Word up, parents: Teens' slang translated here
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Having trouble understanding your teenager? This glossary of some of today's slang may help.
A
Aiight: Contraction of "all right."
All that: The greatest, better than others.
B
Bang: To have sex or be in a sexual relationship with someone.
Bling: Extravagantly showy jewelry, accessories that glitter.
Boo: Significant other, pet name.
Bounce: To leave.
C
Chill: Pass time in a relaxed manner, relax.
Chicks: Girls or women.
Clowning: Teasing.
Crunk: Providing entertainment and excitement, or crazy drunk.
D
Dawg: Term of endearment, friend.
Dawging: To insult or treat badly.
Down low (D.L.): Secret, covert.
G
Gank: To steal.
Game: Charm, ability to influence or attract, sexual appeal.
Glomp: To hug someone affectionately but not in a sexual manner.
H
Hot: Sexually attractive, arousing.
Hook up: To be with a person romantically, to start dating, or have sex.
K
Kicks: Shoes.
Kickin': Hanging out with friends, or something great, like a movie.
O
Own: To dominate something or someone.
P
Peace or peace out: A concluding remark, or goodbye.
Phat: Pronounced "fat," means fine, or cool.
Player: Someone who is romantically involved with many people.
R
Reeks: Smells really bad.
Rents: Parents.
Roll: To go out with, to laugh uncontrollably, or to fight.
S
Sick: Great, of high quality.
Stoked: Excited.
T
Tight: Excellent, or close, on good terms.
Tool: Fool, or one easily manipulated by others.
Trashed: Drunk.
W
Wack: Weird or inappropriate.
Wangster: Wannabe gangsters.
Word or word up: An exclamation of affirmation, agreement or greeting.
Y
Yo: An informal greeting, as in "Yo! What's up?"
Reading for 'rents'
"Rents," or parents, can read up on teens and their talk. Some suggestions:
"My Son Is an Alien: A Cultural Portrait of Today's Youth" by Marcel Danesi is an entertaining and informative look at cultural influences on today's youth, including a chapter on language.
Urban Dictionary: Fularious Street Slang Defined, compiled by Aaron Peckham from urbandictionary.com. Or, look up particularly puzzling words on the Web site.
"Yes, Your Teen is Crazy!: Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your Mind" by Michael J. Bradley. To be fair, get the companion, "Yes, Your Parents Are Crazy!: A Teen Survival Handbook."
The Dictionary of American Slang by Robert L. Chapman.
Test your knowledge with interactive slang flash cards at http://content.gns.gannettonline.com/graphics/backtoschool/flipcards.swf.
Test your knowledge with interactive slang flash cards at http://content.gns.gannettonline.com/graphics/backtoschool/flipcards.swf.
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Word up, parents. If your teen is suddenly speaking what seems like an entirely new language, don't worry.
Slang is just a part of growing up, says Connie Eble, an English professor at University of North Carolina and the author of "Slang & Sociability."
"It's part of this whole range of behaviors that they are trying on," she said, comparing the use of slang to clothing. "You try it on, and you take it off, and most of it you don't keep very long."
Teenagers of every generation have used slang to stand out, yet still be like other people their age, says Kathleen Waldron, a professor in the College of Human Services at Arizona State University's West Campus and an expert on adolescence.
It's wise for parents to be familiar with their lingo, Eble and Waldron say.
"You should try to know it, so when you hear them talking . . . you think it's innocent, but it's really about a drug deal," Waldron said.
It may also keep you from panicking. For example, when your child says something is a "dime," that's a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10, not a "dime bag" of pot like when you were a kid.
Oh, and don't use your teen's slang yourself, she cautions parents.
"Their children's slang belongs to their children, not to them. Do not try to use this slang because it just makes you look silly," Eble said. Besides, it's hard to keep up.
"Awesome" is out, but "cool" is still "money." A teacher who was "da bomb" is now "tight."
"I try to stay hip, but I don't keep up very well," said Steve Dumas of Phoenix, a father of three, ages 12, 13 and 16.
Admittedly, Dumas' children don't use much slang around him. He tells them, "Speak to me in English!"
Some advice about handling your kids' use of slang:
Listen and ask questions, Waldron says. She pays attention when her daughters, ages 15 and 17, talk in the back seat with friends and asks later - not in front of their friends - what certain words mean.
In junior high, for example, Waldron said, "They 'go with' someone, but they don't actually go anywhere."
You can ask "What does that mean? Does it mean you hold hands and eat lunch together, or does it mean you have sex 10 times a day?"
Listen to their music. Much of teens' slang comes from song lyrics. Watch the television shows your kids watch, Waldron says.
Talk about the slang they use, Eble says. If your teens says something like, "I'm just going to go out and rape this Visa card this afternoon," use that as a teachable moment to talk about where that expression comes from, why it's offensive.
Try and set limits and "chill." This, too, is a phase.
Their slang will change over the years, and they'll eventually grow out of it .
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