This post was Freshly Pressed on Thursday, September 29! I love reading all your comments but can’t possibly reply to them all. Thank you so much for taking time to read and comment, and special thanks to all of you who are subscribing to the blog, following me on Twitter, and liking my Facebook page! –Tamara
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Much as I enjoy pop culture, I tire of its obnoxious words and phrases. Here, several I could do without:
Just sayin’. If you’d stopped one sentence short, you would have been just saying exactly what it was you wanted to say. As it is, you are now tacking on a verbal shrug to effectively back yourself away from your own words. Are you or are you not sayin’?
I know, right? I’m not entirely convinced that you do.
Totes. Unless you’re referring to multiple tote bags, please finish your word.
Ridic. Finish.
Hilar. Your.
Natch. Word!
El oh el. Did you just “text” out loud without the use of a cell phone? That’s called “speaking”– try it with real words.
FAIL. Misappropriation of trademark capitalization just looks like unnecessary shouting. It also looks like you don’t know a noun from a verb. Failure!
Epic fail. Knock it off already.
That’s what I’m sayin’. No, in fact that’s what I’m saying; We both know this because I just said it. You find something else to say.
Which pop culture words or phrases have you had enough of?
I love this. I wondered if I was the only one who despised “just sayin’.” Relieved to know that I’m not!!
Solidarity, my friend.
That’s what I’m sayin!
GOOSE JAKKER
Yeah…no. (Does is make you feel better about saying no if you said “yeah” first?)
For reals? (How many reals are there, anyway?)
OMG! (This is one where the abbreviation has the same amount of syllables as the whole phrase, so why say the text abbreviation out loud? What are you shortening there?)
Oh no you didn’t! (This one is older, but it still bugs me. Yes. Yes, I did. Which is why you are upset with me. So don’t say that I didn’t. I did.)
Thank you, Tamara. Such a good way to start a morning – getting the rant out.
I figured we could all use a little laugh after pouring our hearts out for a week.
Ain’t that the truth!
IKR? I actually saw some one type out, “Oh Em Gee!” Now how ridic is that? Epic fail! LOL
Tongue-in-cheek aside, “For reals” (also realz) and “OMG” were on my nails-to-the-chalkboard list.
I am with Anne! “OMG” gets on my last nerve.
My 7-year-old has recently starting saying it and it kills me every time. This post was extremely timely for me since I just spent a few minutes venting to my husband about that acronym.
i’m afraid you will not get rid of this anytime soon… as our online behavior will be ported directly to live person-to-person communication. gap in our ‘design’ (as humans), i guess. i found myself using omfg…
‘OMG’ is an initialism, not an acronym.
OMG!!! This made me ROTFL
I’m so glad. Just know that I’m now picturing you squealing “Oh em gee” like a teeny-bopper.
Only one I haven’t heard of is Natch. What the heck is that?
And yes, speak English people. Nothing worse than an adult speaking like a 12 year old.
Natch = Naturally. I think I’ve only ever seen it written, usually in Hollywood “reporting” magazines. I feel certain there are people who say this word out loud; I just don’t happen to know them, thankfully.
way more common in England than the States
I know, right?
Oh dear. How terrible to confess that, while I too didn’t know what “natch” meant, I assumed it was a derogatory term for a woman’s anatomy.
*hangs head in shame*
Joy! I’m cracking up!! you’re missing a letter for “natch” to mean that .. heee hee
Hahahaha! I actually almost went for the joke in the post on that one, but I decided to try my hand at appropriate humor. *snort!*
Ah-hahaha…Hilar!
haha… I also assumed Natch was some sort of slang for anatomy.
**picks mind up from gutter** ^_^
It sounds very Hollywood though…
and I am quite guilty of saying Oh Em Gee in public =)
Prolly. No, it is probably!! Seriously? No, I’m just kidding. Yes I’m serious, do I look funny? Do I amuse you?
Ew, that’s a good one. Prolly should’ve added it to the list.
This is not a pop culture reference, although it probably started out that way. But seeing as I just had the conversation with my 7-year-old last night, and now I’m reading this first thing in the morning, it seems apropros:
No offense. If you have to add this phrase to the end of your sentence, you are being offensive. Which means you probably shouldn’t have said it in the first place. My first grader told me yesterday that a girl in his class often tells him lovely things such as, “You sound like a dying pig when you sing…no offense.” Or the ever-popular, “You’re not my friend anymore…no offense.” I told him that she is actually being rude, and it’s OK to tell her, “Well, I am offended.” How would a 6-year-old know to say, “No offense” on a regular basis? Oh yeah…nasty parents. Nice. Can’t wait to meet them at the next class party.
