As I mentioned in my last post here on Soapbox I lived in California for many years, but before that I also lived in Scottsdale Arizona for 11 years. Although I don’t really consider Arizona part of the “West Coast” it technically is. One of the things that I always liked about being from the west coast was our slang, or just they way that we talk. I know sometimes it may sound silly to people who aren’t from the west coast, but for me it just sounds like home. So here’s a short paragraph using a little of my daily slang from back in the day…have you heard them all?
Yeah “dude”, we went out last night to see this band play and I was pretty “stoked”, because they “fully” “ripped”, and then I thought “like” “no way” these “kids” are “totally” from Idaho. How did they get such a heavy sound? I might have been a little “loaded” at the time. It was “gnarly, but I’m ok today, but the band did “shred”, “fer sure”. They weren’t very old either one of the guys was just a little “grommet”. He couldn’t have even been older than 15. Well either way last night was “bitchen”, the band was “rad” and we all had a good time, so that’s all that really matters. Oh, one big problem was that the “show” was “totally” “over the hill”, Yeah “bro” that “sucked”. Can you believe I actually went to see a band in “the valley”. Anyway we got home really late, and I’m “totally” “burnt”, so I need to “crash”, “right on”?
“Later”.
Jerry
Note: some of these terms are old surf slang.
Adrian,
Yes, slang is pretty neat. I have the “Dictionary of American Slang” in my classroom and many students ask to see it. Of course there are some words in there that if learnt (or learned) and applied by students require you to tell them to be careful how to use them. Otherwise they might come in with a broken nose or worse to the next lesson. Nonetheless, slang is a part of English and when they watch a movie, they will be suddenly be thrust into a situation where they need to know some of it. The slang in your example is of the better variety. A good choice I think.
Anyway, keep up the good work! Or should I say “right on bro!”
Al