I'm trying to build my lexicon of contemporary student-speak. I really feel this should be an open-source work, so feel free to chime in. As you can see, it's still pretty thin (because I never talk to anybody), so please help me, and all those other students, navigate the jungle of contemporary discourse by contributing your knowledge.
It seems the percentage of people who never say exactly what they mean has remained steady, at about 99%, but figuring out what they are trying to say is harder than ever.
Here's what I know so far:
2010: "We should be Facebook friends" = 1980: "Let's do lunch."
2010: "I can't make it to class; can you e-mail me your notes?" = 1980: "Can I have your digits?"
"What classes are you taking?" = "How are you? (the non-sincere variety)"
"Do you like this class?" = "Who hates this class more: you or me?"
"I really like what you said in class the other day" = "Do you ever shut up?!"
"I don't feel well" = "I'm hung over."
"I find Nietzsche's criticism of Hegel's view of history so jejeune" = "I was not breast fed."
"U. Chicago is weird" = "U. Chicago is weird."
"Hyde Park sucks" = "I'm homesick."
That's about it for now . . . stay tuned . . . and please help grow the lexicon.
--T.A.
Funny post; here are more suggestions for your lexicon:
'Undergradese'
http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1082
Posted by: HKatz | November 18, 2010 at 07:34 PM
I was under the impression that today's students are the opposite of ashamed about saying they were hungover.
Posted by: RLC | November 26, 2010 at 11:47 AM