Didn’t mean to have a serious rant on your extremely funny post that you KNOW I thoroughly enjoyed! Little Girl just brought out the mama bear in me last night!
Crap. Meant “apropos” NOT “apropros.” That was a simple typo, not misuse of a phrase. No really, I swear!
I hope you do meet the parents, and I hope you tell them, “No offense, but your kid is a turd.”
hahahahaha!
That’s a good one.
I actually remember being on the receiving end of a “no offense” line. I was 7. And the perpetrator DID have a terrible mother who was aware enough to call her own child a little turd (she actually did this in public with great regularity: “stop whining, you little turd”). So I guess it all makes sense where it came from in the first place.
Every time I say “Just sayin” on accident, my wife gives me the evil eye(s).
Now you know why.
This is hilarious and very true! …Or should I say “Hilar”
Totes should’ve said, “Hilar.” (Thanks!)
You had me at Just saying’ That phrase is like nails on a chalk board to me!
“You had me at”– now that, I think, is a useful expression!
“Pwned” – pronounced like “owned” with a “p”. I think it means “I just really embarrassed you so now I own you!” but I’m not sure. I guess that’s an epic fail on my part.
*snort!* I think it just means you’re not a video gamer.
When somebody refers to their vacation as “vacay” I want to punch them in the throat. But usually I just wince instead.
Hey Larry, I thought I was the only one runnin’ round wanting to punch people in their throats.
We should probably not hang out.
Just sayin’.
I think if you say “vacay,” you automatically forfeit your rights to not-fully-said vacation.
I think “punchay” is okay in this situaltion.Totally!
I hate when people use text speak. This is probably why I don’t like to send or receive texts. As a college instructor, I see “ur” way too often — instead of “your” or “you’re.” And I see “2″ instead of to, too or two. Some folks had admitted to me that they truly do not know the correct usage. This is true for contractions and apostrophes and commas as well and I think it is really sad. Plus it speaks to the fact that if a person practices something incorrectly repetitively, that person will never learn the correct way of doing something. I have a big problem with that. On a hundred levels.
I hate texting, too. I take a ridiculous amount of time typing out the whole words I want to use because I can rarely bring myself to use the text abbreviations– and that’s even in an appropriate context! Never mind using text-speak in person.
Oh, good. I’m glad that I’m not the only one who feels the need to write correctly…even in a text message.
We are a rare and proud breed.
Add me to that list. And I hate texting for the same reason–takes me forever to write it all out properly!
As someone who doesn’t natively speak the language, I find it really strange that so many people that do so have difficulties using the words “your” and “you’re” correctly. I guess the internet really makes you stupid.
I agree with that! I’m not a native speaker either, but I don’t see the problem in using “your” and “you’re” in the right places. I’m really fascinated by English-speaking people who don’t know how to use those words. It’s their native language, for God’s sake!
I agree wholeheartedly! If we’re going to form habits, why not make them good ones! Great comment!
I know as an English teacher I’m supposed to support traditional language and all, but I’m going to go against the grain here.
I like the language changes. I think language gives youth a healthy way to rebel, to show they’re different than adults, to make something their own. In the 50s there was groovy. In the 80s there was rad. In 2020, there will be something that makes our faces wrinkle even more.
Plus, language truncates over time (Oxford English Dictionary removed 50,000 hyphens a couple of years ago).
But…does that we mean we have to like it? Nope.
My teacher-ly challenge is to help students figure out when it’s rude or inappropriate to use “epic fail” and “ridic.”
Just sayin.
I think I have to agree to an extent. The fun thing about language is that it is a massive cultural laboratory where phrases and words are tried out for a bit and then catch on (cool) or die the slow death of outmoded slang. And let’s be honest, English has pillaged other languages for words with impunity. Not that there aren’t phrases that drive me up the wall (“love on”–I know you’ve written on this one Tamara). What’s interesting about these examples is that they show the slippage that is happening between primarily written forms (texting and Twitter) and spoken language. Either way, my guess is that most of these examples won’t make it far on the linguistic food chain before they’re devoured by some new (and equally bothersome) phrases (at which point we can all enjoy Tamara’s send-up of all those newfangled monstrosities).
