slang list

[Jonathan Lighter]

Thanks, Bill.

JL

"Mullins, Bill" <Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: "Mullins, Bill"
Subject: Re: slang list
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>
> I have no info on "word (up)!" before the late '80s. Still
> there, Wilson?
>
> JL
>

"Word Up" album by Cameo was released in 1986.

>From Factiva:

Hip Hop and Home Slice 3 August 1984 The Washington Post PAGE B5

THE JARGON

Bad -- Good.

Battle -- Challenge between two or more crews.

Bite -- Stealing another breakdancer's steps.

Burned -- A crew that's been beaten in a battle.

Crew -- Breakdance group, friends, buddies.

Chill out -- To calm down, relax.

Fresh -- New or original, different.

Hip Hop -- All-inclusive for breakdancing, rapping and graffiti-writing.


Home slice -- Best friend.

Juice -- Clout.

Wack -- Incorrect, not in style.

Word up -- To tell the truth.

THE FORMS

Breaking -- Dance movements, close to the ground, that resemble Russian
folk dances.

Electric boogie -- Robotic, current-like motions, gyrations.

Freestyle -- Some breaking, some electric boogeying, with a touch of
jazz. Close to traditional gymnastics.

Uprock -- Dancing "fight," where dancers are very close but do not touch
each other.THE STEPS

Back spin -- With legs tucked up and held by arms.

Head spin -- On the head, using arms and legs for propulsion. (This one
can be dangerous.)

Lock -- Using arms, hands, knees, legs and feet to create exaggerated
imitations of laughing gestures, like knee-slapping.

Moonwalk (or Toe-Heel Walk) -- On the toes of one foot and the heel of
the other.

Pop -- Quick jerk of one muscle to allow another to move up quickly.

Smurf Walk -- The back foot on its heel and the front foot on its toes.

Suicide -- Its name is a warning. A no-hands forward flip that leaves
the dancer flat on his back.

Tick -- Hard, snapping movement that makes the dancer's body look as if
it is breaking into separate parts.

Wave -- Any movement that gives the illusion of a wave or current
running through the body.


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