Memory Alpha
Register
Memory Alpha
Tag: sourceedit
(21 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[File:KIRK IS A JERK.jpg|thumb|Slang on a shirt.]]
+
[[File:KIRK IS A JERK.jpg|thumb|Slang on a shirt]]
 
'''Slang''' is the use of colorful words, derived from regional or time specific terminology, used in place of more formal words.
 
'''Slang''' is the use of colorful words, derived from regional or time specific terminology, used in place of more formal words.
   
 
Many time frames and cultures have their own unique slang. For example, during the [[20th century]] on [[Earth]], several cultural movements had their own slang terminology. [[Starfleet]] officers who were involved in instances of [[time travel]] or other [[alien]] contact were sometimes subjected to a degree of social ineptness due to the confusion caused by the usage of slang.
 
Many time frames and cultures have their own unique slang. For example, during the [[20th century]] on [[Earth]], several cultural movements had their own slang terminology. [[Starfleet]] officers who were involved in instances of [[time travel]] or other [[alien]] contact were sometimes subjected to a degree of social ineptness due to the confusion caused by the usage of slang.
===See also===
 
* [[Colorful metaphor]]s
 
* [[Nickname]]s
 
   
==Variations of slang==
+
== Variations of slang ==
 
The [[Iotian]] culture developed on [[Sigma Iotia II]] built its society based on the novel ''[[Chicago Mobs of the Twenties]]''. Therefore, the Iotians used many slang terms that were originally popular during the [[1920s]] on Earth. ({{TOS|A Piece of the Action}})
 
The [[Iotian]] culture developed on [[Sigma Iotia II]] built its society based on the novel ''[[Chicago Mobs of the Twenties]]''. Therefore, the Iotians used many slang terms that were originally popular during the [[1920s]] on Earth. ({{TOS|A Piece of the Action}})
   
Line 20: Line 17:
 
*"Chit chat" - small talk
 
*"Chit chat" - small talk
 
*"Folks"
 
*"Folks"
*"Fourty-Niner"
+
*"Forty-Niner"
 
*"Geez"
 
*"Geez"
 
*"Go to blazes"
 
*"Go to blazes"
Line 38: Line 35:
 
*"Horse-stealing scurvy crew"
 
*"Horse-stealing scurvy crew"
 
*"Howdy"
 
*"Howdy"
*"Pa" - [[father]]
+
*"Pa" - [[Familial connection#Parents|father]]
 
*"Scrumptious"
 
*"Scrumptious"
 
*"Scum"
 
*"Scum"
Line 79: Line 76:
 
[[1950s]]
 
[[1950s]]
 
*"Cooped up"
 
*"Cooped up"
  +
*"mogul" - a prominent businessman
 
*"Pinko" - an individual who only mildly supports the ideas of socialism or [[communism]]
 
*"Pinko" - an individual who only mildly supports the ideas of socialism or [[communism]]
 
*"Red" - an individual who more actively supports the ideas of socialism or communism
 
*"Red" - an individual who more actively supports the ideas of socialism or communism
Line 102: Line 100:
 
* "[[Rockefeller family|Rich as Rockefeller]]"
 
* "[[Rockefeller family|Rich as Rockefeller]]"
 
* "[[Romeo and Juliet|Romeo]]"
 
* "[[Romeo and Juliet|Romeo]]"
* "Square" - "uncool, unhip, clueless, rigid in thinking (see; "[[Herbert (slang)|Herbert]]")"
+
* "Square" - "uncool, unhip, clueless, rigid in thinking (see; "{{dis|Herbert|slang}}")"
   
 
[[1980s]]
 
[[1980s]]
Line 116: Line 114:
 
* "Boob tube" - [[television]]
 
* "Boob tube" - [[television]]
 
* "Cool"
 
* "Cool"
* "Freakasaurus" - an individual who exhibits extreme, uptight behavour
+
* "Freakasaurus" - an individual who exhibits extreme, uptight behavior
 
* "Low-mileage pit woofie" - a young or inexperienced stock car racing groupie
 
* "Low-mileage pit woofie" - a young or inexperienced stock car racing groupie
 
* "Old Watosh"
 