You’re right– it’s that slippage that’s so annoying when unchecked. And you know I’ll be on it as soon as the new iteration comes about.
You wrote: “… is that they show the slippage between primarily written forms (texting and Twitter)” | STOP | “primarily written forms (like texting and Twitter) STOP … | brain is re-wiring | “primarily written forms (like texting and Twitter)” | STOP | No, can’t do it. I thought the words “primarily written forms” would be followed by words like “articles, short stories, essays, poetry, plays, novels, fiction, biography, film adaptation, song lyrics and ‘much much more’).” It’s downright disheartening as a songwriter to see the world of language reduced to 140-character spills of thought with no room for the melody created by the marriage of vowels and consonants sonically careening around in your mind as you read them, to arise. Not that explicit and succinct isn’t a good verbal – cerebral skill to master, like Charades, but with far-reaching social impact, regimes toppling and all. Being from a generation where the boon of economy of words hadn’t been assigned to social networks, I hold dear to the archaic forms, all the while wanting to keep up with this interesting journey of language, seeing the value, but feeling vaguely sentimental and proprietary about using language to make a point, but to do so with the utmost respect for its ability to create a hypnotic lyric content, as much as to incite, lull, ignite and inform in truncated words and phrases. I guess how we each use language is a reflection of who we are and what we want to happen in that moment when we pick up an iPad, turn it on its side to access the keyboard, or pick up a pencil, put an eraser on it, speak ones heart, and stick a stamp on an envelope and stuff it in, or flip open our Macbook Pro and go to webmail, or turn on a digital recorder, or pick up the land line, or yell across the fence to our neighbor over morning coffee, or howl at the heavens when after nine months of no rain (I currently reside in Central Texas) you hear thunder and feel the first spatter of rain hit your skull, or open your mouth to sing the first lines of a song, or whisper to your dog as you rub her belly, asking her if she’s dreaming about rabbits back in Sopchoppy where we lived when she roamed freely and caught squirrels and chased dear in her younger years. Or when you hear the syncopated, rhythmic grooves uttered in staccato rhythms from hip hop homeys, fashioned from homewords, carved words, truncated and scarred words, remnants of life’s hard won triumphs and still-plaguing injustices, stitched together methodically, patiently into in a soft, thick cotton rug of collected, ironed-flat, and needle-stiched rags, richly faded, symbolic of struggle and determination to overcome poverty’s wounds, a balm and a bugle call announcing its presence. Or laughed – now how do you spell a human laugh — it would be like trying to spell a Beethoven sonata. Oh yeah, let’s see, that’s been done — the Swingle Singers, a singles a cappella group from the early sixties, interpreted classical, jazz and other genres into a rich scat-based reperatoire, and then of course there is scat – another spoken form, improvisational, twisting language to create an emotional statement, intelligent, unique, informed by the language of music itself.
So many ways to let language carry us forward into connection. The repetitive inane slang, I agree, are passing notes in the grand scheme of the history of communication as various groups and individuals experiment with connecting in meaningful ways with each other, their peers, authority figures, enemies, lovers. Thank god for these little characters that carry us into innocence by the act of stringing them together to fashion “words” and statements.
Well. Now you know why I don’t text and haven’t found it very easy to use Twitter. Still I’m learning to do it, because it’s a good tool in the context in which it’s used. I’m not so sure about texting, because it’s 1) dangerous when people text and drive, and 2) people ignore people and human interaction because their poor heavy heads are continually bowed in a state of rapture hearing the click of their thumbnails and fingerpads on the little lettered squares and the jumping lights of the tiny screen. Hoping, pavlovian-style, for a quick confirmation of their clever existence, when a really beautiful conversation-in-passing was lost, because she, never looked up to see the guy at the next table observing her eyes and forming words in his mind to say to her. I took my dog for a walk the other day. A young boy came out of his door and walked over to me and started to walk with me. He admired my Husky, made pleasant conversation, told me about his dog, was upbeat, but sweet, calm. Walked with me down the block and around the corner, without invitation, assuming that this sort of interaction was normal. Invited me to wait outside his house while he went in to get his dog. He wanted to introduce us. I declined, but I was struck by the oddity of the meeting, how natural and human it was, and by how long it had been since that had happened last. It caught me by surprise, and I liked it. I felt I was 14 again and back in my home town, walking with a good friend, shooting the breeze. He could have spoken French, I wouldn’t have cared. He wasn’t carrying a cell phone, he wasn’t texting while talking, he was present, he looked me in the eye, and I felt I’d made a friend.
