Our Language
Our Slang
Our slang came mostly from the hot rodders and the beatniks. Both groups had a more profound influence on American language than they get credit for. In fact, they taught us to create and use slang.
The rodders gave us “cut out” (leave), “deuce” (a 1932 Ford), “fire up” (start), “hardeeharhar” (you think it's funny, I don't), “passion pit” (drive in movie), “hang out” (stand around and wait for something to happen, usually a drag race, or a place to do that), “haul ass” (speed, vacate quickly), “hopped up” (modified for speed), “floor it” (go all out), “rag top” (a convertible), “wazoo” (your butt), “rod” (a modified car), “tank” (a large sedan), “cream” (badly damage), and “total” (completely destroy).
The beatniks gave us words that ended in “ville”, such as squaresville, deadsville, and Howdy-Doodyville. “Cool” was the beats’ word used to describe the indefinable quality of people and things they liked, and it became ours, and it has stood the test of time. They also gave us “nowhere” (the opposite of “cool”), “threads” (clothes), “split” (leave), “pad” (abode), “bread” (money), “dig” (understand), “square” (conformist), “lay on” (give) and the term “cat” (a cool person), which Carl Perkins would take with him to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. Go, cat, go. Then the beats coined the word “hip” to identify their belief system and the word “hipster” to define those who ascribed to it. From that came the word “hippy”, which would be used to describe the carefree, nonconformist lifestyle and a good part of the generation of the 1960s who lived it.
Our Language Has Changed
Mrs. Coleman once lectured about the changes in the language during her lifetime.
Some she agreed with, some she didn't. Regardless of her opinion, she had to
change with the language. Now we have experienced this phenomenon first hand.
Some of our words acquired a new definition over the years. The lyrics "May each dawn find you happy and gay" from the Andy Williams Show theme song, or the lyrics "sure like to ball" From Little Richard's song "Good Golly Miss Molly" don't mean the same today as they did to us. And today nobody laughs at the Joker's boner. The comic book above is from our youth. The ad at the right is from 1959.
Here are some words that changed.
| WORD | OUR Definition | THEIR Definition |
| b-team | non-starters | inferior |
| bad | bad | good |
| ball | party, have a good time | have sexual intercourse |
| boner | a mistake | an erection |
| bright | smart (adjective) | unreligeous (noun) |
| gay | joyous | homosexual |
| green | new | natural |
| hack | chop, cut | gain illegal access to a computer |
| homey (also spelled homie) | cozy, comfortable (adjective) | friend (noun) |
| hump | work hard | have sex with |
| lame | physically impaired | inferior |
| spam | brand of canned meat | unsolicited, unwanted, or inappropriate |
| commercial advertising | ||
| suck | to draw into using suction | be objectionable or inadequate |
| swipe | to steal | run a credit card thru a card reader |
Some of our language became unacceptable to succeeding generations. Here are some terms we used that have been replaced by politically correct ones. Like Mrs. Coleman's, some are justifiable and some are ridiculous, but regardless, we have to go with the flow. None of these are fake (faux). They are all real and in use. In the interests of political correctness, this list omits sexually explicit terms. There's not enough room for all of those on this website, anyway.
