Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for S550 returned 108 results.
Slang from African-American teenagers in Detroit
Jacked-up - messed up; wrecked; damaged.
You da man - a good friend.
Crack Head - a person who is silly or crazy; a free-base drug user.
Trippin' - a person who is not acting normal.
Illin' - acting stupid; not with it.
Chillin' - being comfortable; relaxing.
Coolin' out - relaxing.
Cheese - money.
Sackin' - a women going with a man just because he has money.
Bad - good; sharp; great.
What up Dog - hello; Hi; What's going on?
In the House - any person within a group or clique.
Proper - decent; good; nice.
Devia - a pretty woman.
Disc - doing someone wrong.
Perpan - a phony.
Old Man - father.
Old girl - mother.
Submitter comment:
I noticed that my niece Melanie was saying a lot of slang words
that I couldn't understand, so I asked her to give me the meaning of
several popular slang words used by teenagers in the 90's.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 00-00-1991
Japan -- Groups
In Japanese writing and speaking, the words "I" and "me" are not
to be used. If these words are seen in any type of written word, they
are crossed off. These shows how much the Japanese value groups, and
not individuality.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WESTLAND
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 01-00-1990
THERE IS A BELIEF IN THE THEATRE THAT IT IS BAD LUCK TO WISH
AN ACTOR GOOD LUCK ON A PERFORMANCE. THE PERSON INSTEAD WISHES
THE ACTOR BAD LUCK BY SAYING "BREAK A LEG." THIS IN TURN WILL
BRING THE ACTOR GOOD LUCK ON HIS PERFORMANCE.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; CLARKSVILLE
| Subject headings: | DRAMA -- D000 BELIEF -- P82 BELIEF -- Fate Destiny Luck Chance BELIEF -- Good luck SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
FESTIVAL ON FIXED DATE
IN EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C., EVERY YEAR THE NEGROES CELEBRATE THE
FOURTH OF JULY WITH A CARNIVAL AND AN ALL DAY PINIC. THIS HAS
BEEN DONE FOR YEARS AND IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE NEGROES THAT WHITE
EMPLOYERS LET THEM OFF FOR THE DAY, EVEN IF IT'S THE ONLY
VACATION THE NEGRO WILL GET ALL YEAR. THE CELEBRATION IS KNOWN
AS "THE FOURTH" AND BY NO OTHER NAME.
Submitter comment:
MOST OF THE NEGROES ARE UNAWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FOURTH
OF JULY AS A NATIONAL HOLIDAY. THE TERM IS ONLY USED TO DENOTE
THE LOCATION OF THE CELEBRATION.
Data entry tech comment: SPELLING ERRORS WERE CORRECTED
Where learned: SOUTH CAROLINA ; EDGEFIELD
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Fixed DateFor specific dates, use the following system: SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
CROCKS
DOCTORS AT VANDERBILT HOSPITAL REFER TO PATIENTS WHO FAKE
ILLNESS OR WHO THINK THEY ARE SICK AS "CROCKS."
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): HYPOCHONDRIA ; HYPOCHONDRIACS
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
SERUM-PORCELAIN
IF A PATIENT AT VANDERBILT HOSPITAL HAS HAD HIS SERUM
PORCELAIN LEVEL CHECKED, HE HAS A PLACEBO TEST, WHERE THE
DOCTOR DREW BLOOD AND POURED IT DOWN THE DRAIN. HENCE THE
NAME SERUM, MEANING BLOOD, AND PORCELAIN, BEING THE SINK.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
AT VANDERBILT HOSPITAL AN OLDER MAN WHO IS UNEDUCATED
IS REFERRED TO AS A "GOMER."
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
AT VANDERBILT HOSPITAL, A PATIENT WITH A FASCINATING OR
EXOTIC DISEASE IS SAID TO HAVE A FASCINOMIA.
Submitter comment: PRONOUNCED FAS-A-NO-MA
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AT VANDERBILT HOSPITAL IS
REFERRED TO AS EITHER THE PUMPKIN PATCH OR THE
SISTINE CHAPEL.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
BORASS---MEANS TO PLAY A PRACTICAL JOKE ON SOMEONE.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: INDIANA ; BLOOMINGTON
Keyword(s): JOKE ; Nickname ; PRACTICAL JOKE ; SLANG ; SPEECH
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 10-00-1969
BLOW OUT---MEANS TO PROCESS OR GET AN AFRO HAIRSTYLE.
Data entry tech comment:
SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT AND FORM ADDED AND CORRECTED BY
EDITOR.
Updated by TRD
Keyword(s): Afro ; Blow Out ; EUPHEMISM ; Hairstyle ; Nickname ; SLANG
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-00-1971
Entry filtered.
Entry filtered.
TOUGH TILLY---MEANS A COWARD OR CRYBABY (USED IN
TAUNTING MANNER).
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Keyword(s): Cry Baby ; Nickname ; SLANG ; TAUNT ; Tease ; Tough
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-00-1971
RACKED UP---MEANS ASLEEP OR BEHAVING AS SUCH (NEGATIVE
CONNOTATION).
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Keyword(s): EUPHEMISM ; Nickname ; Rack ; SLANG ; SLEEP
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-00-1971
COP DODGIN'---MEANS BEING IN TROUBLE
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Keyword(s): Cop ; Dodging ; Nickname ; SLANG ; TROUBLE
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 06-00-1971
BARN BURNER---MEANS A VERY CLOSE (IN SCORE) ATHLETIC
CONTEST.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Barn ; Burner ; Nickname ; Score ; SLANG ; SPORTS
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 04-00-1972
DAISY TRIMMER---MEANS A GROUNDBALL TO THE OUTFIELD.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): BASEBALL ; Daisy ; Nickname ; SLANG ; SPORTS
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 04-00-1972
GREEN GROWS
DURING THE TEXAS-MEXICAN WAR AT MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY, AMERICAN
SOLDIERS SANG "GREEN GROWS THE LAUREL":
GREEN GROWS THE LARUEL, ALL SPARKLING WITH DEW,
I'M LONELY, MY DARLING, SINCE PARTING FROM YOU.
BUT BY THE NEXT MEETING I HOPE TO PROVE TRUE,
AND CHANGE THE GREEN LAUREL FOR THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE.
THE MEXICANS, SEIZING UPON THE FIRST WORDS OF THE SONG, CALLED
THE AMERICANS "GRINGOES," A NAME WHICH HAS STUCK TO AMERICANS
SOUTH OF THE BORDER TO THIS DAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535 SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 09-17-1965
GREEN GROWS
DURING THE TEXAS-MEXICAN WAR AT MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY, AMERICAN
SOLDIERS SANG "GREEN GROWS THE LAUREL":
GREEN GROWS THE LARUEL, ALL SPARKLING WITH DEW,
I'M LONELY, MY DARLING, SINCE PARTING FROM YOU.
BUT BY THE NEXT MEETING I HOPE TO PROVE TRUE,
AND CHANGE THE GREEN LAUREL FOR THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE.
THE MEXICANS, SEIZING UPON THE FIRST WORDS OF THE SONG, CALLED
THE AMERICANS "GRINGOES," A NAME WHICH HAS STUCK TO AMERICANS
SOUTH OF THE BORDER TO THIS DAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- F535 SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 09-17-1965