spaz(z), n.

[Jonathan Lighter]

A "spazz" was, as you say, primarily clumsy and uncoordinated, but could be inordinately stupid as well. The word had nothing to do with being cool or uncool, since a "spazz" was such an oaf that coolness was not even a consideration.  "Spastic," n. & adj., was also in occasional use.

My impression is that "uncool" is too precise a refinement. Dad in the Baker cite is a spazz, not because he uses an "archaic" word (which by the way has never  been archaic or needed a "revival" over the pas 60 years), but because he's a parent using a "teen" word.  And I think Paulene Kael's information represents the outer limit of the word's reach, rather than a core definition.


JL

Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at RCI.RUTGERS.EDU> wrote:
---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Benjamin Zimmer
Subject: Re: spaz(z), n.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 19:57:28 -0700, Jonathan Lighter
wrote:

>"Spazz," n. & v., were both in daily use on the West Side of Manhattan in
>the fall of 1959. At least among us kids. I remember because I'd never
>heard them before. The same was true of "retard," n.

Was nominal "spazz" used in the 'uncoordinated' sense (i.e., for someone
who frequently "spazzed out"), or in the 'uncool' sense of the 1965 cites?
I realize there may have been a subtle gradation from one sense to the
other.



--Ben Zimmer


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