Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

Hella Grammatical Category: Word Formation Type: Denition: Term Usage: Adverb Clipping and blending Very, Really (used for exaggeration and intensication) Most likely became prominent through phonetical convenience to the speaker. Hell of became a contraction after repeated use of the phrase until the two words mashed together to create the adverb hella. It is used for exaggerating any type of adjective (that was a hella good party), but cannot be used AS an adjective (that was a hella party <-- does NOT work). Caught on recently in the Northern California area, although the popularity seems to be spreading. Blending of hell of to hell a to hella My phone is hella janky, I should probably go to the store - Duncaroo, August 2011 Lifecon Grammatical Category: Word Formation Type: Denition: Noun Blending An intimate conversation between two (or more) individuals pertaining to the recent state and developments in their lives. Topics can include (but are not limited to) recent relationships, recent hardships, A blending of the words life and conversation, lifecon was most likely started as a phonetically more convenient way of asking someone to have a conversation about their life. Along with the blending, lifecon also bears a strong resemblance to the alreadyestablished term comic-con mean comic convention. This similarity is most likely what rendered it an acceptable term in todays language since phonetically, it sounds very similar to a former word integrated into the language. Blending of life and conversation, accepted because of resemblance to terms such as comic-con.

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Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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Would you be interested in having lifecon sometime? We need to catch up! (Karen Jong, February 2011) Chillax

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Verb Blending To calm down, take a breather A combination of chill and relax, chillax is usually used among teenagers as a way of asking for people to calm down. Considered phonetically acceptable because it sounds similar to relax but is also considered grammatically acceptable when used in the same way as relax (relax can be used only as a verb, just like chillax) Blending of chill and relax Im just chillaxing in the quad, you should come down! (Duncaroo, September 2011) Fo Sho

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Adverb Clipping Most denitely, used to exaggerate an adjective or verb Meaning for sure, fo sho was a shortened way of saying denitely. Both parts of the phrase were cut down and the o sound was added to make it easier for the speaker to add it in daily conversation. Accepted as a word in English because of its similarity to for show even though the two phrases have nothing in common and a speaker well-versed in the current slang would know that substituting one for the other does not work. Clipping of for sure --> for sho --> fo sho Ill fo sho be at the party, I just need to nish some homework (Family Member, July 2011) Jakes

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Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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Acronymization Just kidding, never mind First acronymized as JK (for just kidding), jakes is the phonetic pronunciation of the acronym, with some edits. Instead of being jaykay, it was changed to jaykes (jakes) due to the more accepted way of verbs ending in -ke (as in rake, bake, take, etc) as well as the convenient one syllable pronunciation. Acronymization of just kidding followed by the pronunciation of the acronym in verb-accepted form. I lost my key - could you call RUPD? Jakes, I found it (Duncaroo, December 2011) Clutch

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Adjective Zero Derivation Beastly, awesome, dramatically badass Came about via metonymy. Clutch was already a word to describe a part of a manual transmission, but a metonymous connection was most likely made between the awesomeness of using the clutch to change gears and the awesomeness of someones action. Clutch is used to describe actions only, not adjectives or things. It is unacceptable to call a physical object clutch, but to say someone doing a backip is clutch is perfectly ne. Conversion of the word clutch, started existing because of metonymy. That dudes parkour was so clutch! I wish I could do that! (Duncaroo, August 2011) Janky

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Adjective Blending Cheap, crappy quality. Often used to describe the state of possessions.

Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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Janky arose from the blending of junky and skanky, both words pertaining to the inferior quality of an item/person. Because of its ending in -ky, it has become accepted in the English language as an adjective, taking on the grammatical role of the ending blended word, as many blended euphemisms do. Blending of junky and skanky My phone is hella janky, I should probably go to the store - Duncaroo, August 2011 Narp

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Noun Acronymization Not a real person - someone who possesses qualities that are either god-like, or so unusual that they dont appear to t in with society. Usually used for the purposes of exaggeration Narp is an acronym that was rst used to describe people with complete god-like qualities that they cant be considered a real person. After more use of the word, the denition broadened and is now used to describe people with qualities so unusual that others see them not tting in, although the other meaning is still prominent as well. The acronym was phonetically allowed in speech because of its resemblance to already-accepted nouns that sound like it such as carp or tarp. Acronym of Not A Real Person Karen Jong does so many things, and she does them all so well - its unexplainable how she can manage it all, shes such a narp! (Duncaroo, October 2011) Rad

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Adjective Clipping Amazing, used to exaggerate and describe things on a different level of incredible

Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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Potentially used back in the 70s when certain slang was introduced, rad has now reappeared in the 21st century as a retro term, carrying the same meaning and etymology, but reintroduced into the newer generation. Was most likely reintroduced because of the popular retro styles coming back into fashion, and along with it, the lexicon as well. Clipping of the word radical That was a rad movie we saw last night, can you believe the ending?! (Duncaroo, May 2011) Sketchy

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Adjective Zero Derivation Creepy and questionable. Usually refers to people or places. Originally derived from the word sketchy referring to a not thorough or detailed picture, sketchy in the slang way now means creepy and questionable, especially when referring to a person or place. Metonymy helped the transition of this denition since its easy to make the transition of hazy and difcult to decipher into creepy and questionable. Conversion of sketchy from its traditional denition to the slang denition via metonymy. I stopped by a really sketchy gas station on my way home from work (Family Member, July 2011) Ginormous

