Origins of 'sick' meaning noteworthy, admirable, exceptional, etc.

[Garson O'Toole]

The Oxford English Dictionary has an entry for "sick" (with this
relatively recent sense) in the online "Draft additions of August
2004". Here is the definition and first two citations:

slang (now esp. Skateboarding and Surfing). Excellent, impressive; risky.

1983    UNC-CH Campus Slang (Univ. N. Carolina, Chapel Hill)
(typescript) Spring 5   Sick, unbelievably good: The Fleetwood Mac
concert was sick.

1992    Caribbean Week Apr. 26/1   ‘A really sick car’ is an
attractive, eye-catching vehicle and not one that's ready for the
repair shop.

Garson

On Wed, Mar 30, 2011 at 10:08 PM, Martin Kaminer
<martin.kaminer at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Martin Kaminer <martin.kaminer at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Origins of 'sick' meaning noteworthy, admirable, exceptional,
>              etc.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> My son chose his 11th birthday to ask me about this. Clearly words
> developing slang meanings opposite to their original definitions is common
> in many languages but I couldn't find anything specific about the phenomenon
> when I poked around online. I imagine there's even a term for it.
>  Regardless any pointers appreciated, those specific to slang uses of the
> words 'sick' or 'ill' all the more so.
>
> Much thanks.
>
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>

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