Study sheet(Slang 3 / Shopping, Market, Restaurant / Food, Proper Names, Numbers)
Introduce Smolinski, Frank, ed. Landmarks of American Language and Linguistics
Weekly reading assignment from TNYT by W. Safire
Assignment check:a/ Check the handout exercises from last wk.
b/ “The Alternative English Dictionary” Provide a definition, an etymological
explanation, or a Hungarian equivalent for the following terms:
wetback, redneck, honkey, cancer stick, trailer trash,
N.B.: You are not encouraged to use these terms. The point is that you should be able to recognize them when they are used by someone else so that you would not feel awkward because you don’t get what they say…
Expansion / Cars: Provide the full forms of Alpha, Beemer, Caddy, Chevy, Jag, Limo/Stretch, Benz, Merc,
Olds, RV, Rolls, T-Bird, Bug/Beetle, Do you know other popular
short car names?
/ Animals: Explain the implication of ants in the pants, eager beaver, a little bird told me, to eat like
a bird, a catnap, a copycat, dog-eared, a white elephant, a grease
monkey, snake eyes
/ Body Parts: Identify the right context for off the cuff, “If the gloves don’t fit, you gotta acquit.”
wear the pants
Play Street Talk-1 tape and do the exercises.
I Pick the appropriate slang equivalent of the following phrases by matching the two columns.
1. Let’s go attack the stores.A. I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that.
2. That sure is thievery.B. Hold it down.
3. Now that’s a good idea.C. How funny!
4. Be quiet.D. He’s rolling in it.
5. What do you think of this little outfit?E. That’s drop-dead gorgeous.
6. What a scream!F. She really trashed me.
7. That’s absolutely beautiful.G. Talk about a rip-off!
8. Let’s leave.H. What do you think of this little number?
9. I’d never want to be seen wearing that.I. Let’s get going.
10. She really criticized me.J. Now you’re talkin’.
11. I’m going to cheer myself up by drinking.K. Let’s go hit the stores.
12. He’s rich.L. I’m going to drown my sorrows.
II Complete the following sentences by choosing the appropriate word(s) from the list below.
big wayred-handedfell
freshkickclue
getresthonker
nutsendspick
1. I get a ______out of going to parties. 1/a That woman is talking to herself. I think she’s _____.
2. They caught the thief ______. 2/a You actually ______for that lie she told you?
3. I need to ______up some vegetables at the market. 3/a Her mother yelled at her in a _____ .
4. Get a _____ ! She’s only interested in your money. 4/a I went to the market but they were _____ out of eggs.
5. I don’t _____ it. Why would she go out with him? 5/a I found some great odds and ____ at the flea market.
6. Give it a ______! Your argument is ridiculous.6/a He’d be handsome if he didn’t have such a huge ______.
IV Choose the word in parentheses that best complete the following sentences.
1. That car cost an arm and a (foot, leg, head).
2. Let’s go chow (up, back, down, in).
3. He’s so fat. What a (dive, blimp, john)!
4. You think you’ll actually win the contest? (Thin, Big, Fat) chance!
5. Relax! Don’t have a (cow, horse, lamb)?
6. I’d like to order a hamburger but (hold, take, drop) the mustard.
7. I love music. I’m really (into, out of, off of) it.
8. I feel sick. I think I’m gonna (find, take, lose)it.
9. I liked him right off the (ritzy, living soul, bat).
10. She eats nonstop. What a (porker, slop, dive)!
11. He’s crazy. I think he has a (nail, bolt, screw) loose.
12. I hate that restaurant. I’m never setting (arm, leg, foot) in there again.
At the Mall…Debbie and Alicia are out shopping.
Debbie:Oh, brother! Get a load of that number she’s wearing. I wouldn’t be caught dead in that. What a scream!
Alicia:I forgot you always get the kick out of trashing everyone in the mall. I think that’s the only reason you drag me here.
Debbie:Okay, okay. I’ll behave. Let’s go hit the stores but I can only window shop ‘cause I’m broke… unless you let me sponge a few bucks off you.
Alicia:Sure, What do I care? I’m rolling in it.
Debbie:Great, then let’s shop till we drop!
