Teenage slang--Help!

triceretops · Jun 4, 2008

My agent says that I should tear the granny pants off my 18-year-old female and let her talk more like a kid. She's real bright, and earned a scholarship to Harvard, but that's no excuse. He says she talks like a middle-aged woman. Okay, I think I can take care of that part of it.

But...could you please suggest some words or phrases that a hip, young girl might use in dialog or narrative.

For instance: what does "bling" mean? (Transformers)

What does a "tool" mean when referring to a guy? (Deck the Halls)

Any other now-today expressions? Including products? Sexual innuendo is okay.

(My girl, Avy, is blonde, thin, green eyes and falls in love with a magician during the story).

Phaeal · Jun 4, 2008

Bling = jewelry (used to be bling bling, but was shortened for elegance)
Tool = penis, I'd think -- that's older slang, so the latest slang may differ.

There are several slang dictionaries on the Web. Check 'em out.

Toothpaste · Jun 4, 2008

You are so cute!

"bling" is jewelry, but the kind of jewelry that is a little over the top, the kind of uber example would be what rappers wear, but it has translated really to mean anything that is a shiny accessory.

"tool" is pretty generic. I'm sure it has roots in something specific (possible something phallic), but it really just means "loser".

I would be careful however throwing in too many of these words. It depends more on your character than teenagers in general. Would a Harvard scholarship girl say "rents" for example (short for "parents")? Would she even say "bling", I have to wonder . . .

Toothpaste · Jun 4, 2008

Just thinking aloud here . . . what if you made up your own slang as well? They did that quite effectively in the movie Clueless for example: "She's such a Monet". (Being a "Monet" means that from a distance the girl looks pretty good, but close up she's a mess - you know like the paintings by the artist. Thought that was so clever!)

donroc · Jun 4, 2008

Go to urban dictionary.

WendyNYC · Jun 4, 2008

Toothpaste said:
I would be careful however throwing in too many of these words. It depends more on your character than teenagers in general. Would a Harvard scholarship girl say "rents" for example (short for "parents")? Would she even say "bling", I have to wonder . . .

I'd be careful with them, too, because you wouldn't want it to sound too forced.

But one of our babysitters is headed off to Yale and she says 'rents, sure. She sounds like a normal, like, teenager, ya' know?

triceretops · Jun 4, 2008

Oh, I'm going to be very careful and use anything like this very sparingly. You're absolutely right about that---I don't want to ghetto this girl out. She's rather proper, comes from a semi-wealthy background.

Tri

Zodiea · Jun 4, 2008

From my experiance Toothpaste's answer is pretty accurate. I just wanted to add in though that 'bling' isn't used synonymously with jewelry. For the most part it is only used when describing/making fun of a ganster/person who thinks they're a ganster. Here's a site that will help you out a lot with this, and is made by the young people themselves. http://www.urbandictionary.com/

ETA: Wow, four posts in two minutes! I was beaten to the link by quite a bit. In any case, a bit of extra info on slang: it evolves very often and there are plenty of teenagers who still have a hard time trying to figure out what the heck their friends are saying. Another reason to be sparing with it: What's a compliment today can be overused and turn into an insult tomorrow.

Soccer Mom · Jun 4, 2008

See, the problem with slang is that it's also regional. When we say "bling" it means anything flashy.

But yeah, "tool" still means loser.

kuwisdelu · Jun 4, 2008

Both of the above are right on bling. Over-the-top jewelry, but can also be used to refer to anything shiny or golden.

When used in the context "he is such a tool," "tool" generally means more along the lines of "arrogant, manipulative bastard." Although from above, maybe that's more regional.

But like Toothpaste said, I don't think teenage slang is really the best way to get your character talking more like a young person. I don't see a Harvard scholarship student saying "bling" very much. As an educated 18-year-old, I hardly ever say it. But that depends on your character, I suppose.

In my experience, as a young person, it's generally the more uneducated and unmotivated who speak with lots of slang, but also the educated teenagers who strongly want to fit in with their peers who do it. Personally, I don't use much slang, and it really depends on your character if she would or not.

In my opinion, there are better ways to convey a young person's speech than through slang.

WendyNYC · Jun 4, 2008

triceretops said:
Oh, I'm going to be very careful and use anything like this very sparingly. You're absolutely right about that---I don't want to ghetto this girl out. She's rather proper, comes from a semi-wealthy background.

Tri

Put in a few "likes." I hear a lot of likes, even from the proper, semi-wealthy girls.

ETA: Not too many, though. That can get, like, annoying.

bethany · Jun 4, 2008

Don't worry so much about slang, worry about how they put sentences together and view the world. There are some popular terms that seem to be used by all teens, but by the time a book comes out, they might be completely lame. But there is a certain rhythm to teen speak and teen thought. Read some really well written YA, John Green for example, to get a feel for it. Oh and cuss a lot

Read Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist for a taste of this.

Toothpaste · Jun 4, 2008

Also slang can really date your work.

I wonder if your agent means more the way you've phrased what she says, and not what she says. You can write a sentence too formally. I'd watch some tv, Gossip Girl would be perfect for your situation, and listen to how the kids talk.

But as we've already said, it's about what is appropriate for the character.

kuwisdelu · Jun 4, 2008

WendyNYC said:
Put in a few "likes." I hear a lot of likes, even from the proper, semi-wealthy girls.

