Last January I published a blog post about new words that are being used to express old meanings. That post received a high number of hits, so for the last several months, I have been on the lookout for more signs of creativity in language. My husband, Wayne, who has a keen ear for colorful language, is in on the game.
Recently Wayne returned from an annual meeting of the American Chuck Wagon Association, held in Fredericksburg, Texas. He shared with me that he received an unusual compliment for his biscuits served from a chuck wagon. (Not that a compliment was unusual, but the words used were!) Someone told him, "Your biscuits are the bomb."
Wayne was taken aback for a few moments until he realized that his biscuits had just received a rating of awesome, phenomenal, the best. Because the word "bomb" is usually associated with unpleasant events, using it with the opposite meaning makes it stand out. I am reminded of how the word "bad" has taken on the meaning of "very good" in recent years.
Newspaper comics are a constant source of innovative language use. One of my favorite cartoon characters is the teenage boy, Jeremy, in "Zits".
Jeremy shows his friend, Pierce, a pop-up ad about himself advertising that he is, among other things, a "totally woke dude." "Woke" has taken on a non-literal meaning of being socially aware, knowing what's happening. The new use originated in African American Vernacular English and was first used by teenagers in Internet slang. We older folks might say someone is really "with it." (Oh, how our use of slang terms dates us!)
Another source of creative language terms is National Public Radio (NPR). If NPR uses a term, I feel confident that the term has reached a mainstream audience. "Thirst Trap" is one such expression. As I understand it, it is a message that seeks to get attention, such as a provocative picture or a flirtatious message on social media. Another term is "Cringe Factor," which is self-explanatory: something that provokes a negative physical response, such as flinching.
I need help from readers on the next term. Several times while watching detective shows, I have heard the main inspector inquiring of colleagues something like, "What's the joy on the new case?" Am I hearing that correctly? Is "joy" being used for "new information"?
The next example of descriptive language use comes from one of my husband's friends. A group of men were discussing issues in their chuck wagon organization, specifically newcomers who had little knowledge but wanted rapid change. One group member described them as "attacking with a rubber tomahawk perspective." Isn't it amazing what we humans can create with language?
Often we resist language change, claiming that new words and expressions are a sign of moral and intellectual decay. We humans do hate any kind of change in our lives, don't we? But I would like to make the case that language change is a natural phenomenon, but we do have the power of decision over our own language use. I for one find language innovation fascinating. I may not choose to use all of the new language that I hear if it doesn't fit my personality or life style, but, yes, it does bring a big smile to my face.
