old fart needs 30 year olds (language issue)

lorna_w · Jun 14, 2012

Do people your age still say "make out" to mean kissing?

(remembering the first time I used it in front of my parents, who blanched, because to their generation it meant "have sex." so who knows what it means now! Maybe it means "buy a turnip.")

If you don't use it, is there a phrase I missed that is more au courant?

(Thank heavens I noted the title of this looked like a sick personals ad and corrected it with the language note before posting it! yikes!)

shaldna · Jun 14, 2012

It's not even so much of an age thing, but also a location thing.

When I was growing up you 'went' with someone (meant kissing) or you 'faced' someone (which also meat kissing/making out in a less polite way)

We never really said 'made out' but that was mostly because we only ever heard it on American TV and we thought it sounded stupid.

Edit: I'm 29. And Irish.

lorna_w · Jun 14, 2012

ooh, forgot about nationality. Thanks. Yes, "snogging" won't do me, either .

ArcticFox · Jun 14, 2012

I am a 32 year old American and we always used made-out in HS and I still use it today. Hope that helps.

I just added my nationality in case that makes a difference.

me-a-monsteR · Jun 14, 2012

I never understood the term 'make out'. I'm South African.

A guy had to explain it to me a couple years ago... that was an interesting conversation. *hides and peeks through fingers*
The guy was 30 and he used the term. Does that help?

Saanen · Jun 14, 2012

I'm a bit older than 30ish, but I read a lot of YA books and also work in a college. "Make out" is still current. Teens/young people also say they're dating someone, which when I was young we didn't say (we said we were going out with someone, or just going with them). Incidentally, "snogging" is perfectly understandable here in the U.S. now and used occasionally, after the past generation of kids came across it in Harry Potter.

leahzero · Jun 14, 2012

I'm 30, born and raised in Chicago, and yes, "making out" means kissing (with the implication of petting etc., but not sex).

lorna_w · Jun 14, 2012

many thanks, all. Glad to know that snogging made its way across the pond

shaldna · Jun 14, 2012

also, we never 'went steady' with anyone - that doesn't seem to apply here, mostly, if you are seeing someone then you are seeing someone. Dating around doesn't usually happen, and when it does there are all sorts of negative opinions/thoughts about it - usually along the lines of 'he's a player' or 'she's a slut' etc.

lorna_w · Jun 14, 2012

okay, now I'm further curious. (but my novel is taken care of. I'm just getting nosy now.) I first heard "hook up with" in 1994, from a female student who did her share. I assume that's still in use? I've always wondered, does it only apply to friend-with-privileges or one-night stands, or can hooking up start you down the road to wedding bells and (planned) grandchildren?

and is that US/Canada only, or do they hook up in South Africa, Belfast, London, and Oz? I mean, yes, of course y'all hook up, but do you call it that?

shaldna · Jun 14, 2012

lorna_w said:
okay, now I'm further curious. (but my novel is taken care of. I'm just getting nosy now.) I first heard "hook up with" in 1994, from a female student who did her share. I assume that's still in use?

That's still used here. Although I can't speak for anywhere else.

Here it means getting it on - 'making out' through to having sex and anything in between.

I've always wondered, does it only apply to friend-with-privileges or one-night stands, or can hooking up start you down the road to wedding bells and (planned) grandchildren?

Sometimes. It depends. Usually it means the start of SOME sort of relationship - be it purely sexual or something more.

and is that US/Canada only, or do they hook up in South Africa, Belfast, London, and Oz? I mean, yes, of course y'all hook up, but do you call it that?

Yeah, we hook up here (Belfast). But like I said, that can be for a night, or for life. It all depends on the situation and the couple.

flapperphilosopher · Jun 14, 2012

lorna_w said:
okay, now I'm further curious. (but my novel is taken care of. I'm just getting nosy now.) I first heard "hook up with" in 1994, from a female student who did her share. I assume that's still in use? I've always wondered, does it only apply to friend-with-privileges or one-night stands, or can hooking up start you down the road to wedding bells and (planned) grandchildren?

and is that US/Canada only, or do they hook up in South Africa, Belfast, London, and Oz? I mean, yes, of course y'all hook up, but do you call it that?

