# Gen-Y Slang **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 19, 2000, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290 "2000-04-19T16:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![sorrel554](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@sorrel554](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sorrel554)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/41 "2000-04-20T22:11:00Z")
Re: Hood-rats, suburban homies. My brother (age 19) refers to these individuals by combining the handle of a well-known rapper with a stereotypically white-boy name: “DJ Jazzy Trevor,” “Grand Master Colin.” I dunno if he made it up. * * * Those who do not learn from history are condemned to fail the class. --A **WallyM7** creation ---
**Author:** ![Kupek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@Kupek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kupek)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/42 "2000-04-20T22:16:00Z")
There should be a law against people from different generations trying to learn each other’s slang. No matter how hard they try, no matter what they say, the always end up sounding stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/43 "2000-04-20T22:18:00Z")
OK, the ‘suburban homies’ one dredged up a memory from visiting my gf (now Mrs O) in Pennsylvania. We’re driving along and at the stoplight a suburban homie pulls up alongside us, radio blaring, bass boosted, cap on backwards, the whole nine yards. As he pulls away we notice he’s got a Kansas license plate. “Wow,” Mrs O mused. “No place like homeboy.” * * * All I wanna do is to thank you, even though I don’t know who you are… ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/44 "2000-04-20T22:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by D Marie: > \*\*Re: Hood-rats, suburban homies. > > My brother (age 19) refers to these individuals by combining the handle of a well-known rapper with a stereotypically white-boy name: “DJ Jazzy Trevor,” “Grand Master Colin.” > > I dunno if he made it up. > > \*\* Nope. My GF calls the white homiez (note spelling with ‘z’–placed to give me extra street cred) “DJ Jazzy Trvor” all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2000, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/45 "2000-04-20T22:48:00Z")
the latest Gen-Y slang: “The Bee’s Knees” - totally heller cool… “that car is the bee’s knees” “The Cat’s Pajamas” , “Swell”, “Nifty” - the most hip variants of the Bee’s Knees. “a-hoy, a-hoy” - the most cool way to answer the telephone. What, you say, these have been used before? ---
**Author:** ![Bucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Bucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bucky)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/46 "2000-04-21T01:32:00Z")
Here’s some from my students (both college and high school) Babylon 5–to start with a good idea that just turns into crap. “That date was really Babylon 5!” Zeebloinked–to get so angry that it’s funny to others. Code Yellow–identifying someone as gay when the person identified doesn’t really know it yet. “Michael is Code Yellow.” Baywatching–to waste time in the hopes of seeing hot bodies, especially while watching TV. Pokemoned–when a young adult is treated as though a small child. “My rents Pokemoned me again, they got me an N’Sync CD for my b-day.” Green soup–vomit, especially after drinking too much. Offstage–out of it. Backstage–part of the inner circle. Clark Kent–as in “he’s such a Clark Kent.” Someone who could be much cooler but doesn’t seem to know how. Sprite–used to describe efforts at defining Gen Y (or Gen X), based on the “image is nothing” sprite commercials. Bucky ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/47 "2000-04-21T03:44:00Z")
**Avumede** wrote: > [@](#): > > the latest Gen-Y slang: > > “The Bee’s Knees” - totally heller cool… “that car is the bee’s knees” > > “The Cat’s Pajamas” , “Swell”, “Nifty” - the most hip variants of the Bee’s Knees. Circa 1930. > [@](#): > > “a-hoy, a-hoy” - the most cool way to answer the telephone. This was, I’ve heard, the old way telephones were answered, way back in the beginning, before `Hello’ came in vogue. Old slang does crop up as supposedly new slang, and I wonder if this doesn’t have something to do with the T.V. show _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_. I read an article about how the main writer on the show plays around a lot with new coinages and digs up a lot of old ones. [http://www.verbatimmag.com/Sum99.html](http://www.verbatimmag.com/Sum99.html)[http://www.verbatimmag.com/Aut99.html](http://www.verbatimmag.com/Aut99.html) **Bucky** wrote: > [@](#): > > Babylon 5–to start with a good idea that just turns into crap. “That date was really Babylon 5!” Such a usage sounds like a good way to get into a fight around the college students I know. People get into that show pretty seriously. Or maybe that’s the point, eh? In that case you might also want to try, “Oh my God, that’s so _first edition_!” ---
**Author:** ![UFO\_Charlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@UFO\_Charlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFO_Charlie)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/48 "2000-04-21T04:00:00Z")
\>TRUDAT-TRUDAT = that’s right (said quickly) ## Just to clarify this one… The word is not actually ‘trudat’. This expression comes from ‘true that’, i.e. recognize that as truth, i.e. that is true! It became bastardized into slang: true 'dat. Later, it has become the ‘trudat’ we all know and love, but it should be noted that it’s not a completely fictional word. – _ **UFO\_Charlie** _ – “I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We’ve created life in our own image.” ## -Stephen Hawking ---