| OLDSPEAK (our term) | NEWSPEAK (their term) |
| addict | substance abuser |
| affair | extra-marital relationship |
| apartment | flat (single story) or townhouse (multiple story) |
| artificial limbs | prosthetics |
| bad loan | nonperforming asset |
| bartender | mixologist |
| begger/bum | homeless person |
| belly dancing | Middle Eastern dancing |
| big boned (polite term for fat) | full-figured (polite term for fat) |
| birth control | population stabilization |
| blackjack/nightstick (police weapon) | baton |
| blind | visually impaired |
| body bag | human remains pouch |
| brainstorm | thought shower |
| broken home | dysfunctional family |
| bunking party | sleepover (and...today they are co-ed) |
| burglary | home invasion |
| butt | fundament |
| chairman | chairperson, or just chair |
| children's hospital (Conway, AR) | human development center |
| Christmas (season/lights/etc.) | holiday |
| city dump | sanitation collection station |
| civilian deaths (military) | collateral damage |
| clerk | sales advisor |
| cloud seeding | weather modification |
| criminal | unsavory person |
| crippled/disabled/handicapped | differently abled |
| criticism | emotional abuse |
| customer | patron |
| dead | deceased |
| deaf | hearing impaired |
| death penalty | capital punishment |
| dildo | marital aid |
| disabled | differently abled |
| employees | associates |
| execution | the ultimate penalty |
| fake | faux |
| family doctor | primary care physician |
| fat | plus sized/other sized |
| fire/lay off | downsize |
| fired | pink slipped |
| freshman | first year student |
| funeral/burial | final arrangements |
| gambling | gaming |
| gambling joint | gaming resort |
| garbage collection | environmental services |
| garbage man | environmental or sanitation worker |
| genocide | ethnic cleansing |
| ghetto/slum | low income housing |
| girdle | body shaper/shapesuit/sports brief/body-briefer/bike pant |
| God | higher power |
| graffiti | street art |
| grease monkey | lubrication technician |
| hairdresser (and barber) | stylist |
| hot tempered | has anger management problems |
| house trailer | mobile home |
| housewife | homemaker |
| in love | emotionally involved |
| Indian | Native American |
| insane asylum | mental health facility |
| invasion (military/political) | intervention |
| jail | detention facility |
| janitor | custodian |
| jock strap | athletic supporter (so what are "fans"?) |
| jungle | rain forest |
| junk mail | direct marketing media |
| junkie | user |
| lame | limited mobility |
| land mines (military) | area denial munitions |
| library | learning resources center |
| loud | outgoing |
| maid | domestic assistant |
| mailman | letter carrier |
| man-made | synthetic |
| master/slave (computer terms) | controller/controllee |
| meter maid | parking enforcement officer |
| miscarriage | pregnancy loss |
| mistake | variance |
| mistress | Extended family |
| mole | beauty mark (but not to Uncle Buck) |
| more expensive | new and improved |
| motor home | recreational vehicle |
| nude beach | clothing optional beach |
| office | cube farm |
| old maid | bachelorette |
| old people | senior citizens (and don't you forget it) |
| old person | golden-ager |
| overthrow (a government) | regime change |
| porn star | adult entertainer |
| private parts | down there |
| programmer | software engineer |
| put down (i.e., a pet) | euthanized |
| race | ethnicity |
| rape | unconsensual sex (so is the perpetrator |
| an unconsensual sexist?) | |
| refugee | displaced person |
| retarded | mentally challenged (except for teenagers that |
| skateboard off of rooftops - they are retarded) | |
| retreat (military) | disengagement |
| riot | urban (or civil) disorder |
| room clerk | guest service agent |
| salesman | product specialist |
| scabs | replacement workers |
| seasickness or carsickness | motion discomfort |
| second class (on airplanes) | coach |
| second hand or used | pre-owned |
| secretary | administrative assistant |
| sex | gender |
| sex toys | adult novelties |
| shacking up | living together/partnering |
| shell shocked/battle fatigue (military) | post-traumatic stress disorder |
| shyness | social anxiety disorder |
| skinny | fashionably thin |
| sludge | bio-solids |
| sneakers | running shoes |
| soap opera | daytime drama |
| soldier of fortune | security contractor |
| speed bump | traffic calming |
| spit | expectorate |
| stewardess | flight attendant |
| stripper | exotic or erotic dancer |
| suspect | person of interest |
| swamp | wetland |
| tasteless or tacky | unusual |
| toilet paper | bathroom tissue |
| torture | physical persuasion |
| truck stop | travel plaza |
| undertaker | funeral director |
| unemployed person | displaced worker |
| uniforms | career apparel |
| used books | recycled books |
| used car | pre-owned vehicle |
| used car salesman | pre-owned vehicle consultant |
| used furniture | period piece |
| used video | previously viewed |
| VD or Venereal Disease | STD or Sexually Transmitted Disease |
| waitress/waiter | server |
| wife beater | spouse abuser |
| wild | free roaming |