I'm 24 and Canadian and yeah, "hook up" is totally used (as a noun, too). If someone says they hooked up with someone I'd assume sex, and without any other context I'd expect it was with someone the person wasn't already in a relationship with, ie, a one-night stand, a friend with benefits, or similar. To me it doesn't necessarily imply any further relationship, though it doesn't exclude it, either.

It's good to check up on these things... my dad, who's in his 50s, still has to be reminded "hook up" does NOT mean "meet up" anymore. He'll say, so, are you hooking up with any friends while you're in town? And my sister and I will be like, AHHHH, NOOO!!! Hahaha.

me-a-monsteR · Jun 15, 2012

Hook up... I've heard of this. Never used it in my life. I suspect first language English speaking South Africans may use it, since Americanisms have seeped in here.

I've got a few Afrikaans terms for what hook up implies

Sorry, not useful.

lorna_w · Jun 15, 2012

thanks! will have to go nudge an Aussie to answer, too.

Now I'm wondering if English words about sex travel internationally less easily than other terms. Because it's taboo, of course. I love the language.

onesecondglance · Jun 15, 2012

We'd understand what you meant by "hook up" here in the UK, but I'm not sure we'd use it straight off the bat. Same with "making out".

Trebor1415 · Jun 15, 2012

My understanding is that "making out" usually involved some petting, at least outside the clothes, as well as kissing.

I wouldn't have a big problem if someone used it to just refer to kissing though, but my first thought would be that there was at least some touching involved. (Although not necessarily nudity)

I think it's enough of a nebelous term you can use it pretty much any way you like and get away with it. (Although it would be an understatement if they had full on sex and called it making out)

blackrose602 · Jun 16, 2012

I'm 35, from New Orleans, my group of friends ranges in age from 21-45. We use "make out" to mean anything from hot and heavy kissing to just shy of actual sex. "Hook up," for us, means "have sex with someone you're not actually dating." It's usually either a one-night stand or part of a very occasional friends-with-benefits thing (one party lives out of town or there is some other reason that the hooking up only happens now and then). That said, sometimes "hook ups" do progress to further relationships--but there's no expectation at the time of the hook up that it will lead to anything beyond that night.

We're all Harry Potter geeks, so we do use "snogging" occasionally, but usually in a joking or teasing way--"I can't believe you snogged that last night!"

Tiz_Mee · Jun 16, 2012

Interesting.

I'm in my thirties and, yes, we still use the term "making out" which can entice anything from kissing to "getting off". Sorry to be so blunt. We use "got laid", "tapped that", "got my Willie wet", and many other phrases that different people just make up for kicks. In context of the conversation, its easy to get the meaning of what someone is saying. I actually prefer the never heard sayings that people just make up as they go along. They make me LOL.

shaldna · Jun 17, 2012

Trebor1415 said:
My understanding is that "making out" usually involved some petting, at least outside the clothes, as well as kissing.

We don't really use the term 'petting' here either. It sounds a bit squicky to be honest. I was in my late teens before I even found out what it meant.

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm finding this thread fascinating.

lorna_w · Jun 17, 2012

Squicky? That sounds like a LewisCarrollism that could apply to lovemaking, for sure.

Well, the thread is about language and sex (or almost-sex), and as writers and adult human beings, surely most of us find these two of the most fascinating topics there are.

Kenzie · Jun 17, 2012

I'm 29 and Australian, and my peers would use and understand both making out and hooking up. Hooking up can mean anything from a pash to sex, but most would probably assume sex at this age. When I was a teenager we used to use 'got with' as in 'I got with so-and-so last night', but I haven't heard anyone say it recently.

lorna_w · Jun 17, 2012

"pash"?

Trebor1415 · Jun 17, 2012

lorna_w said:
"pash"?

Yeah, that's one I've never heard and can't figure out from context either.

lorna_w · Jun 17, 2012

I had to look it up (curiosity was pinching me and I couldn't wait)

from koala.net: Pash : a long passionate kiss; hence "pashing on"

Priene · Jun 18, 2012

I'm 46 and English and when I were a lad you most often did snogging, going out and shagging (in ascending order of seriousness).

Well, others did. I mainly played D&D.

old fart needs 30 year olds (language issue)

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