[OPEN] Teach me your slanguage

[Macrina]

Yes, slanguage.

I want to learn all those interesting regional words or phrases that are specific to a particular area.

So please write a regional word or phrase and give a definition, and perhaps an example of how it might be used.

Two rules:

1) It must be something that you, personally, actually say.
2) Keep it suitable for family viewing, folks.

 

[Macrina]

"Going like gangbusters." Apparently this is a regional thing, perhaps to the northwest United States. I didn't realize this until I used it and someone said, "oh, what part of the Seattle area are you from?" Someone who totally didn't know me. Anyway, the phrase means proceeding or selling with extreme speed and has a positive connotation. One might say, "it's been a great day here at the lemonade stand, what with the heat wave and all. Our ice-cold drinks are going like gangbusters."

 

[mina]

the infamous "ya'll"- it means you all. As in "how ya'll doin?". "Do ya'll have enough sweet tea?". "Can I get ya'll anything?" Yes i use it. It's funny - I don't think i have a southern accent at all and i'll catch myself using ya'll and it just sounds weird. But hey i'm weird so there ya go.

 

[highflyer]

Let me see. The english slang is notoriously huge, but here are a few:

'tar' - thanks (mostly northern england)
'easy' - hello (if you wanna appear 'gangsta')
'trouble and strife' - wife (cockney slang)
'adam and eve' - believe (cockney slang)
'dog and bone' - phone (cockney slang - I come from London so I know loads)

That's what I could come up with in five minutes, if there are any other londoners, you'll get tons more.

 

[traingosorry]

I use a word that I thought* was original and my very own "KIFE" - and I use it to describe something that is beyond disgusting. If I change a dirty baby's diaper, I would call that kife.
However I was informed that it is in fact an existing slang word to describe disgusting things but usually those of a 'disturbing', non-pg manner.
oy.

Otherwise in my family we say "I call SHENANIGANS!" - meaning we don't believe what you are telling us.

 

[mina]

KROD- my brother and i would call each other this all the time. I guess it's our own language. It's "dork" backwards!

 

[mina]

"finer than a frog's hair" or "as happy as a pig in slop"- you are doing really well. The only people i've ever heard say these are old men at church. Ex: me: hello Mr. Rodgers , how are you today?" Mr. Rodgers: well honey, i'm as happy as a pig in slop"( or finer than a frog's hair-take yer pick).

 

[Macrina]

Let me see. The english slang is notoriously huge, but here are a few:

'tar' - thanks (mostly northern england)
'easy' - hello (if you wanna appear 'gangsta')
'trouble and strife' - wife (cockney slang)
'adam and eve' - believe (cockney slang)
'dog and bone' - phone (cockney slang - I come from London so I know loads)

That's what I could come up with in five minutes, if there are any other londoners, you'll get tons more.

Wow, that's interesting. So is cockney slang all rhyming stuff like that?

I use a word that I thought* was original and my very own "KIFE" - and I use it to describe something that is beyond disgusting. If I change a dirty baby's diaper, I would call that kife.
However I was informed that it is in fact an existing slang word to describe disgusting things but usually those of a 'disturbing', non-pg manner.
oy.

Otherwise in my family we say "I call SHENANIGANS!" - meaning we don't believe what you are telling us.

Are you wearing a bathing suit over your jeans?

"finer than a frog's hair" or "as happy as a pig in slop"- you are doing really well. The only people i've ever heard say these are old men at church. Ex: me: hello Mr. Rodgers , how are you today?" Mr. Rodgers: well honey, i'm as happy as a pig in slop"( or finer than a frog's hair-take yer pick).

Old men have the greatest slang!

 

[traingosorry]

Are you wearing a bathing suit over your jeans?

You betcha lady - when have you ever known me to do things normally?

It's so BORING.
Superman started it by wearing his skivvies over his leggings, so I'm just carrying on tradition.


oh skivvies - there's another one.