**Author:** ![Lexicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lexicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lexicon)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/49 "2000-04-21T04:08:00Z")
Lexicon of Gen-XY vernacular, by Lexicon. \*\*fly-\*\*describes something that is good, like a girl that looks sexy or a car that looks good. **dope-** new word for cool. **money-** similar to fly, only more so. Can be applied more universally. \*\*betty-\*\*same as babe or chic, only more respectful. **baby-** same as babe or chic, only not so respectful, used between guys, usually. \*\*harsh-[b/]usu used to describe an overreaction. **shenanigans-** desribes a situation in which some strange things occur as a result of an individuals or groups actions. **fiend-** an addict, as in “I am a straight dope fiend” can be conjugated to “fiending” as in craving what one is a addicted to. **jones** very retro, this term means the same thing it always has. **porn-** something that has intrinsic value due to rarity and shock effect, or an occurence that is very dramatic. The dark side of something or someone. **porn-star-** a drama queen, not to be confused with the popular clothing line. **-of death** something that is very hard to endure or tiresome. Something to be feared. **antics-** the behaviour of an individual that is usu construed as embarrasing or innapropriate. **rodney king, paint the ground red, smack (one’s) bitch up, open a can of whoop ass, beat down, jaywalk, knuckledust, fisticuff-** kick someone’s ass or get your ass kicked, either way. **swank-** as mentioned above, this term is widely varied, but usu can be likened to “swell” or “okay” See _word_. **word-** indicates agreement. ex.: “Yo that bitch was fly.” “Word.” **chillin’-** relaxing, hanging out, not doing anything urgently. **slippin’-** not paying attention to one’s surroundings. **ill-** in poor taste, usually. Can sometimes mean “funky” as in “Get ill”. Also, “illin’” as in not thinking clearly. **buggin’-** being annoying, unreasonable, or otherwise acting like a bitch. **punk, punk-ass, punk-ass bitch-** someone not worthy of respect, usu because of glaring stupidity or cowardice. **bitch-** in addition to the traditional meaning, this term can be applied to anyone who has been cowed, is acting irrationally, or is otherwise acting like a bitch. **chuck, unswallow, ralph, call the dinosaurs, blow chunks, spew, yack-** to vomit. **blow, bail, bounce, step, roll** - to leave, or continue on about one’s business. **Audi-** used in “I’m Audi,” to indicate that you are leaving. See 5000 **5000-** goodbye, see you later. **so-** indicates a level of severity beyond other terms, usu “so wrong” or “so not cool” or “so not ready for that” **deal-** cope. **skank-** a lady of low moral standing. **choad-** various uses, usu a very stupid individual, but technically the area between one’s genitals and anus. **gank-** well defined above, and can also be used to indicate imminent harm, or even death. **shorty-** a child. **bust-** let loose with, such as bust a rhyme, or bust a cap. **hang-** compete with as in “you can’t hang with me” and also as in to spend time with “hang with my boys.” **bangin’-** variant of fly, as in “her body was bangin’”. **kickin’-** can be good, like a kickin’ system. Can be bad, as in a smell that’s kickin’. **rank-** something repugnant or disgusting. ## **sweet-** exclamatory to indicate pleasure with an outcome or description of a situation or impending events. Meaning is usu varied by dipthong influx. I am spent for now, I will try my damndest to remember some more. _You listened to me? Haven’t I made it abundantly clear during the tenure of our friendship that I don’t know shit?_ ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/50 "2000-04-21T04:20:00Z")
> [@](#): > > **betty** -same as babe or chic, only more respectful. I was under the impression that “betty” meant a skater’s girlfriend or someone who wanted to be a skater’s girlfriend, whose role it is to sit around and watch her boything while he skates, and was not respectful in the slightest. Then again, maybe I’m just old. * * * Here lies Pierre de Fermat. Unfortunately, there is not enough room on this tombstone for a proper epitaph. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/51 "2000-04-21T06:29:00Z")
**Lexicon** wrote: > [@](#): > > fly-describes something that is good, like a girl that looks sexy or a car that looks good. **Fly** in the sense of _hip_ goes as far back as the 1830’s – in fact, it predates _hip_. > [@](#): > > dope- new word for cool. _Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang_ has this listed under _70’s and 80’s_. > [@](#): > > money- similar to fly, only more so. Can be applied more universally. There exists an earlier variant of this word meaning one’s preference. e.g. “That’s my money.” “He’s the man for my money.” > [@](#): > > betty-same as babe or chic, only more respectful. 80’s. > [@](#): > > jones very retro, this term means the same thing it always has. Yeah, but what ever happened to _skag jones_? > [@](#): > > swank- as mentioned above, this term is widely varied, but usu can be likened to “swell” or “okay” See word. Partridge suggests it’s probably from the German _Schwang_ meaning _in fashion_. It entered english around the turn of the century. > [@](#): > > word- indicates agreement. > ex.: “Yo that bitch was fly.” “Word.” 80’s > [@](#): > > slippin’- not paying attention to one’s surroundings. My old man used to say this. It’s a short cut for “I must be slippin’ in my old age.