ETA: Not too many, though. That can get, like, annoying.

That's true for lots of proper, semi-wealthy girls, as any preppy girl. But I'd avoid it if you want her to sound educated. If you don't want her to sound too...well, you know what I mean...restrain it to when you would insert an "um" if you were talking aloud, and pausing to think.

If you want a good movie with modern teen-speak, watch Juno.

bethany · Jun 4, 2008

And you know, it might be okay if she thinks like a middle-aged person if you make that clear in the story. I'm a firm believer in all teenagers being individuals and not stereotyped. If she's raised by her grandmother comments a few time in thinking like a middle aged person, or is made fun of by her best friend, that could cover a good bit of non-ya sounding-ness.

WendyNYC · Jun 4, 2008

kuwisdelu said:
That's true for lots of proper, semi-wealthy girls, as any preppy girl. But I'd avoid it if you want her to sound educated. If you don't want her to sound too...well, you know what I mean...restrain it to when you would insert an "um" if you were talking aloud, and pausing to think.

Maybe in print it can be too much, that's true, so keep it to a minimum. But in real life I hear it a lot (perhaps because I hate it). Half of the seniors are headed for Ivies and they even talk this way around each other. Not so much to adults, though.

kuwisdelu · Jun 4, 2008

WendyNYC said:
Maybe in print it can be too much, that's true, so keep it to a minimum. But in real life I hear it a lot (perhaps because I hate it). Half of the seniors are headed for Ivies and they even talk this way around each other. Not so much to adults, though.

I am a little out of touch with most teens, since I tend not to associate with most "normal" teenagers. Plus I tend to think of most educated teenagers as being as antisocial as myself...

bethany · Jun 4, 2008

Like can be overwhelming in text, as can totally and using so like I so want to like make out with that totally sick guy. (sick being like cool- don't use it even though all the kids are. Because not ALL the kids are and they won't be in a few years. Probably.

Memnon624 · Jun 4, 2008

My nephew-in-law is a grad student at Cornell, going for a Ph.D in literary theory . . . one of the smartest young people I know. But, you stick an Xbox 360 controller in his hand and boot up Halo 3 and you'd think he just traded places with the most ghetto rapper in existence. Which brings me to my point: Ivy League doesn't always equate with stodgy middle-aged thinking. Just ask Dan, who has been known to discuss the finer points of American transcendentalism just seconds before pwning my ass with his gat

Good luck!

Scott

kuwisdelu · Jun 4, 2008

Memnon624 said:
My nephew-in-law is a grad student at Cornell, going for a Ph.D in literary theory . . . one of the smartest young people I know. But, you stick an Xbox 360 controller in his hand and boot up Halo 3 and you'd think he just traded places with the most ghetto rapper in existence. Which brings me to my point: Ivy League doesn't always equate with stodgy middle-aged thinking. Just ask Dan, who has been known to discuss the finer points of American transcendentalism just seconds before pwning my ass with his gat

However, Halo 3 has nothing to do with ghetto rappers.

That said, Legend of Zelda is my sin of choice.

Even though I don't go to an Ivy . . . too expensive and their scholarships are jokes as far as covering expenses goes.

C.bronco · Jun 4, 2008

My niece just moved in with us. She's 17.

The other day she asked, "So when are we going to bounce?" Translation: "When are we leaving?"

brynna87 · Jun 4, 2008

the problem with teen slang, is that by tomorrow it's so yesterday. When I was in high school a very few short years ago we were saying ridiculous things like "aiight" and "Whassup?" and people really don't say those things any more.

But try not too get too hung up on slang. And liek other's have suggested, watch some contempory YA shows like Gossip Girl to get an idea of how teens talk these days. Although most teens aren't quite so afluent as those kids. Juno is a fun example of slang, although most teens dont' talk like her.

Also I don't think 'Tool' is a slang word so much as just a generic insult. Whenever I say tool I basically mean someone who is an idiot. But Bling on the other hand feels a little yesterday to me

Blondchen · Jun 4, 2008

Tool = Douchebag

Other synonyms include: dillweed, dickwad, assbag, assclown, clown shoes, scrote, jerkwad, fuckstick.

Or you can just combine the two - toolbag.

triceretops · Jun 4, 2008

Very pertinent comments here, and it is so true about dating the story, or forcing the issue. It's just that I don't have anything that would give her a teenage baseline. I mean nothing. So I'll try and find some ways of making her sound more familiar or approachable.

My problem, I think: If you ever saw I. Robot, where Will Smith meets the female scientist for the first time. Note how she speaks and loses him. Well, she's highbrow, hightech. I guess that comes across as stilted. So that's kind of a stylistic issue, and that might be crux of my problem.

As far as the middle-age connotation, I think my agent sees something in her that is exlusive to older women, which will be a tad harder to spot for me. She just might complain too much about certain things, that typically a teenage girl would not ordinarily be affected by.

Tri

Shady Lane · Jun 4, 2008

What we do for slang, usually, is shorten words. It's very tongue-in-cheek, very fun, and you can do it spur-of-the-moment with any word you want. I say "obv," "gorge," (for gorgeous) "welks" (you're welcome), "fab," etc...

Teenage slang--Help!

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