Excellent lingo remix
I tend to be 2/3 proscriptivist, 1/3 descriptivist. I don’t mind language changes per se; It’s the annoying ones I hate.
Monkey actually says “ROT-FUL” to indicate ROTFL. Even at age 12, he thinks these abbreviations are dorky. He’s gets all indignant: “Are people actually rolling on the floor?”
That is redic. #IYKWIM.
Where did “epic fail” come from? My kids have started using that. I can’t say I like it, but I grin and bear it. As one who went through the Valley Girl talk craze (cringe), today’s new lingo doesn’t bothering me much.
Do you want your kids to stop saying it? Then, start saying it often, and especially in front of their friends. hahaha As parents, we have the power to take all of the coolness out of catch-phrases (and fashions). For example, young people stopped saying “bling” once their parents starting using it freely.
“Epic fail” is a gaming reference. World of Warcraft uses the word epic for high level gear and fail is just an obnoxious way to say “you lose”. A lot of the pop-culture lingo lately comes out of gaming culture.
This post is full of win!
Well played, sir.
Thank-you! We aim to please.
For me, the sum of these phrases is to the English language what line dancing is to dancing. People who can’t dance line dance. Sure, there may be a few folks who aren’t rhythmically challenged that participate but as a whole line dancing was created so the Jerry Lewis types of our society could “bust a move” with the rest of us.
Having said that, these pop culture lexicons are for the wit or snark-challenged sect of society. Created by adolescents as a tool for shoving there way in at the cool kid lunch table. These are better left at the middle school.
Great Post.
That analogy made me el oh el, for realz.
OMG! I can’t even line dance! For realz…I’m so rhythm challenged I have everyone ROTFLMBFAO (one that really grates on me). At some point the letters get longer than the words they are supposed to represent….give up!
My “favorites” are “garb” for “garbage” and “nunya” for “none of your business”.
There’s a time and place, in my opinion, (not “IMO”-another one!) for abbreviations &/or “text-speak” (in texting, maybe?)
I love the fact that the English language changes and adapts to culture, but there’s definitely a limit to that love!
I’ve never heard “garb” to mean anything but clothing. Now I’ll be all the wiser if I overhear someone pointing at me and saying, “What she’s wearing is garb.” :-O
I wrote a whole blog on Just Sayin’ and the meaning behind the ridic phrase!
WTG!
I’m guilty of the first two. And I won’t apologize for it.
But the rest? Totally drive my crazy, along with anyone that uses text-speak. I fear younger generations will commit grammatical and spelling errors of the worst kind.
No fear– I’m already coaching my five to be as ruthless as I am.
I particularly dislike when people say “on accident” when what they mean is “by accident”, (no offense Adrian)
UG
You know what’s funny– I never hear the reverse, “by purpose” instead of “on purpose.” Hmm.
My five year old boy says ‘by purpose’ all the time! Since his grammar is otherwise great I let him have that one
My pet hate is ‘yous’ as in “see yous later” if talking to multiple people. Yuk! I have taught my son to bleat at his Nanna when she says that! Once we explained it to her in terms of ‘ewes’ she thought it was funny.
Obvi. My 21 year old sorority girl sister-in-law’s favorite. I mean, it is totes her fave word.
Ooh, I’ve been tempted to use “fave.” Someone stop me!
i use any and all of these with impunity. for reals.
I consider myself pwned.
i gave my students a lecture about saying “fail” yesterday.
having one on “pwned” today.
i’m serious, it’s a disease.
Wait… Aren’t you a math teacher? Who cares about words? (I’m a former math teacher, so I know these things…..)
JK! LOL! (those are two of my least favorite, especially when my teenager uses them on me.)
ur jk, right? i mean, seriously? (i have NO appreciation for the phrase “seriously?” as others have also stated. =)
Mathematics without words is like a river without water. I know because I am also a former public school math teacher. Now I teach my children at home.
I just picked up a copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte at my local library. (Does anyone still go there?) I am saddened and emabarrassed to admit that I had difficulty comprehending her preface. I am quite sure, however, that my IQ will return to normal, after many years of assault, upon the completion of this fine work.