 

[GreenMunchkin]

Haa! Dude, you actually started it? I figured you were kidding... or, conveniently enough, "pulling my leg". I think that's fairly English.

As to cockney rhyming slang... you're officially a cockney if you're born within the sound range of Bow Bells, but there's literally an entire dictionary worth of terms. It's incomprehensible. Highflyer, I gather you're a fellow Londonian - if someone was talking at you in proper fluid cockney rhyming slang, would you have a clue?

Oh, another, "have a butcher's" or "have a gander" are other ways of saying have a look, although the etymology escapes me completely.

 

[arunma]

"Slanguage?" Is that like the supersymmetric equivalent of language?

OK, sorry, that's really more of a physics joke. But as long as I mentioned that, my fellow physics friends and I will often say "that's a ten sigma event" when referring to something that is unlikely to happen. Scientists really do say this, but we sort of coopted it for common use.

 

[GoodNewsJim]

Hey yinz guys you want to hangout n at? (Pittsburghese)

Pownied (My advanced leet speek) Its like pwned but you can actually pronouce it.

 

[stormgade4]

I use the word "hork" alot. Its used mainly for food, like taking alot or eating something whole "I horked a cookie" (ate it whole). I also use it if I "acquire" something small like "I horked a pen from John's desk."

 

[miss_klara]

Nicked, meaning stole... "I think that guy nicked your purse"... "My car got nicked".
Also, I've had some funny looks when using the word 'dodgy' in front of non Aussies. So for those who don't know the word 'dodgy', it means a few things. If a situation is dodgy, it can be bad, or strange in a bad way. If an old man is dodgy, it means he's creepy and possibly perverted lol. If a sandwich is dodgy, it's probably past its use-by. If someone looks dodgy, they're generally unsavoury and have committed a crime, or are about to. If a toy is dodgy, it's been badly made. Yeh. Dodgy's a great word. I use it all the time....!!

 

[LonelyTraveler]

toad strangler = heavy rain
"Wow, it's comin' a toad strangler out there."

come up a cloud = thunderstorm
"Looks like it's trying to come up a cloud."

[insert action here] to beat sixty = doing doing it alot
"It was sunshinin' to beat sixty earlier, but then it came up a cloud."

 

[none the wiser]

Hey yinz guys you want to hangout n at? (Pittsburghese)

lol! My boyfriend's entire family says yinz. He's trying to get me to replace my "yall" with "yinz." (he's about an hour or two from Pittsburgh)

I say "whinge" for whining or complaining.

Sketch is something that's...off. As in...the parking lot near that bar is really sketch. Or her skirt is soooo short. She looks so sketchy.

"Tickle me pink" must be a regional thing, because my boyfriend thinks it's just the funniest thing

 

[LonelyTraveler]

There's also a few different ways to refer to a small amount of something:

"a smidgen", " a tad", " a wee dab"

 

[squeekers22]

our slang for things are

watch: look at this watch lol
I know huh: for agreeings with someone

i forgot others but all i know are those too

like sometimes when im on the phone i say

hey watch let me show u something lol everyone says it lol its funny

 

[TySJI]

Pownied (My advanced leet speek) Its like pwned but you can actually pronouce it.

1337 Haxxor! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111oneoneone

 

[Silver-winged Flyer]

Nicked, meaning stole... "I think that guy nicked your purse"... "My car got nicked".
Also, I've had some funny looks when using the word 'dodgy' in front of non Aussies. So for those who don't know the word 'dodgy', it means a few things. If a situation is dodgy, it can be bad, or strange in a bad way. If an old man is dodgy, it means he's creepy and possibly perverted lol. If a sandwich is dodgy, it's probably past its use-by. If someone looks dodgy, they're generally unsavoury and have committed a crime, or are about to. If a toy is dodgy, it's been badly made. Yeh. Dodgy's a great word. I use it all the time....!!

I use the word dodgy all the time too in the same way.
Must be a southern hemisphere thing