* "Old Watosh"
* "Shrink" - pyschologist (or [[counselor]])
+
* "Shrink" - psychologist (or [[counselor]])
 
* "To scuffle along"
 
* "To scuffle along"
   
 
===21st century Earth slang===
 
===21st century Earth slang===
  +
[[2000s]]
  +
* "Veggie" - [[vegetarian]]
 
[[2020s]]
 
[[2020s]]
 
* "[[Dim]]"
 
* "[[Dim]]"
Line 128: Line 128:
 
* "[[Gimmie]]"
 
* "[[Gimmie]]"
 
[[2060s]]
 
[[2060s]]
* "Take a leak" - urinate
+
* "Take a leak" - [[Urination|urinate]]
   
 
===22nd century slang===
 
===22nd century slang===
Line 155: Line 155:
 
* "[[Foolie]]" - a game
 
* "[[Foolie]]" - a game
 
* "[[Grup]]" - a "grown up"
 
* "[[Grup]]" - a "grown up"
  +
* "[[Only]]" - a child left [[orphan|orphaned]] by the [[Life prolongation complex]]
* "[[Only]]"
 
  +
* "[[Before time]]" - the time prior to the [[death]] of the grups
  +
* "Blah" - a mimicry of meaningless speech
  +
* "Nyah"- a taunt
   
 
[[Starfleet]]
 
[[Starfleet]]
 
* "[[Dunsel]]"
 
* "[[Dunsel]]"
 
* "Nova" - Lt. Mitchell once called a woman he met on [[Deneb IV]]: "''Yeah, she was nova that one.''"
 
* "Nova" - Lt. Mitchell once called a woman he met on [[Deneb IV]]: "''Yeah, she was nova that one.''"
  +
* "Popinjay" - [[Montgomery Scott]] described [[Ambassador]] [[Robert Fox]] as a popinjay, a vain person who over-exaggerated their own importance and spoke empty words. ({{TOS|A Taste of Armageddon}})
  +
*"Space junk" - [[debris]] abandoned in [[space]], such as the {{USS|Huron}} ({{TAS|The Pirates of Orion}})
   
 
Other
 
Other
  +
* "Eager beaver" - Dr. [[Katherine Pulaski]] referred to an irresponsible [[scientist]] as an eager beaver. ({{TNG|The Child}})
 
* "[[Herbert (slang)|Herbert]]"
 
* "[[Herbert (slang)|Herbert]]"
   
 
===24th century slang===
 
===24th century slang===
* "Cowboy diplomacy"
+
* "[[Cowboy diplomacy]]"
 
* "Farm-world"
 
* "Farm-world"
 
* "[[Vulky]]" - derogatory term for [[Vulcan]]s
 
* "[[Vulky]]" - derogatory term for [[Vulcan]]s
Line 174: Line 180:
 
* "[[Lunar schooner]]"
 
* "[[Lunar schooner]]"
   
==References==
+
== See also ==
 
* [[Colorful metaphor]]
 
* [[Nickname]]
  +
* [[Scots language]]
  +
  +
== References ==
 
<div class="appear">
 
<div class="appear">
 
* {{TOS}}
 
* {{TOS}}
Line 183: Line 194:
 
** {{e|The Trouble with Tribbles}}
 
** {{e|The Trouble with Tribbles}}
 
** {{e|The Ultimate Computer}}
 
** {{e|The Ultimate Computer}}
  +
** {{e|Assignment: Earth}}
 
** {{e|Spectre of the Gun}}
 
** {{e|Spectre of the Gun}}
 
** {{e|The Way to Eden}}
 
** {{e|The Way to Eden}}
Line 217: Line 229:
 
** {{e|First Flight}}
 
** {{e|First Flight}}
 
** {{e|Daedalus}}
 
** {{e|Daedalus}}
  +
* {{Star Trek films}}
  +
** {{film|4}}
  +
** {{film|8}}
 
</div>
 
</div>
  +
 
[[de:Slang]]
 
[[de:Slang]]
 
[[Category:Linguistics]]
 
[[Category:Linguistics]]

Revision as of 18:45, 24 July 2015

File:KIRK IS A JERK.jpg

Slang on a shirt

Slang is the use of colorful words, derived from regional or time specific terminology, used in place of more formal words.

