# group specific words that become mainstream **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 3, 2001, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257 "2001-10-03T21:04:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flano1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f14d63/32.png) [@flano1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flano1)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/1 "2001-10-03T21:04:58Z")
There are times when my tiny, little brain flips about when I see words used by the “wrong” subset. I first heard " hassle " sometime in the '60s. It was brought to Australia by drug-addled surfer types. Twenty or so years later it appeared in an ad for car batteries-"…the hassle free battery…". I still recoil when I hear a seventy something say," far out". Any other cringe-making examples? ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/2 "2001-10-03T22:39:13Z")
I’m always struck by how ridiculous it sounds when a middle aged white woman says “You Go Girl!” Enough already, make it stop. ---
**Author:** ![jonfromdenver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/82dd89/32.png) [@jonfromdenver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonfromdenver)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/3 "2001-10-03T23:11:26Z")
i find it funny when white people say something. anything. white people crack me up. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/4 "2001-10-04T15:38:45Z")
Recently I’ve heard non-geeky-looking people use “parse”, as in “I didn’t parse that; what did you say?” ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/5 "2001-10-04T17:24:26Z")
I once called a friend “homey.” Haven’t done it since. ---
**Author:** ![Hekcorps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/87869e/32.png) [@Hekcorps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hekcorps)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2001, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/6 "2001-10-04T19:22:49Z")
All. Your. Base. Are. Belong. To. Us. 'nuff said, I win, goodnight. ---
**Author:** ![Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeremy_s_Evil_Twin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2001, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/7 "2001-10-05T05:10:38Z")
Now that is the ultimate thread-killer. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/8 "2001-10-09T00:06:12Z")
On 9/11 I heard a radio reporter in NY use the phrase “boned out”, meaning “got the f–k out of there”. I’ve never heard anyone outside of my circle of friends say this. It was weird to hear it on national radio. One I’m waiting to hear: “Shned”. This is what we called the cops when I was in HS in San Diego, and I haven’t heard it since. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/9 "2001-10-09T10:11:12Z")
I’ve heard people who don’t smoke pot telling people not to ‘bogart’ something. ‘Multitasking’ is also used by people who never touch a computer. ---
**Author:** ![Daikona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Daikona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daikona)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/10 "2001-10-09T20:57:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Devil’s Grandmother \* > \*\*Recently I’ve heard non-geeky-looking people use “parse”, as in “I didn’t parse that; what did you say?” \*\* I dunno… I don’t _look_ super geeky, but I spend so much time in front of a computer that I’m starting to grow toward the light. ~\_^ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/group-specific-words-that-become-mainstream/85257/11 "2001-10-09T21:45:31Z")
SNAFU started in the military, and has to be the word with the most scatological beginning that entered mainstream society.