Slang of the 20th Century:
From Flappers to Rappers
(From Tom Dalzell’s Book)
Alan D. DeSantis
Some 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
Some 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
Let’s Test Your
Knowledge of Slang
• Use the open spaces in your workbook
– Or 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!!
I. 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 . . .
I. From 1900-1919
• 1) 23 Skidoo
– Three meanings: OK, Good, See You Later
– This was the 1st National Slang Term (1905)
II. 1920-30s: From Flappers to Jazz
• 1920s captured by F. Scott Fitzgerald
– 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
II. 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
III. 1940s: From the War to Babies
• 1941-45 saw WWII
– Much slang was based on male war interactions
• After the war, America experience good
times
– “Happy Days Are Here Again” #1 Song
• They seemed to name everything
– Not many stayed around
III. 1940s: From the War to Babies
• 5) Drooly, pappy, swoony, BTO, PC,
– 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)
IV. 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)
– Salinger’s Catcher, Brando’s Wild One, Dean’s
Rebel, & Elvis’ Jailhouse Rock
• The Beatnick movement also exploded
– Wore black, drank coffee, & read poetry
– Terms: Hipster, like, daddy-o, cat, & dig
IV. 1950s: From Cool to Beat
• 8) Bad news, beast, bomb, hack, kemp, wedge
– Cars & Hot Rods (many terms)
• 9) Cut the grass, don’t 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
V. 1960’s: 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.
V. 1960’s: 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, you’re bad, boss, freak, suave
VI. 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!
VI. 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
max
– Valley girl: “Gag me with a spoon”
• If you missed these, you are beat, gnarly, harsh,
heinous
VII. 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
VII. 1990-2000: Your Generation
• 17) Biscuit, burner, heater, joint, steel, toast
– Guns
• 18) Category: Later, Peace Out, “How you doin’,” “Wha’s
up”
– Greetings
• 19) Bones, Franklins, G’s, 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)
• If you got all 5, you are “Phat,” “Tight,” or “the Bomb”
Closing Thoughts
• A) Many words are cyclical and reincarnated
– 1930’s gave us:
• Suck, sweet, mellow, not!
– 1940’s gave us:
• Brutal, cap, fly, scrub, tasty, groovy
– 1950’s 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
Closing 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
– 8) homosexuals
• Are these the most important topics for the young?
• Looks like you, your parents, & your grandparents were not that
different after all
Closing 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
– Isn’t that the point of slang?!
Later Dudes!