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Adjective Blending Large, extremely oversized

Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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Came about because, like many slang words, people constantly look for new ways to exaggerate things. Even though it is supposed to mean extremely oversized, the actual size of the object can be anything. A ginormous squirrel, for instance, could simply be a slightly larger squirrel exaggerated by the word ginormous. It is acceptable as an adjective because of the -ous ending. Blending of giant and enormous That is one ginormous pizza! (Duncaroo, October 2011) Sesh

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Noun Clipping Session A shortening of the word session to one syllable for the speakers ease, sesh usually appears in sentences with other slang words. Its considered a casual word and would be frowned upon in professional settings, but in casual dialect, its perfectly acceptable. Certain coined terms such as chat sesh have arisen due to this word. It is acceptable as a noun because of its resemblance to the other phonetically similar noun, mesh but doesnt carry the same verb meaning because of its narrower denition. Clipping of the pronunciation of session We should have a chat sesh and catch up sometime, its been way too long since we last talked (Duncaroo, August 2011) Adorbs

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Adjective Clipping Adorable

Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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Simply an alternate way of saying adorable, adorbs is used primarily in either chatspeak or conversations already containing slang words. Its known to be a very informal word and is not used in professional or formal settings. Seems to be a newly accepted ending to adjectives since no other adjectives can compare in phonetic similarity, suggesting that the clipping created a new sufx for slang adjectives. Clipping of adorable Your puppy is totes adorbs! (Overheard during summer 2011) Dubstep

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Noun Compounding A genre of music with tightly coiled and overwhelming bass lines. Very electronic. Dubstep was rst introduced very recently, mainly to the college party scene. As a combination of dub (as in instrumental dub remixes) and step (as in a type of dance), dubstep became known as a very specic type of electronic music with a large bass drop in the middle. The term dubstep is acceptable because like many other forms of music-infused words, it ends in -step, signifying the importance of dance in the genre. Compounding of dub and step to form a new genre of music wub wub wub wub clinggg, dubstep is possibly the crappiest music ever (Duncaroo, September 2010) Hyphy

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Noun, Adjective Clipping A specic type of rap music from the Bay Area in California OR the fast-paced actions associated with the dancing

Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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Originating from Northern California, hyphy is short for hyperactive, to signify the fast-paced manner of the rap song and dancing to accompany it. Hyphy, like hyperactive, is accepted as an adjective, but is also accepted as the noun, which is the song the word can describe (you can listen to hyphy or get hyphy) Clipping of hyperactive This hyphy music is the shit! (California friend, July 2011) Bounce

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Verb Derivation To exit or leave Originating from the traditional denition of bounce, this word was formed via metaphor into its current slang meaning. Instead of literally bouncing out of a place, the speaker is considering a gurative bounce, they exit as swiftly and quietly as possible. The simple comparison has allowed it to continue developing in the English vocabulary, making it easy to understand and spread. Derivation of the same word, bounce This party is boring, lets bounce (Duncaroo, September 2011) Facepalm

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Verb, Noun Compounding Exactly as it sounds, a facepalm is the action involving putting ones palm on their face. Usually used when someone else is oblivious to something. Facepalming is a simple compounded word formed from the action it describes. Combining the noun face and the verb palm makes for a very versatile word that is acceptable both as a noun (a facepalm) and a verb (to facepalm).

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Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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Compounding of face and palm into a single verb. Will Santore is the king of facepalming (Duncaroo, April 2011) Brah

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Noun Clipping A gurative brother, one who is considered in sibling status with the individual who is speaking. Originated as the word brother, which was then clipped into bro, and through repeated verbal use of the word, changed to the pronunciation brah. Brah is now an informal way of addressing a close friend, but is not acceptable in formal settings. The spelling of brah is acceptable because of its resemblance to the way it is spoken in casual conversations. Clipping of the word brother followed by the spelling of the casual pronunciation. Sup brah? Long time no talk (Facebook friend, May 2011) Bromance

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Noun Clipping and blending The close relationship between two tight (presumably male) friends. Like with the term brah, bromance originated from the word brother, which was clipped to bro, and then fused with the word romance. The term is considered an informal way of addressing the relationship between two bros. It is acceptable in the English language because it sounds exactly like romance except with the addition of the B at the beginning, and the br combination has already been established as phonetically acceptable. Blending of the words bro and romance

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Matt Makansi Words in English Word Journal

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You guys have such an intense bromance going on (High School Friend, February 2010) Sup

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Greeting, question Clipping and blending Whats up, how is it going, whats going on Came to prominence along with many other clipped words. Sup became acceptable through the consistent repetition of the phrase whats up? to the point where the what part of that phrase became clipped out and all that remained was the s up. Used only in casual conversation, its frowned upon in many formal and professional settings, just like many other slang words, although its becoming more common among all age groups, not just children and young adults. Spelling of the word simply represents the way it is spoken since, like many slang words, it acquires its spelling from its pronunciation. Clipping of whats up --> s up --> sup Sup brah? Long time no talk (Facebook friend, May 2011)

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