitchin, dude,
bro - Surf Terms
- 13) Reefer, gage, mary jane, spliff, jay, doobie,
roach - Marijuana
- If you got all 3, youre bad, boss, freak, suave
15VI. 1970-80s From Disco to New Wave
- 70s and 80s share a lot in common
- Politically inactive, pop-culture driven, no
wars, no meaningful direction - Called the Me Generation
- Really big with 1 or 2 word exclamations!!
- Basic! (right) Be real!, Bite me!, Cool Beans!,
Eat me!, Go for it! H0! (great), Heard that!, Not!
16VI. 1970-80s From Disco to New Wave
- 14) Boff, boink, grind, do the nasty, deed, or
wild thing - Sex
- 15) To chill, hang, veg, jell, kick it, ease
- To do nothing
- 16) Category Fer sure, Tscha, grody, totally, to
the maxhttps//www.youtube.com/watch?vV4347ZE0NQM
- Valley girl Gag me with a spoon
- If you missed these, you are beat, gnarly, harsh,
heinous
17VII. 1990-2000 Your Generation
- Times have been good
- Strong economy, no world wars, high college rates
- Three Major Influences
- Pop culture (TV Movies)
- Computers/Technology
- Hip Hop
18VII. 1990-2000 Your Generation
- 17) Biscuit, burner, heater, joint, steel, toast
- Guns
- 18) Category Later, Peace Out, How you doin,
Whas up - Greetings
- 19) Bones, Franklins, Gs, jacks, yard, clout
- Money
- 20) Break, bust, chat, comp, freestyle, kick, rip
- Rap or sing
- 21) Been there, done that outta my way man
cowabunga hurl take a pill babe-osity Not!
schwing party on! - Bart Wayne (pop culture icons)
- https//www.youtube.com/watch?vBustEdWyqzk
- If you got all 5, you are Phat, Tight, or
the Bomb
19Some Extra Credit Hip-Hop Digits
- 10, 1555, 186(7), 40, 808
- 10 Mac 10
- 1555 The year the first slaveships arrived in
America - 186 or (7) Police term for a homicide. To be on
the lookout for someone who is trying to kill
you - 40 1) a 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor or 2) a
40 caliber gun - 808 1) The bass drum from a Roland TR-808 drum
machine, which is now a popular sample and 2) the
penal code for disturbing the peace. Refers to
the sound of bass from stereos. - If you answered 3 of 5, give yourself 1 extra
point
202001 20144th period
- Salty basic wasted
- anything turnt
- Go lay down ratchet bye Felicia
- Goon fleek whip
- Fam thug swerve
- Git R Done bruh cant even
- Swag bands the daily
212001-2014 5th period
- ratchet goon
- bruh swerve chawdawg
- cuz anything
- Salty squad bangin
- Turnt yo I cant even
- Bye Felicia dawg
- Fam swag whip
- Hmu bae goochi
- Hommie Lemme freak
22How did you do on the test?
- All 21 right You are a bad mother
- More than 15 right You are the mac daddy
- More than 10 right You are lame-o
- Less than 5 right You are totally bogus
23Closing Thoughts
- What would you add to the list for 2011 2020?
- Salty, LOL, rachet, making nouns into verbs
(gerund) I really dont want to school right now.
Like, swag, YOLO, whatever, sup?, F city, goon
squad, tennis courts, - A) Many words are cyclical and reincarnated
- 1930s gave us
- Suck, sweet, mellow, not!
- 1940s gave us
- Brutal, cap, fly, scrub, tasty, groovy
- 1950s gave us
- Clue, hang, kill, nerd, trip, turn on
- All have been reincarnated at least 3 times
- Thus, each generation is not as innovative as
they think
24Closing Thoughts
- B. Every generation slangs the same 8 things
- 1) girls/guys
- 2) drinking
- In 1737, Ben Franklin counted 228 terms for
drunkenness (1st slang list) - 3) greetings
- 4) sex
- 5) popular people
- 6) unpopular people
- 7) money
- Are these the most important topics for the
young? - Looks like you, your parents, your grandparents
were not that different after all
25Closing Thoughts
- C. What causes slang to change?
- Answer When mainstream America starts using it!
- Why Hip-Hop vocabulary changes so quickly
- D. Slang is here to stay
- And NO, you will not understand the next
generation - Isnt that the point of slang?!
26Later Dudes!