# Urban or Slang Greetings over the decades
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 17, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217 "2008-06-17T16:02:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/1 "2008-06-17T16:02:28Z")
In the '70’s, we had “What’s happening?”
I can’t seem to remember much from the '80’s for some reason.
In the ‘90’s, we had "How YOU doin’?"
I think “Whazzup?” was popular in the 00’s, buoyed by the Budweiser commercials, although we were saying it much earlier.
Any other?
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### Author:  [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/2 "2008-06-17T16:09:23Z")
“What’s up” is common now, the less stupid version of “waaaazzzzuuup.” Or “'sup” if you mumble or are more lazy with your speech?
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### Author:  [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/3 "2008-06-17T16:19:26Z")
I just hear “Hey.”
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### Author:  [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/4 "2008-06-17T16:20:33Z")
I’m pretty sure the 80s and part of the 90s had “Yo” as a common greeting. “Dude” was also not unheard of.
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### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/5 "2008-06-17T16:22:26Z")
[QUOTE=myskepticsight]
“What’s up” is common now, the less stupid version of “waaaazzzzuuup.” Or “'sup” if you mumble or are more lazy with your speech?
[/QUOTE]
Whattup is also quite common these days.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/6 "2008-06-17T17:01:15Z")
“What’s goin’ on?” was pretty common 10 or 15 years back. Usually, I answered, “Everything, all at the same time.”
“How’s it hangin’?” was occasional between men, referring to a fella’s constant companion. “Low, and to the left.” Not a greeting for strangers.
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### Author:  [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/7 "2008-06-17T19:50:38Z")
What decade is “How’s tricks?” from? I like that one.
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### Author:  [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/8 "2008-06-17T19:57:42Z")
My cohorts and I, in our late twenties, use “Dude”, “hey”, “whats-up”, “how you doin/hows it goin”" (though not in the sexy way) or some variation or combination of those.
Sometimes with a certain few friends a “fun” word is thrown in there like, 'Whats up motherfucker" or “hey douchebag” or “Your mothers a dumb fucking cunt you ass-licker.”
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/9 "2008-06-17T20:26:31Z")
Anybody still use the phrase, “It’s the pits.”? As in, how is that new restaurant? It’s the pits. (Horrible).
I was told this expression originated in Harlem in the mid to late 70’s among junkies when talking about another junkie. How is Joe? It’s the pits. (Meaning, he no longer could shoot up in his veins as they were too hard to find, he was shooting up in his armpits.)
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/10 "2008-06-17T20:44:46Z")
My Grandmother, who was 20 in 1938, used to greet me with “What do you know?”, which I think was common when she was a bit younger. It’s more like “Whaddaya know?”, actually.
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### Author:  [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/11 "2008-06-17T20:56:35Z")
[QUOTE=gallows fodder]
What decade is “How’s tricks?” from? I like that one.
[/QUOTE]
I seem to recall hearing that in movies from the '40s. I kind of like it too, but I’d never say it to anyone for fear of getting a perplexed look or punch to the nose in return.
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### Author:  [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/12 "2008-06-17T20:58:15Z")
[QUOTE=Mahaloth]
My Grandmother, who was 20 in 1938, used to greet me with “What do you know?”, which I think was common when she was a bit younger. It’s more like “Whaddaya know?”, actually.
[/QUOTE]
NOT MUCH. YOU?
Sorry, habit. :smack:
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### Author:  [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/13 "2008-06-17T21:00:36Z")
[QUOTE=Tahssa]
“Your mothers a dumb fucking cunt you ass-licker.”
[/QUOTE]
I like this one, much better than the conventional “Hello.” Might have to test it out at my next job interview, see if it helps me stand out from the crowd and give me an edge.
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### Author:  [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/14 "2008-06-17T21:22:43Z")
Don’t people sometimes address someone as “dawg”, as in, “What’s up, dawg”? Where did that come from
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### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/15 "2008-06-17T21:30:02Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus]
Don’t people sometimes address someone as “dawg”, as in, “What’s up, dawg”? Where did that come from
[/QUOTE]
I don’t but it’s quite common. Just don’t say it to a female. 😃
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### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/16 "2008-06-17T22:39:57Z")
My best friend and I greet each other with “What up, G?” and a fist-bump.
We’re both as white as the day is long.
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### Author:  [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/17 "2008-06-17T23:22:03Z")
[QUOTE=HeyHomie]
My best friend and I greet each other with “What up, G?” and a fist-bump.
We’re both as white as the day is long.
[/QUOTE]
Given your username, I’m a little surprised by your greeting of choice.
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### Author:  [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/18 "2008-06-17T23:23:01Z")
[QUOTE=Bayard]
I seem to recall hearing that in movies from the '40s. I kind of like it too, but I’d never say it to anyone for fear of getting a perplexed look or punch to the nose in return.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks! I’m going to start using it. That and “What it _is_, soul brother!” ('60s)
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### Author:  [@Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Can_Handle_the_Truth)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/19 "2008-06-18T02:23:11Z")
70’s: “What it is!” with high-five
80’s: “What’s goin’ down?” with low-five
90’s: “Doooood!” with high-five
00’s: “Yo, dawg, what up?” with fist bump
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### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [June 18, 2008, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-or-slang-greetings-over-the-decades/453217/20 "2008-06-18T05:36:47Z")
I just got home from a bar watching the Celtics win (thank god the giants beat the pats) and “yo nigga” and “whattup nigga” seem to be all the rage these days.
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