Funny thing, I still use “my bad”. But then again, my English is a weird mixture from the things I picked up in the 80s, so don’t count on me being up to date
“Wha happen?” or “wha hoppen?” has been around since I was a kid (I’m 60), so it seems to have staying power. I’ve heard “hubba-hubba” fairly recently, and that one goes bac to at least WWII. Sayings like that seem to go in cycles. They die out, maybe for many years, and are resurrected in a movie and kids take them up again.
I totally hope that, like, the practice of, like, using certain, like, words over and over and over again totally, like, dies real soon.
It pleases me that it has become acceptable to say something “sucks”. That used to be considered pretty offensive language. It’s also no longer a real big deal to say “bite me”.
“Jump the shark” will probably stay around because it uniquely describes a common phenomenon of our culture.
It, like, doesn’t, like, seem, like, likely since they’ve been doing it, like, since the sixties. But I couldn’t agree with you more.
I hate “dude” and wish it would die. And I truly detest the practice of saying of a human being, “He goes,” when what is meant is that he “says.” It seems all right to say a dog goes “Woof!” But a person is not a beast. (Well, some people may be. )
An inventive explanation for “23 skiddoo”:
It came from the area around the Flatiron Building in Manhattan, on 23rd Street. Strong winds kicked up on that corner, so guys would loiter there waiting to watch women’s skirts being lifted by the wind, until the cops would come and they had to skiddoo.
[Maynard G. Krebs]
Since, like, the 50’s!
[/Maynard G. Krebs]
That’s what I’d read, Jomo.
I’ve started saying “sketch” pretty often, also as a prefix… sketchtacular, etc. (sketch=sketchy) Also, skeeze (skeezy=sketchy:sleazy). And ‘mad’ as a general enhancing adjective. I started using those when I moved up to Portland… never noticed them too much here in L.A.
Yes, mad is one I hear the kids using all too frequently these days. That and ‘phat’ I can definitely live without.
Even tho I admittedly say it a lot, I think I’d be okay if saying “word” as a means of agreement died off. I think I originally picked up saying it as a joke, and it just stuck.
Oh, and though I think it’s probably safely died off by now, I hope that “talk to the hand” never makes a revival.
I still here “hella” in Santa Cruz. :sad:
I miss “fly”
“Rad” will never die!
But I really hope “dope” goes away quickly.
Shellhead, those are the most recent additions to my slangcabulary as well. Funny, though, I’m originally from Northern California, but I heard them all down here in LA.
Far as I know, “hella” is still going strong, but in my experience it’s always been localized to the Pacific Northwest.
“The Shit” in a good way, must die a painful death. Like “Bad” in the 80’s, the last thing we need is more slang that can be used to mean completely opposite things.
Maybe that’s why “sick” didn’t stick around too long.
I’ve noticed that even, “s/he goes” instead of “s/he said” is being taken over by the simple, all-purpose “like”.
"And then, he was like, “whoa, where did ya get the hat?”, and I was like, “over at Big It Up in the mall”, and he was like, “that’s totally, like, ass-tacular” "…
I like it even less than “goes”.
Welcome to The Straight, with Cecil Adams.
Sorry to break it to 'ya, but “Rad” is clearly dead.
Speaking of catch phrase. What does Zing mean?
I grew up hearing that it was a reference to the old 23-Fillmore streetcar line in Buffalo.