“Pop Culture” (unheard of before the 20th century), email and texting have and will continue to further the demise of our once great country. I do have a problem with language changing when it contributes to the declining intelligence of our youth… and adults!
jus sayin…
Clearly, this post hit a nerve within.
I’m so proud of you, man. Train a child up in the way he should go…
Mine come from the way some people (read: boys who think they are OH SO COOL) text. “Ya” instead of “you” and “prolly” instead of “probably” drive me up the wall. I also don’t like “u” instead of “you” and “2″ for “to” or “too”. Why can’t you type the extra few letters?! Is that so hard??
I hear ya.
I literally grind my teeth when I hear the phrase, “Let’s UNPACK what this means” and so forth. Unfortunately, my pastor uses it frequently. Perhaps I’m being taught grace, who knew?
This really seems to bug you, man. Let’s unpack this.
Wait, do you LITERALLY grind your teeth? Or do you METAPHORICALLY grind your teeth.
That’s another peeve: the overuse of literally.
But then I’ve never heard anyone say, “Let’s unpack what this means.”
I did in fact catch myself grinding my teeth recently when he said that! Sad, I know. I don’t know why it bugs me, perhaps it’s the frequency he uses it, and the fact it sound like corporate-speak.
“Lets camp out on this for a while.” (as in a topic, not a nice flat area in a state park) Add that to the pastor phrase pile.
YES, I’ve heard that one used quite a bit as well, haha. Another variation: “Let’s park here…” PARK?! That word had a whoooole different meaning as a teenager
I’m surprised nobody has said “Dude!”, as in calling everyone a dude, including the girls you know.
The one that’s been driving me nuts for years is the evolution of “I couldn’t care less” into “I could care less.” If you could care less, that implies that you do actually care some and you’re saying the opposite of what you mean. Whenever I point this out to people (teens mostly), I get a blank stare because. after all, they could care less. Arrrggghhhh!
Dude, I love that word. It’s a Gen X thing, I guess. But “I could care less” drives me up a freaking wall!
EXACTLY!!!! I thought I was losing my mind when people said “I could care less…” when they meant the opposite. What about “… or do they?” doesn’t this mean the opposite?
Anyone who says or writes “I could care less” needs a poke with a cattle prod. It drives me nuts. It didn’t help my dislike of the phrase when someone told me it was an “acceptable use of English” because everyone uses it – really, everyone? And of course if Everyone jumped off a cliff, we’d all copy them…
Brilliant post Tamara.
Then there’s “office speak”, which isn’t so much incorrect language usage as it is excessive use of certain phrases to the point that you start to develop a nervous tic when “leadership” (not “management”, “leadership”) speaks….
“We need to think out of the box here. Let’s put our heads together and synergize so that we can develop an effective solution that differentiates us from our competition so we can take it to the next level and……. blah blah blah blah blah”
Oh… back to the original question: blah blah blah…. or yada yada yada…. etc.
Office speak: “increase our efficiencies” I see that in an email about once every week or so.
a-flipping-men on the office speak! I sit in my sales meetings at work once a month and think,”What did she just say, really? Nothing. She just talked for thirty minutes and said absolutely nothing. She filled space with words.” And then I realize I’m digging my nails into my thigh…
When I worked for a large corporate, we used to play ‘bullshit bingo’ (http://bullshitbingo.net/cards/bullshit/) in meetings. Make your own cards with all the words that you expect to hear! I never actually saw anyone stand up and yell, “Bullshit!”, but we did break out into peals of laughter which got us into a few scrapes!!
“It’s totes the best hun-cal fro yo!” I never said, “totes” until I saw this video. I say it frequently now, but I’ve been trying to break that habit.
What the heck is natch?
Probs. I say that one all the time.
You’re adorable with your “probs,” so I’ll let it slide. And the Harvard Sailing Team cracks me up!
One I have become especially sensitive to is, “I get that. I do.” I hear it mostly on television and there it appears on practically every show. Listen out for it.
That could be annoying. I get that. I do.
Ending conversations, especially emails, with “Cheers!” I cringe every time. No one made a toast and we are not clanking glasses here. Cut it out.
Oops, I’m guilty of that one, Callie. I think that “cheers” is more of a European sign-off. At least that’s where I first heard it, from some European co-workers. I’ve used it every once in a while to sign off on casual emails. I promise to cut it out!
I love “cheers!” Sounds so British and fancy!
