Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!looking!clarinet.com From: clarinews@clarinet.com (Richard Lederer) Newsgroups: clari.feature.lederer Subject: Brave New Words of the 1980s Summary: Looking at Language by Dr. Richard Lederer Message-ID: <88400@looking.on.ca> Date: 2 Feb 90 04:30:14 GMT Organization: Looking Glass Software Limited, Waterloo ON Lines: 134 Approved: brad@clarinet.com (If your mailer or newsreader does not support underlining, feed this through 'more' or 'col -b'.) A _b_a_b_y _b_o_o_m_e_r (we'll call her Boomer for short), tired of life in the _f_a_s_t _t_r_a_c_k spent _n_e_t_w_o_r_k_i_n_g with _y_u_p_p_i_e_s, _y_u_m_p_i_e_s, and _d_i_n_k_s, disconnected her _c_e_l_l_u_l_a_r _p_h_o_n_e and paid some _m_e_g_a_b_u_c_k_s to go to a _f_a_t _f_a_r_m. Feeling like a _c_o_u_c_h _p_o_t_a_t_o, she stopped her _f_e_e_d_i_n_g _f_r_e_n_z_i_e_s with _c_a_l_z_o_n_e and _c_h_i_m_i-_c_h_a_n_g_a and gave the _h_i_g_h _f_i_v_e to _g_r_a_z_i_n_g on _n_o_u_v_e_l_l_e _c_u_i_s_i_n_e. As newly-minted words added to the currency of the language of the _w_i_c_k_e_d _a_w_e_s_o_m_e 1980s, Boomer had become confused with a world in which the parts of speech and meanings of words had transmogrified under her very eyes and ears. _F_A_X, _F_e_d_e_x, and _m_i_c_r_o_w_a_v_e had turned into verbs. A _h_u_n_k no longer meant simply a large lump of something, and _c_h_a_n_n_e_l_i_n_g became a new medium. _C_r_a_c_k meant more than just a small opening, and a _p_o_c_k_e_t wasn't just for pants. A _b_a_r _c_o_d_e was no longer just ethics for lawyers or the eti-quette of behavior in a cafe, and _r_a_p wasn't just '60s talk. _Z_a_p_p_i_n_g was not something that futuristic ray guns did but something that people did with a microwave or a television remote control. A _s_e_t _p_o_i_n_t was no longer just a tennis score, and _s_p_i_n was not just what a tennis ball did, especially in the hands of the _s_p_i_n _d_o_c_t_o_r_s. _C_D s were no longer just certificates, and the computer had thoroughly befuddled her sense of _c_r_a_s_h, _h_a_c_k_e_r, _m_e_n_u, _m_o_u_s_e, _v_i_r_u_s, and _w_i_n_d_o_w. Boomer began feeling like a _n_o-_b_r_a_i_n_e_r _g_o_m_e_r, a totally _l_o_o_s_e _c_a_n_n_o_n, and a _d_i_t_z_y _a_i_r_h_e_a_d. As the 1980s had unfolded, our disoriented Boomer found that the business of America appeared to be business, and the business of business was to devise a whole new lexicon of terms to describe new fiscal realities. Courtesy of President Reagan (who gave us a new use of _t_e_f_l_o_n), we entered an era of _R_e_a_g_a_n_o_m_i_c_s, _s_u_p_p_l_y-_s_i_d_e and _t_r_i_c_k_l_e-_d_o_w_n economics, and _L_a_f_f_e_r _c_u_r_v_e_s. The 1980s were a "golden" age of commerce -- _g_o_l_d_e_n _h_a_n_d_s_h_a_k_e_s, _g_o_l_d_e_n _h_e_l_l_o_s, and _g_o_l_d_e_n _p_a_r_a_c_h_u_t_e_s. The increasingly _p_r_o_a_c_t_i_v_e world of business also gave us _a_u_t_o_m_a_t_i_c _t_e_l_l_e_r_s, _b_a_b_y _B_e_l_l_s, _d_e_b_i_t _c_a_r_d_s, _e_n_t_r_y _l_e_v_e_l, _i_n_t_r_a_p_r_e_n_e_u_r_s, _p_i_n_k _c_o_l_l_a_r, _p_o_w_e_r _b_r_e_a_k_f_a_s_t_s, _l_u_n_c_h_e_s, and _t_i_e_s, _p_r_o_g_r_a_m_m_e_d _t_r_a_d_i_n_g, _q_u_a_l_i_t_y _c_i_r_c_l_e_s, _q_u_e_e_n _b_e_e_s, _t_e_l_e_m_a_r_k_e_t_i_n_g, and _w_h_i_t_e _k_n_i_g_h_t_s. But Boomer found that life among the _m_o_v_e_r_s _a_n_d _s_h_a_k_e_r_s was fraught with the perils of _g_r_e_e_n_m_a_i_l, _h_o_s_t_i_l_e _t_a_k_e_o_v_e_r_s, _j_u_n_k _b_o_n_d_s, _l_e_v_e_r_a_g_e_d _b_u_y_o_u_t_s, and _p_o_i_s_o_n _p_i_l_l_s. It was also a decade of considerable business monkey business -- _s_l_e_a_z_e_b_a_g_s and _s_l_e_a_z_e_b_a_l_l_s engaging in _w_h_i_t_e _c_o_l_l_a_r _c_r_i_m_e and _i_n_s_i_d_e_r _t_r_a_d_i_n_g, often leaving _p_a_p_e_r _t_r_a_i_l_s that led to _s_m_o_k_i_n_g _g_u_n_s and _w_h_i_t_e _c_o_l_l_a_r _p_r_i_s_o_n_s. As the decade rolled along, Boomer was bombarded with hundreds of brave new words for a brave new world of science and technology. She found herself playing _t_e_l_e_p_h_o_n_e _t_a_g with such _c_u_t_t_i_n_g _e_d_g_e dictionary entries as _b_l_u_s_h_e_r, _b_u_l_l_e_t _t_r_a_i_n, _c_a_l_l _f_o_r_w_a_r_d_i_n_g and _w_a_i_t_i_n_g, _c_o_l_d _f_u_s_i_o_n, _f_a_u_x _p_e_a_r_l_s (and _f_a_u_x _a_n_y_t_h_i_n_g _e_l_s_e), _f_u_z_z-_b_u_s_t_e_r, _g_r_e_e_n_h_o_u_s_e _e_f_f_e_c_t (coined into 1937, but really an '80s word, like _o_z_o_n_e _d_e_p_l_e_t_i_o_n), _m_i_c_r_o_w_a_v_e_a_b_l_e, _n_u_c_l_e_a_r _w_i_n_t_e_r, _S_D_I and _S_t_a_r _W_a_r_s (not just a movie any more), _s_u_p_e_r _c_o_l_l_i_d_e_r, _t_a_n_n_i_n_g _b_o_o_t_h, _v_o_i_c_e _a_c_t_i_v_a_t_e_d, and _v_o_i_c_e _m_a_i_l (a new oxymoron). As the wonders of the computer _i_m_p_a_c_t_e_d on her mind, she learned new _u_s_e_r-_f_r_i_e_n_d_l_y ways to access information: _d_e_s_k_t_o_p _p_u_b_l_i_s_h_i_n_g, _k_l_u_d_g_e, _l_a_p_t_o_p, _m_i_c_r_o_c_o_m_p_u_t_e_r, _n_u_m_b_e_r_s _c_r_u_n_c_h_i_n_g, _P_C_s, and _s_p_r_e_a_d_s_h_e_e_t. Boomer discovered a boom in the world of medicine: _a_r_t_h_r_o_s_c_o_p_y, _b_i_k_i_n_i _c_u_t, _g_e_n_e_t_i_c _c_o_u_n_s_e_l_i_n_g, _g_e_r_i_a_t_r_i_c_i_a_n, _g_o_o_d (and _b_a_d) _c_h_o_l_e_s_t_e_r_o_l, _i_b_u_p_r_o_f_e_n, _i_n _v_i_t_r_o _f_e_r_t_i_l_i_z_a_t_i_o_n, _l_i_p_o_s_u_c_t_i_o_n, _l_i_q_u_i_d _d_i_e_t, _l_i_v_e _l_i_v_e_r _d_o_n_o_r _t_r_a_n_s_p_l_a_n_t, _L_y_m_e _d_i_s_e_a_s_e, _m_i_n_o_x_i_d_i_l, _p_a_s_s_i_v_e _s_m_o_k_i_n_g, _s_e_a_s_o_n_a_l _a_f_f_e_c_t_i_v_e _d_i_s_o_r_d_e_r, and _t_o_x_i_c _s_h_o_c_k _s_y_n_d_r_o_m_e. For a while, she joined the fitness craze and became a _t_r_i_a_t_h_l_e_t_e who built up her _g_l_u_t_e_s with _l_o_w-_i_m_p_a_c_t _a_e_r_o_b_i_c_s, _a_q_u_a_c_i_s_e, _d_a_n_c_e_r_c_i_s_e, and _j_a_z_z_e_r_c_i_s_e. At the same time, Boomer was troubled by the spread of _A_I_D_S (perhaps _t_h_e word of the '80s) and drugs through the decade and the population -- _A_R_C, _A_Z_T, _H_I_V _c_o_m_p_l_e_x, _h_o_m_o_p_h_o_b_i_a and _s_a_f_e _s_e_x (had it ever been safe?); _a_n_g_e_l _d_u_s_t, _c_r_a_c_k_h_e_a_d, _c_r_a_c_k_h_o_u_s_e, _f_r_e_e_b_a_s_e, _g_a_t_e_w_a_y _d_r_u_g, _i_c_e, _n_a_r_c_o_t_e_r_r_o_r_i_s_m, and _s_t_r_i_p _s_e_a_r_c_h. Our Boomer became swept up in a decade marked by considerable political and social change, and this change in turn left its mark on the American language -- _a_c_t_i_o_n _c_l_o_t_h_i_n_g, _b_a_g _l_a_d_y, _b_u_i_l_d-_d_o_w_n, _c_o_n_d_o _c_o_n_v_e_r_s_i_o_n, _C_o_n_t_r_a, _c_o-_p_a_r_e_n_t, _d_e_s_i_g_n_a_t_e_d _d_r_i_v_e_r, _d_e_s_i_g_n_e_r _j_e_a_n_s (_g_e_n_e_s, or anything else), _d_i_s_i_n_f_o_r_m_a_t_i_o_n, _e_x_i_t _p_o_l_l, _e_x_t_e_n_d_e_d _c_a_r_e, _g_e_n_t_r_i_f_i_c_a_t_i_o_n, _g_e_r_o_n_t_o_c_r_a_c_y, _g_l_a_s_n_o_s_t, _g_r_i_d_l_o_c_k, _I_n_t_i_f_a_d_a, _n_o-_g_r_o_w_t_h, _q_u_a_l_i_t_y _t_i_m_e, _p_e_r_e_s_t_r_o_i_k_a, _P_O_S_S_L_Q, _r_u_s_t _b_e_l_t (or _b_o_w_l), _s_e_a_t_b_e_l_t _l_a_w_s, _s_i_g_n_i_f_i_c_a_n_t _o_t_h_e_r, _s_i_n_g_l_e _p_a_r_e_n_t, _s_i_n_g_l_e_s _b_a_r, _s_t_e_p_f_a_m_i_l_y, _s_u_r_r_o_g_a_t_e _m_o_t_h_e_r, and _w_i_l_d_i_n_g. During the '80s Boomer learned to come to terms with new entertainment terms, such as _b_o_o_m _b_o_x, _b_r_e_a_k_d_a_n_c_i_n_g, _c_a_b_l_e-_r_e_a_d_y, _c_a_m_c_o_r_d_e_r, _c_l_e_a_r _c_h_a_n_n_e_l, _c_o_l_o_r_i_z_a_t_i_o_n, _c_o_m_p_a_c_t _d_i_s_c_s, _c_l_o_s_e_d and _o_p_e_n _c_a_p_t_i_o_n_e_d, _d_o_c_u_d_r_a_m_a and _d_o_c_u_m_u_s_i_c_a_l, _g_h_e_t_t_o _b_l_a_s_t_e_r_s, _M_T_V, _h_a_c_k_y_s_a_c_k, _i_n_f_o_t_a_i_n_m_e_n_t, _n_e_w _w_a_v_e _m_u_s_i_c, _n_e_w _a_g_e _a_n_y_t_h_i_n_g, _s_l_a_m _d_u_n_k, _s_n_o_w_b_o_a_r_d_i_n_g, _s_o_u_n_d _b_i_t_e, _t_e_l_e_v_a_g_e_l_i_s_t, _v_e_e_j_a_y, and _v_i_d_e_o and _l_a_s_e_r _d_i_s_c_s. Lucky Boomer. Throughout the '80s a growing interest by _f_o_o_d_i_e_s in enthnic and regional cuisine added a menu of new words to the American palate and vocabulary -- _b_a_g_e_l _c_h_i_p_s and _d_o_g_s, _b_l_u_s_h _w_i_n_e, _b_r_e_w _d_e_c_a_f, _c_a_l_l_a_l_o_o, _c_r_o_i_s_s_a_n_d_w_i_c_h_e_s, _c_o_r_n _d_o_g_s, _d_i_m _s_u_m, _e_n_o_k_i, _f_a_j_i_t_a, _f_r_o_z_e_n _y_o_g_u_r_t, _g_r_e_e_n _g_o_d_d_e_s_s _d_r_e_s_s_i_n_g, _g_r_o_u_n_d _t_u_r_k_e_y, _N_u_t_r_a_S_w_e_e_t, _o_a_t _b_r_a_n, _s_e_a _l_e_g_s, _s_h_i_i_t_a_k_i, and _w_i_n_e _c_o_o_l_e_r_s. Boomer wasn't really distraught. She knew that, just as one never steps in the same river twice, one cannot step in the same language twice -- that, even as one enters, the words are swept downstream into the future, forever making a different river. Or, to switch the metaphor, she knew that language is like a tree that sheds its leaves and grows new ones so that it may live on. Changes in our vocabulary occur not from decay or degeneration. Rather, new words, like new leaves, are essential to a living, healthy organism. A language draws its nutrients from the environment in which its speakers live. Throughout history, as people have met with new objects, experiences, and ideas, they have needed new words to describe them. During the 1980s, the tree of American English experienced a riot of new growth -- a sign that our multifoliate language is deeply rooted in the nourishing soil of change.