Kate
Once in a while, I’ll say something and my best friend will look at me and laugh.
“Are you 85?” she’ll ask.
I think the last time was “boy, this really gets my goat”.
So imagine my delight when I saw this AskReddit thread by u/williamsaguaro2002, in which they asked:
“What outdated slang do you still use?”
Enjoy!
1. Bonkers
I’m a big fan of bonkers.
2. Nifty
And “neat.” I would sound like a grandpa if I didn’t also swear profusely and intersperse the newer slang into the vocab
3. Whack
Lately I’ve been describing things as “whack”
4. Dig & Dig It
Fun fact for you!
“Ya dig it?” comes from the Irish “an dtuigeann tú?” (pronounced diggin’), meaning “do you understand?”
While working alongside Irish workers in turn of the century America, African Americans adapted the term to AAVE!
5. Dope!
Dope? Rad? Sweet? any of those still in use? I’m not one of the kids anymore, don’t know of these are outdated yet.
6. Booked it
“Booked it” as in ‘we ran the fuck out of there’ apparently there’s a new one
7. Home slice
I heard “homeslice” once around 1997 and it’s still a part of my daily vocabulary.
8. Swell
I say “swell” pretty often.
9. Ahoy!
“Ahoy” when answering the phone.
10. Bunk
I called something “bunk” a week ago and then realized I haven’t said that for 25 years and probably shouldn’t for another 25.
11. Sup!
I say “sup little dude/dudette” to my students as they are brought into our classroom. I also do the little head nod when I say it and do the “exploding fist bump” with them.
The kids love it and the parents enjoy the interaction. One dad asked when his son will be coming into my room to do this, I teach the 18 month olds, his son is 5 months. I go up to him and say “sup little baby dude” and do “baby fist bump” when I see him in the halls at drop off.
Baby fist bump is when I gently lift Babys hand and tap his little fingers on my other hand and whisper “fist bump!!”.
12. Wicked
“Wicked fresh”. Drives my 13 year old mental. She has no idea what it means.
13. Skedaddle!
I still say skedaddle. Like a dad, “Welp time to skedaddle gang”
14. Simmer down.
When the kids start getting rowdy I pull out “Simmer down”.
15. Word
Is that outdated? I say, “Word” all the time.
Word it born. Word is lived. Word to your mother. Even just straight up, “word” as an acknowledgment of understanding of a concept that has just been conveyed always feels appropriate to me.
16. Oh, geez.
I said “geez louise” without thinking about it when I was almost hit by a car 20 years ago. Have been using it regularly ever since.