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/52 "2000-04-21T06:35:00Z")
Oh, and, plus, in addition: Jones – this is listed in Maurer’s _Narcotics and Narcotic Addiction_ which covers data gathered from 1935-1973. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/53 "2000-04-21T14:23:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by neuro-trash grrrl: > \*\* I was under the impression that “betty” meant a skater’s girlfriend or someone who wanted to be a skater’s girlfriend, whose role it is to sit around and watch her boything while he skates, and was not respectful in the slightest. Then again, maybe I’m just old. > \*\* That’s the way I always heard it. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/54 "2000-04-21T14:49:00Z")
## Lexicon says: **shorty** - a child In my neck of the 'hood, shorty is your girlfriend. Beaming-- Acting stupid (as in dumb, not stoopid which is good). Comes from drug slang. Someone smoking crack is said to be “beaming”, as in Beam me up Scottie. Backed up-- Does **not** mean constipated. It means you are tough. Evolved from “I got back up” meaning people who will take my side, to its current form “I’m backed up.” meaning don’t mess with me. ---
**Author:** ![Jeannie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@Jeannie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeannie)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/55 "2000-04-21T15:39:00Z")
Okay, these are ones that my sister uses. She is 19 years old as of today. “Hoopty car”-- An old, beat up piece of junk. As in, “Hey, check out my new hoopty car! My dad got it for a thousand bucks.” “Red-Headed Step-Child”-- Total dork who just doesn’t have a clue. I think it borders on meaning “retard.” As in, “What were you thinking? You’re such a red-headed step-child!” NOTE: I have no idea why the step child has to be red-headed. Apologies to any redheads. “Bunk-ass”-- Totally lame. As in, “I can’t believe I wasted money to see that movie. It was bunk-ass.” “All That”-- Something pretty damn special. Used to take people down a notch. As in, “Oh, you really think you’re all that? Well, you’re not!” “And a bag of chips”-- Used with “All That.” If someone is especially conceited, they think of themselves as “All that–and a bag of chips.” Those are the ones I can think of right now. When I see her tonight, I’m sure I’ll be reminded of more. * * * ## Homepage: [www.idreamofjeannie.com](http://www.idreamofjeannie.com) Occupation:Wish granting Location: I’m still stuck in this damn bottle in Cocoa Beach, Fla. Interests: Getting Major Nelson in trouble, getting Major Nelson out of trouble –_Custom profile courtesy of **UncleBeer** _ I never hate myself in the morning. I sleep till noon. –_Custom sig line courtesy of **Wally** _ ---
**Author:** ![Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trout_Mask_Replica)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/56 "2000-04-21T15:53:00Z")
**Tight:** Denotes a close friendship, as in ‘Me and him are tight’. Also used as a term for musical proficiency, as in ‘Yeah, Eminem’s tight’. **Muggin:** Drunk and looking for a fight. **Dub:** Spoiled rich college student, usually female. ## **No doubt:** Signifies general agreement with a statement. **TMR** _If you believed in yourself, and tore enough holes in your pants, there was always a mist-filled alley right around the corner._ ---
**Author:** ![h\_thur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@h\_thur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h_thur)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2000, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/57 "2000-04-22T05:05:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Trout Mask Replica: > [B > **Muggin:** Drunk and looking for a fight. > > \*\* Muggin’ around here is slang for kissing. This kid I used to date was on the tail end of GenX and his favorite words were **phat** and \*\*pimptomatic[p], both meaning cool. ---
**Author:** ![h\_thur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@h\_thur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h_thur)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2000, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/58 "2000-04-22T05:06:00Z")
Well, count me as UBB impaired. ---
**Author:** ![Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trout_Mask_Replica)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2000, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/59 "2000-04-22T05:15:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by h\_thur: > **This kid I used to date was on the tail end of GenX and his favorite words were phat and pimptomatic, both meaning cool.** I’ve never heard ‘pimptomatic’, but I’ve heard ‘pimpin’’, which has much the same meaning. In online slang, ‘pimping’ is promoting your own work. * * * **TMR** _If you believed in yourself, and tore enough holes in your pants, there was always a mist-filled alley right around the corner._ ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290/60 "2000-04-22T04:37:00Z")
Jeannie, We discussed the term “red-headed step-child” on another thread. The meaning that was discussed there was “something that was rejected in embarrassment”. The idea was that a husband might discover that his wife was cheating on him when he sees that the new baby has red hair, which neither he nor his wife has. This meaning of “a dork” must be an extension of the old meaning. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gen-y-slang/16290.md?page=4)