Arg! I do that. Ending emails is just so awkward. Please supply me with a non-cheesey yet cheerful and warm alternative!
“Non-cheesey yet cheerful and warm”? Most people love Cinnabon.
Wait, you’re talking about words, not food…..
That’s a tough one because everyone’s definition of cheesey is different. I typically use variations on “Talk to you later” which is ironic because I’m writing, not talking. Have a “go to” phrase with variations based on who you’re talking to?
“Later, dude!” for your friends. “Later, chiclet” for the gum-smacking teenage girl. “Hasta luego” for the multicultural contact. “Tah Tah for now!” for the Tigger fans, though that’s starting to sound British again. Then you’ve got your abbreviated signoffs — TTFN, TTYL, CYA (no, not cover your ass… See ya).
And actually, the simplest yet possibly most profound signoff that I use relatively often:
“Thanks!”
Lately I’ve been using “take care” for friends and family. Seems to warm things up a tad.
Take care,
Craig
Those are all good ones. Two more come to mind:
1. “FTW” – this simply means too many things. if you’re NOT referencing Hollywood Squares (which you aren’t), then I’m not enthused by your “victory”. Or, if you’re THAT negative about the world, please seriously consider sharing those feelings with a professional, rather than everyone within range of your Facebook feed.
2. “prolly” – probably not going to text you back if that’s a part of your ‘cabulary.
Whatever, though.
I enjoy a well-timed “FTW,” but then I take it for its more uplifting meaning. Bryan always reads it the other way, so I try not to use it with him.
Cheers has been used as goodbye (in written form) for ages… no idea where that came from.
11 year-old came home yesterday saying that she’s hearing a new one that even she doesn’t understand – “bots”… means something like, “you’re boasting” maybe? Refreshing to hear that she finds it weird El Oh El…
Wow, I do not understand “bots” at all. Kids these days.
I can’t stand when people say “Really!?” or “Seriously!?”….drives me nuts!
Really? I’m guilty of that one.
’nuff said.” Hate it.
On a side note… We actually pick an annoying, overused word of the day in our office & when anyone says it, the entire place screams like in the old Pee Wee Herman shows. Seems to radically cut down on the use of annoying words or phrases.
That is *genius*!
Where’s the like button??? I love this!
Rob:
Please tell me where you work.
I want to come and observe this.
And relish the memory of it.
Every day for the rest of my life.
Does your office have a Chair-y, too?
What about a Globe-y?
Meckaleka-Hi Mekaheiny-ho!
Heh heh!
(I swear, I will not be all stalkerish-y.)
Prolly.
Rob,
If we are all on the same page, we could drink the Kool-aid and pro-actively think outside the box while finding our efficiencies, so that we’d be in right seat on the bus while running this to ground.
I must also come work with you.
p.s. Tamara – You win the internets! Natch. Just sayin’.
The one that drives me crazy is when people put sauce on the end of a word… The one I see most often being Awesomesauce. I just sounds stupid even more so if it comes from an adult.
I feel like it makes it gross. I would love to be awesome; I’d prefer not to be covered in awesomesauce.
What about when people add balls to the end of amazing to create the oh so mature and classy, amazeballs! Really. You are gonna walk around and just say that crap when you’re a grown-ass woman? Amazeballs.
I get it, but seems like a little thing to get upset over.
How many people might have been turned away from your strong message simply because they speak like this. Silly. This seems more fit to be a quick rant on a twitter account where only 140 characters are allotted than on an entire blog post. Then again, it is your blog.
(NOT) just sayin.
Totes just my sense of humor.
Is this how you roll? Because I hate how people roll? This is so funny! But, I hate LOL, too. And, for the above people, I always say, “dude” and “seriously?” My brother posted on his facebook wall last week for anyone who uses the phrase “just sayin’” to never post on his wall ever again.
Your brother is hardcore! I like how he rolls.
you touched on it above… epic… i’m just over Epic.
“Over it.” Now that’s one I still want to keep around.
Just sayin’ has been driving me crazy for months. No kidding! Isn’t that why those words just came out of your mouth?
Glad you’re pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down.
There’s “prly” and “srsly,” which some people pronounce phonetically. :-/
I also hate “You feel me?” and “That’s dank.”
What the heck is “that’s dank?!” You know what– I’m not sure I want to know.
