"Do Kids Speak English?" (1954)

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   From THIS WEEK magazine, NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE, 28 February 1954, pg. 46, col. 2:

_DO KIDS SPEAK ENGLISH?_
by Beulah Racklin

_What's a "yoot"?  A "fine vine"?  Today's_
_teen-agers speak a language that would_
_make poor Noah Webster spin in his grave_

"LAMP that.  3D and frantic."
   "Something like Marilyn."
   "I'm strong.  Let's trip over to the miniature pool room and burn this ace."
   "See you later, alligator."
   The foregoing, although English, is comprehended by very few, if any, adults.  It is the private language of teen-agers and as such is very seldom spoken in the presence of grownups.
   Lester Rand, president of the Youth Research Institute, an organization which exclusively surveys the tastes, attitudes and buying habits of young people five through 25, has made a close study of this jargon in his frequent contact with teen-agers all over the country.
   "Youngsters are very reluctant to speak frankly with strange adults or even adults whom they know," Rand has found.  "That is one reason they've developed their own talk.  It's a way of excluding grownups.  As a result, we use students to conduct our surveys of young people, figuring they can get much more information.
   "The boys in the above dialogue are describing a girl.  'Lamp that' means look at her.  '3D' is an uncomplimentary reference to her I.Q., translating to dumb, dopey and dense, with 'frantic' rubbing it in more, meaning unstable and hard to please.  However, she's good looking.  Marilyn means Marilyn Monroe, the paragon of beauty in the teen-age set.
   "To translate further...Being 'strong' is having money and the youngsters want to stroll over to the ice-cream parlor and spend (Col. 3--ed.) a dollar.  The 'alligator' is an all-encompassing term and relieves the party of having to recite several names," says Rand.
   Don't despair.  Latin is worse.
   Rhyming expressions, which are mainly for effect rather than to convey any actual meaning, are very popular and somewhat confusing like 'Do you know what I mean, jellybean?' 'Let me have a steak, Jake,' 'Have a piece of salami, Tommy,' etc.  In few instances does the person addressed comply with the speaker's demands.  In most cases names are changed for ones that rhyme.
   "Teen-agers are at the stage where they find odd expressions amusing," Rand finds.  "Consequently, they will repeat the ones which strike them as humorous.
   _"Chain Gang"_
"THE greatest source of these expressions today is the tough talk of the many private eyes on television, in the movies and in fiction," Rand observes.  "'Doing time' is used for staying after school and the 'chain gang' refers to walking to class in groups.  A bright kid who knows all the answers and makes his classmates look bad is a 'stool pigeon' and the school principal is the 'warden.'  A 'caper' is a problem in geometry, with 'Humphrey Bogart' being any tough kid."
   Theme music and the favorite expressions of comics are quickly picked up and repeated by the youngsters.  Also advertising slogans and jingles.
   "'Crazy mixed up kid' is used a great deal and is without rancor.  It's kind of (Pg. 47, col. 1--ed.) endearing," Rand explains.  "The 'Dragnet' theme, of course, is very popular."
   Many of the terms were originally associated with jive but through frequent usage gradually became part of the language spoken by teen-agers in club rooms and around school yards.
   "Hey, beau" is used by boys for addressing each other.  "Keep cool, fool" is used when a pretty girl passes.
   The jivey "come on, worm, let's wiggle" might be translated into the more polite "may I have this dance?"
   In the jive vein there is "skypiece" meaning a hat and "chalkstick," a cigarette.  A "fine vine" is a nice suit.  And the old jive expressions, very popular with youngsters, (Col. 2--ed.) "real cool," "crazy" and "gone" all mean literally terrific.
   "Dig that" and "what's buzzin, cuzzin" are solid holdovers from be-bop and have infiltrated youthful talk.
   Quite naturally, because the main occupation of teen-agers is going to school, msot of their esoteric expressions pertain to the classroom.
   _"A Real Blase Kid"_
THE "bookweary" youngster is one who's tired of studying, probably wears "binoculars" (glasses).  Anyone who studies has "eyestrain."  After a summer vacation full of fun we have "round-up time" (back to school).
   A "real blase kid" is one who's quite sophisticated or snooty.  (Col. 3--ed.)
   A lot of teen-talk can be heard around the "corrals" (school yards) and the "miniature pool rooms," and virtually none in the classrooms.
   A "yoot" (youngster) who blurts out a big word of more than one syllable might hear the retort "get that preposition" and a fellow getting out of line gets an immediate dose of humility with a "hey, insect!"
   School athletes are either "jet propelled" (fast) or "bulls" (big and strong) and probably have "flat tops" (crew haircuts).
   Expressions associated with social life revolve around the all important "got any bread?" meaning do you have any money.  The annoying "inquisition" pertains to the quizzing youngsters get when they come in late after a date.  "All enrolled in the boiling pot," refers to kids who go around in the same gang.
   _"Play Dead"_
"THE teen-agers go in strong for sarcastic expressions, although they're quite harmless," states Rand.  "If you ask them a lot of questions they're apt to retort 'Are you writing a book?'
   "If they don't want to reveal their name you might get 'Joe Slump, the midget,' or be told to 'cop a breeze' (leave), or maybe 'play dead' (keep quiet).
   "This talk," explains Rand, "is sort of an auxiliary language which ties teen-agers together in their own world.  It characterizes their casualness."
   _The End_