Many time frames and cultures have their own unique slang. For example, during the 20th century on Earth, several cultural movements had their own slang terminology. Starfleet officers who were involved in instances of time travel or other alien contact were sometimes subjected to a degree of social ineptness due to the confusion caused by the usage of slang.

Variations of slang

The Iotian culture developed on Sigma Iotia II built its society based on the novel Chicago Mobs of the Twenties. Therefore, the Iotians used many slang terms that were originally popular during the 1920s on Earth. (TOS: "A Piece of the Action")

Likewise, the holodeck program Bashir 62, used a lot of early 1960s slang. (DS9: "His Way")

The following uses of slang may extend beyond the timeframe indicated. For sake of convenience, they are listed in the timeframe from which they were specifically used. When applicable, the usage of the term may be found below in italics.

19th century Earth Slang

1890s

  • "Bleeding a man dry"
  • "Card shark"
  • "Chit chat" - small talk
  • "Folks"
  • "Forty-Niner"
  • "Geez"
  • "Go to blazes"
  • "Hot damn"
  • "Humdinger"
  • "Missus" - wife
  • "Phony"
  • "The deed is done"
  • "To have someone peg for a sap"
  • "To jostle someone"

Ancient West

  • "Being in cahoots with someone"
  • "Bunch of hot air"
  • "Cattle rustler"
  • "Floozy"
  • "Horse-stealing scurvy crew"
  • "Howdy"
  • "Pa" - father
  • "Scrumptious"
  • "Scum"
  • "Tin can" - prison
  • "To bushwhack someone"
  • "Varmint"
  • "Yellow" - a coward person
  • "Whisker"

20th century Earth slang

1920s

  • "Cement overshoes": A self-defining gangster term describing a method of drowning someone.

1930s

  • "Booze" - alcohol
  • "Bum" - a homeless person
  • "Flop" - a place to sleep
  • "Wood alky" - methyl alcohol

1940s

  • "Buck" - dollar
  • "Dick" - detective
  • "Doll" - woman or girl
  • "Fella"
  • "Geetas" - money
  • "Gung Ho kind of gal"
  • "Hep-looking broad"
  • "Jamoke"
  • "Jerry"
  • "Jumpy"
  • "Moolah" - money
  • "Nut"
  • "Shrew" - a policeman
  • "Slime"
  • "Stiff" - a corpse
  • "That's jake with me"
  • "To ice somebody" - to murder somebody
  • "To take a gander"

1950s

  • "Cooped up"
  • "mogul" - a prominent businessman
  • "Pinko" - an individual who only mildly supports the ideas of socialism or communism
  • "Red" - an individual who more actively supports the ideas of socialism or communism
  • "Nigger" - derogatory term for Negros
  • "Rag"
  • "Tater" - a "home run" in the game of baseball
  • "Zero"

1960s

1980s

  • "Kiddo"
  • "Landlubber"
  • "Macho"
  • "Retard"
  • "Russkie" - Russian

1990s

  • "The beast" - the US Government
  • "The big boy" - the captain (or leader)
  • "Boob tube" - television
  • "Cool"
  • "Freakasaurus" - an individual who exhibits extreme, uptight behavior
  • "Low-mileage pit woofie" - a young or inexperienced stock car racing groupie
  • "Old Watosh"
  • "Shrink" - psychologist (or counselor)
  • "To scuffle along"

21st century Earth slang

2000s

2020s

2060s

22nd century slang

  • "Skag" - derogatory term for Skagarans
  • "Hick" - semi-derogatory term (sometimes embraced by those it is directed at) for people from rural areas of the United States such as western Florida and Iowa
  • "Boomer" - term used to describe a person who spent the majority of their life in space

23rd century slang

Iotian (supplement to 1920s slang)

"You mind your place, mister, or you'll be wearing concrete galoshes."

Miri's planet

  • "Foolie" - a game
  • "Grup" - a "grown up"
  • "Only" - a child left orphaned by the Life prolongation complex
  • "Before time" - the time prior to the death of the grups
  • "Blah" - a mimicry of meaningless speech
  • "Nyah"- a taunt

Starfleet

Other

24th century slang

See also

References