Another definition of “dank” is used to describe fine quality pot. In his 15 minutes of fame afforded by David Letterman, Manny the Hippie would praise the weed he scores as “dank;” if it was exceptional, “diggity dank.”
And here I am thinking it’s used to describe a deep, dark hole in the ground!
I frequently used the phrase “that’s dank” when I was in Junior High School in the early 80′s. For me, it was an expression of disgust or disapproval primarily based on the definition of the word dank itself.
dank /daNGk/
Adjective: Disagreeably damp, musty, and typically cold.
However, I think it has taken on different meanings since then.
As for the LOL’s, ROTFL’s, and LMAO’s, I have to say that I very rarely find the postings of my FaceBook friends cause me to actually laugh out loud. Never have I rolled on the floor while laughing, and my derriere is still in tact, so the latter two examples do not apply to my purpose at all. I would, however, like to implement the term LQTM (Laughing quietly to myself), to be used in those occasions when I find things to be mildly amusing and not quite worthy of a full LOL.
This reminds me of Taylor Mali’s spoken word poem, “Like ya know?”
I’m with you on most of the list, especially “totes” and “el oh el”. As long as “dude” remains in the OutLoud dictionary we’re cool.
Just sayin’. (sorry, I couldn’t resist)
Dude, you know I’ll never strike “dude” from the list. And I love that Taylor Mali piece!
Hey, I was thinking about this video, too, when I read this post! =)
I am ROTFL at this post. UNPACK and EMBRACE really put me over the edge. Every now and then I hear somebody decide to use them together (“Let’s unpack this scripture and embrace what God’s called us to be.”) OMG!!! It’s enough to make me want to scream. Did “unpack” come from all the talk about the baggage we carry around? It automatically puts me in the mindset of watching those 2 AM infomercials for self-help gurus.
I can totally hear a 2am self-help guru using both “unpack” and “embrace.” Ha!
I hate FTW (for the win) and FTL (for the lose). Mostly because they were over used in MMORPGs before they were ever actually used on the rest of the internet. It was the worst when a girl friend of mine who has never played an online game in her life used it recently in person. “Look! I found these great shoes on sale. For the win!”
I totes wanted to flash a LOLcat that said EPIC FAIL!
I love it when you talk nerdy, Cam.
I am SO with you on just sayin’. Makes me crazy.
I used to go to this support group for moms with special needs kids, and they were sweet ladies… but every single one of them ended their stories with “that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.” Every time. I still don’t understand it.
I also have to add “I die” to the list — usually used in reference to a super-cute child or child’s accessory.
It sounds like these ladies were constantly under suspicion of fabricating tales. Weird!
All these comments have been very entertaining. I’ve laughed out loud, snorted, and even cackled once. There, I commented without using any of those inappropriate words. Until now…like ya know?
That’s what I’m sayin’.
The other day I heard a girl say “she was totes jelly.” JELLY. As in jealous. It took awhile before I understood what she was saying. JELLY. Cue eye twitch.
Aaargh! And you must have to endure this a lot as a teacher. My condolences.
This was a great post…and so were the comments!
Thanks! The comments have me ROFL.
I would like to apologize. I am pretty sure I created “Just sayin’” (don’t be jelly just embrace it). You prolly think it was an epic fail on my part. But, that’s just ’cause you aren’t use to amazesauce (no offense). And I just really can’t help you with that. You’re gonna have to unpack that on your own. This is just how I roll. If you don’t like what I’m puttin’ down you need to step.
Oh, snap!
What does ‘natch’ mean anyway? I have seen it, usually in american texts, but cannot work it out from the context.
As for ‘just saying’, I must pleiad guilty. But my understanding is that it’s not meant as a phrase to cover one’s back for saying something controversial…at least I thought it was about pointing out the obvious flaw or logic in an argument and thus quite a handy philosophical device. Could be wrong though.
Natch= naturally.
I think that, either way, the phrase adds weakness to the argument. But that’s JMHO.
Prav – before “just saying” became overused, it wasn’t really about pointing out an obvious flaw or logic in an argument. It was originally said after casually stating an opinion and it generally meant that you weren’t going to fight about it or take any sort of action at all because you were… “just saying”.
I think ‘natch’ is naturally? Prolly…
Totes.
I’m guilty of regularly using 3 of the words/phrases you mentioned. I also tend to say “presh” for precious, “delish” for delicious, and “profesh” for professional.
Entertaining post!