Image via WikipediaIf you’re expecting a post about lovemaking for senior citizens, you will be disappointed relieved. What happened is I dragged out a very cool book I used last year for some research — The Hippie Dictionary. It calls itself “a cultural encyclopedia of the 1960′s and 1970′s”, and lives up to its billing.
The Language of the 1960′s
Flipping through it brought back memories of the ’60′s, for sure. If you missed the ’60′s, they were far out. If you were there, this sampling of words and phrases will bring back a few memories.
- Are you for real?
- Ate the big one
- Bag it
- Bite me
- Bogus
- Bummer
- Buzz off
- Clueless
- Cover your ass
- Credibility gap
- Cut me some slack
- Dead meat
- Different strokes for different folks
- Don’t lose your cool
- Don’t worry, be happy
- Dork
- Downer
- Far out
- Fat city
- Feeling no pain
- Fuzz (the police)
- Get the shaft
- Groaty
- Groovy
- Grungy
- Hairy (difficult)
- Head shop
- Let it all hang out
- Let’s ride
- Mellow out
- Out of my face
- Out to lunch
- Pig out
- Psyched out
- Ripped (drunk)
- Snow job
- Space cadet
- Stay cool
- To the max
- Ultracool
- Uncool
- Unreal
- Up for it
- Up yours
- Vicious (impressive)
- Wasted
- Way out
- Way past cool
- What’s happening?
- You dig?
Now, the question is, if you heard someone talk this way, would you think they were cool or uncool? (As I wrote this post, I realized to my dismay I use most of these phrases.)
The book has 600+ pages and is full of historical information and photos. It’s also packed with X-Rated sexual references, which is unavoidable in any chronicle of the 1960′s. If you want an idea of the feel of that crazy era, give it a read.
What’s your favorite 60′s expression?
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Brad, you know this is one of the quirkiest posts I’ve read from you in a while! I cannot imagine what kind of search traffic it’s going to send you…
Joanna Youngs last blog post..10 Blogs I Read Quietly
Joanna, should I say thank you? I guess it is a little weird, but then, so were the 60′s. My intention was to explore some of the slang expressions of those times.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Welcome to the Sexy Sixties
Oh, man! This is a fascinating slingback into a very weird time. But it’s simply not complete without the images that go with it. Tiny Tim, bell-bottomed pants, sitars, The Great White Album…
But I’m personally glad it’s over and we’ve moved on!
(Strange… that CommentLuv plugin still doesn’t see any post beyond Monday’s post. Am I not holding my mouth right or something? Is it personal? Have I offended it? I feel so… abused *sob*)
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..What I Learned From… Stress
Robert, Tiny Tim! Forgot about him. He would be the perfect emblem. But John Lennon isn’t bad. He was my hero. Looks like you have CoomentLuv problems like I have Comment Counter problems. Dang that technology! We didn’t have to worry about stuff like that in the 60′s.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Welcome to the Sexy Sixties
Isn’t it funny how each decade seems to have it’s own language. I was watching The Maltese Falcon the other day and the slang terms are so thick in that and similar movies you could cut ‘em with a knife!
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..What I Learned From… Stress
Should I be at all concerned that I wasn’t even born until the 70s yet I have used/still use many of these terms!
Johns last blog post..Don’t Keep Your Idea A Secret
John, either you are a throwback or the slang has worked its way into everyday language – I’m really not sure which.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Welcome to the Sexy Sixties
Or maybe we’re just a bit old fashioned here in the UK
Johns last blog post..Don’t Keep Your Idea A Secret
Brad, LOL! Oh man this list made me smile and instantly brought to mind visions of love bead, afros and dashikis. Born in 64 and proudly still use some of those phrases! Hilarious!
Karen Swims last blog post..One Less Member of the Posse
Speaking of afros, although I no longer have the photo, would you believe I used to wear my hair in an afro the size of a basketball. True story!
I look back on that time and just have to shake my head… *sigh*
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..What I Learned From… Stress
Robert, LOL! I believe it and I would have loved to have seen that photo! I have pictures of me in jean outfits and white shoes. The fashions were horrid. lol!
Karen Swims last blog post..One Less Member of the Posse
It’s amazing how many of these I still hear every day! Of course, I was only 3 when the 60s ended, so I wasn’t paying that much attention to slang at the time. And some of these seem awfully “Valley Girl” to me. (“To the max,” for example, or “Clueless”–especially since the Alicia Silverstone movie was CALLED “Clueless,” and that was, like, SO Valley Girl!)
–Debs last blog post..Business: It’s All in the Cards
Ahem, that would be “like grody to the max” says the reformed Val speaker, and yes it was the 80s.
Karen Swims last blog post..One Less Member of the Posse
Robert, Karen’s right – it would be fun to see that hair.
Karen, Somewhere in the archives there’s a picture of me in a Nehru jacket.
Deb, Valley Girls ripped off a lot of their slang from the ’60′s, according to the Hippie Dictionary. “Clueless” was definitely in wide use before the VG experience.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Welcome to the Sexy Sixties
Hi Brad – I’m embarrassed to say that although I wasn’t born until 1969 – I still use some of those phrases. I didn’t even realise they were from the 60′s. And now I’ve read thise – I can’t stop humming that song in my head – I don’t remember who sang it but it was “Don’t worry be happy.”
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Brad,
there is a picture of me in a leather mini-skirt. And I remember listening to Esther and Abi Ofarim, and to Bob Dylan and Donovan…The times they are a-changing…
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Autumn in Berlin
Cath, you should not too bad – I wasn’t born until ’76,’ but I still use some of these expressions.
Judging by the list above, the 60′s must have been a somewhat defining era in terms of the evolution in our language.
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Ulla, I’d love to see that picture!
Andrew, For better or worse, it really was. The whole drug/sex/rock and roll movement was so prevailing in our culture it’s hard to imagine.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Welcome to the Sexy Sixties