I grew up in the Sixties. Back then, pop culture created an endless series of fun expressions which young people used to distinguish themselves from the older generation. The "generation gap" was real and, if you were young, you didn't "trust anyone over 30."
Looking back, many of these expressions were comical. People mock Sixties slang and, while some of it was silly, it reflected the times.
The expression I heard most often growing up, which I admit saying myself, was "Right on, man!" A sign of approval for anything from scoring some joints to getting a gig on the Ed Sullivan Show. Back then, the line between the Establishment and cool youth was easy to see -- you just checked the length of someone's hair. And looked for love beads, fringed jeans and tie-dyed t-shirts.
Here are some other expressions I remember:
"Groovy"
"What's your bag, man?"
"Let it all hang out"
"That's so hip"/"That's so square"
"Give me some skin"
"Sock it to me"
What do young people say today? YOLO? The dog ate my tweet?
Hee hee! Growing up in the 80s we used to say "rad" and "totally" a lot. It's funny how things change over the years. As far as text messaging goes, I have no clue what half of the acronyms even mean, lol! Heather
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting! I'd appreciate it so much if you could do another post like this, with a small collection of expressions, also from the '70s or '80s :)
ReplyDeleteMy blog: Life Is A Romantic Poem
LOVE this! I love the 60s, I swear I was born in the wrong decade. Instead I grew up in the late 80's/early 90's when grunge was cool. There was a lot of "Yo" instead of "Hey" or "Hello" and I wish we could bury "You go girlfriend". Oh and we can totally thank the movie Clueless for giving us "As If!"
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting how language has changed over the years! I have no idea what is "cool" now!
And I'm so glad you found my blog on Bloglovin - this Google Reader to Bloglovin stuff is kind of crazy!
HA! omg. I think now language is pretty diverse. I love Tumblr because I feel like a lot of users get my sarcasm. But then I feel bad because if someone says "YOLO" or "Cray-Cray", sometimes it is really what someone is saying, other times it is sarcasm. The internet can make it difficult.
ReplyDeleteCool Beans? :)
Jeepers Creepers ;D! I envy you a bit, I wish I had existed in the 60's!
ReplyDeletexo,L
http://laralizard.blogspot.fi/
I have some love beads from the sixties given to me from an older family friend, they're pretty cool. :)
ReplyDeleteLAWL, I love all those phrases. Personally, I tend to use some outdated terms because they make me laugh and makes my language feel more special. I do remember the 90s and all the horrible slang from then. I still use terms like 'hella'.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what's cool anymore, I know internet words are already outdated. I use whatever comes to my mind at the time. The other day I exclaimed "HOT BEANS!" instead of "cool beans" - I don't know I get silly with language. I love it.
Oh now, this is weird...
ReplyDeleteThis morning I posted an item to my blog about hippie fashion. This afternoon I visit your blog and you, too, are talking about hippies. Deja vuishly wonderful!
I know that I say awesome way too much. I use it genuinely and sarcastically. So really I'm all over the shop...
ReplyDeleteWe also said "outa sight!" No idea what they say now.
ReplyDeleteSome of those phrases remind me of John Arbuckle from the Garfield cartoons when he's trying to impress Liz the hot vet.
ReplyDeleteErgh... I can't stand today's net-speak words! Yolo? Whatever....
I think you're very lucky to have grown up in the 60s. It's not a decade I dress from often, but it's one that I love and have a lot of respect for in many ways. The cultural changes that transpired during the 60s standout as some of the most influential of the 20th century (if not all time).
ReplyDeleteI don't stay too on top of what kids today are saying (I swear, I just learned about YOLO this week), but I remember my 80s/90s youth when some of the main sayings of the day were "Gag me with a spoon", "Like, totally!", "What's the beef?", "Way to call/phone it in", "Radical!", "Way cool", and (towards the end of the 90s, the ubiquitous) "It's all good".
♥ Jessica
I was born in 61. I think the 60's were the coolest decade. I had the greatest clothes in the late 60's and early 70's.....hot pink hip huggers, white go-go boots and purple velvet hot pants. Those were the coolest times and I love our generations slang! It was hip but not crude.
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