Alicia:Gee, look at that blouse in the window. It’s drop-dead gorgeous! I’ve got to have it. Holy cow! 200 bucks? Talk about a rip-off! Like I’m really going to fork out that kind of dough for a blouse.
Debbie:Hold it down! Let’s just get going. This joint’s a little too rich for my blood.
Alicia:That really bugs me. That thing had my name on it. Come on, I wanna go drown my sorrows in a vat of ice cream.
Debbie:Now you’re talkin’!
Food: You’re not gonna believe what’s cooking around here. John just got fired. Even though his job is s piece of cake, he just can’t seem to cut the mustard and keeps fudging his work. The boss was so mad when he caught him noodling around and chewing the fat on the job again, I thought he was going to give him a knuckle sandwich. After all, he is the big cheese around here and a real tough cookie. I just don’t know how John is going to be able to make that kind of dough and bring home the bacon now and you know his wife has a bun in the oven! You just don’t act like that in front of the boss. He’d better wake up and smell the coffee, or he’s really going to eat it. Sometimes I just don’t think he’s cooking on all four burners. Well there it is… the whole enchilada.
At the Market…Chellie and Hoodie are picking up some odds and ends at the market.
Chellie:I’m bummed. The candy section’s been cleaned out. They’re fresh out of all the good stuff.
Hoodie:Oh, give it a rest. You just stuffed your face a half hour ago. I swear, you have a one-track mind. Here, why don’t you buy one of these papers instead. It’ll take your mind off food.
Chellie:I’m totally sure! How can you read those things? They’re so stupid. Lookit: “Woman dumps her husband when she catches him red-handed with another woman… from Mars!”
Hoodie:Talk about getting caught with your pants down. Well, if you don’t buy it, I will.
Chellie:I don’t get it. You always rag on me if I buy one of those. Now you tell me that you actually fall for that stuff they print in those rags?
Hoodie:No, but I get a kick out of reading the articles. Uh, oh. Speaking of women from Mars, look what the cat dragged in… Angie Stevens. I can’t put my finger on what’s different about her.
Chellie:Get a clue, would ya! She’s had plastic surgery in a big way. D’ya remember that honker she used to have?
Hoodie:That’s right. Wouldn’t you have done the same thing if you looked like her?
Chellie:Forget that noise! You’ve got to be nuts to go under the knife as many times as she has.
Proper names: “No way, José! My car’s on the Fritz again. For Pete’s sake! With Uncle Sam taking so much money from me this year, I won’t be able to afford repairs. Geez Louise! Thinking of spending all that money gives me the Willies and makes me want to Ralph. I don’t mean to be a doubting Thomas but I should probably hire a private Dick to see if my mechanic is trying to Jack me around. Yes siree Bob!”
At the Restaurant…Jeff and Julie are looking for a place to eat.
Jeff:What do you say we stop in at that burger joint over there and grab a bite?
Julie:Fat chance! If you think I’d ever set foot in that dive again, you’ve got a screw loose. The last time I ate that slop, I almost lost it! Besides, the service stinks there, too. It was the first time I ever stiffed a waiter.
Jeff:Yeah. I had a sneaking suspicion it was going to be like that right off the bat. Not seeing a living soul anywhere sort of tipped me off. Hey! How about that one over there?
Julie:Oh, come off it! That place is too ritzy for us. It costs an arm and a leg!
Jeff:Don’t have a cow. It’s on me.
Julie:In that case, I’m right behind you.(a few moments later…)
Julie:I can’t wait to chow down.
Jeff:Just don’t order everything on the menu, okay? I know how much you can polish off in one sitting. You’re such a porker, it’s amazing you’re not some kind of blimp.
Julie:So, I’m into food. Listen, I have to run to the john. Just order me a deluxe burger but hold the fries. I want to save room for dessert to wash it down!
Numbers
“As soon as I got home, my mother gave me the third degree to try and zero in on what I was doing all night. Well, after my nine-to-five, I grabbed forty winks, then went to a party with Cecily, who was dressed to the nines. I was in seventh heaven ‘cause she’s one in a million. At the party, they didn’t have any good forty-fives so I sat down at the piano and played a few songs that were real top forty. Playing the ol’ eighty-eight sure put me on cloud nine.”