1. Transformations of Slang over Time Slang Synonyms In college slang there are particular words that generate the most synonyms, listed below. Compare Eble’s findings from 1972-1993 with our class findings from 2008 and 2010. Obviously, a lot has changed. But have slang words changed much in the past 2 years?! Connie Eble (1996), who studied college slang at the University of North Carolina, found that in a seven-year span (1980-1987), only 10 percent of the college slang lexicon remained in use, and over fifteen years (1972-1987), only four out of two hundred words stayed the same. Slang is, she concludes, quite ephemeral. But not all slang words are ephemeral! “Eventually, some slang passes into standard speech; other slang flourishes for a time with varying popularity and then is forgotten; finally, some slang is never fully accepted nor completely forgotten. O.K., jazz, and A-bomb were recently considered slang, but they are now standard usages. Bluebelly, Lucifer, and the bee’s knees have faded from popular use. Bones (dice), beat it, and cool seem destined to remain slang forever. Chaucer used the first and Shakespeare used the second” (Flexner1986:xix). “No slang word can top ‘cool,’ which linguist Pamela Munro ranks as one of the longest-standing slang words on campus. ‘Cool,’ which originated in New York jazz clubs in the 1930s, ‘has immense staying power,’ says Munro. ‘I don’t know any other words like that. I think ‘cool’ is just amazing” (Elie 2001). General meaning Slang Words: 1972-1993 Slang Words: 2008 Slang Words: 2010 Excellent Sweet, killer, bad, cool, awesomeSick, sweet, cool, nice, wicked, ill, bitchin’, ballin’Sweet, awesome, ballin’, cool, legit, rockin’, right on!, epic, intense, sick, wicked, nice, legit Socially inept person Dweeb, geek, turkeyDork, creeper, loser, freak, sketch, tard, nerd, goobCreeper, sketch, weirdo, dork, loser, tool, freak, tard, nerd, geek To be or get drunk Wasted, catch a buzz, trashedShitarded, wasted, bombed, hammered, black-out, crunked, gone, tanked, schwasted, pissed Hammered, tanked, wasted, destroyed, plastered, crunked (crazy + drunk), bombed, shwasted, tipsy, trashed, fucked up, smashed, blacked out, shit show, destroyed, shit-faced, gone To relax Chill out, vegChillax, chill, hang out, hang,Chill, hang out, chillax, lazy, veg, chill pill Fraternity/sorority member Bagger, SuziFratter, frat whore, fratastic, sorostitute, bro, brosephFratty, sorositute, bro, broseph, frat boy, fratter, frat whore, Disregard Bag, blow offScrew over, ditch, bounce, sexiled, negged, shot down, mean-mug Shot down, ditched, sexiled, blown off, screw over, leave hangin’, bail To kiss passionately Grub, hook (up)Hook up, make out, hit that, suck faceHook up, make out, tonsil hockey, hooks it Attractive hotHot, bangin’, bossy, spittin’ game, smokin’A ten, hot, bangin’, hot as balls, cute, fine, lookin’ good Attractive person Fox/foxyPiece of ass, a ten, hottieA ten, hottie, goddess, babe, hunk, cutie, eye candy To have a good time jamRage, party, good times, good times (always twice)Crazy fun, party, rage To do well aceOwn, kick ass, kill it, nail it, sting it, dominate, rape it, demolish, rocked that, smoked that bitch Own, ace, kill it, dominate, rape it, rock that, kick ass, poned, nailed it To insult dissShut down, serve, bitch out, burn, dissShut down, burn, diss, serve, bash, bitch out To leave bookPeace out, outie, bounce, split, book, roll, haul assRun, split, book it, out, peace out, peace, later, split, roll, bounce, haul ass To eat rapidly Pig outGet your grub on, chow down, gorge, stuff your face, pound, housed, Stuff your face, inhale, wolf it down, feast, pig out, chow down, be a fat kid and get cake, have a food baby, Out of touch cluelessZoned out, retarded, blonde, slow, out there, space cadet, spacey Space case, spacey, zoned out, blonde, retarded, slow, not all there, spaced out, checked out, clueless Worst situation The pitsThis sucks, this blows, lame, NOT coolThis sucks, NOT cool, fan-fucking-tastic, bomb, lame, this blows, this sucks, FML (fuck my life), this sucks balls, this bites, lame To go to sleep crashPass-out, die, crashPass out, crash, conk out, hit the sack, die, zonk out, out cold, Unattractive, out of favor cheezyWhack, ridiculous, tacky, lame, dog, fugly, butterfaceFugly, creepy, gross, sketchy, tacky, butterface, To have a bizarre experience Trip outBug out, buggin’, wig out, tweak out, freaky, high as shit, Tweak, trip, wig out, spazz, freaky, weird, trippin’, tripped, trippy, bug out, blaze up, Friend Homeboy, homegirl/homeyDude, biff, biffer, homeslice, boy, bro, dude, homeboy, girlfriend, lovey Chica, amiga, friendses, bro, peeps, dude, man, hun, love, girlfriend, homegirl/homeboy, girl, boy, bitch, BFF Male, any person dudeDude, guy, bro, man, sonDude, guy, bro, man, son, the man, Below standard slackWeak, crap, craptastic, lame,Shitastic, crap, lamo, bull, this blows, weak, lame, average, craptastic, poor, stupid, weak sauce, sub-par One who follows the lifestyle of the sixties granolaHippie, granola, stoner, tree-hugger, pothead, crunchyHippie, pot-head, stoner, tree-hugger, crunchy granola