Recently, while at the gym, a younger gentleman complimented me by saying I had “cakes.” Unsure whether to take it as a compliment or an insult, I turned to the teenage daughter of a friend for clarification. She explained that “cakes” refers to having a prominent backside. While I’ve never considered myself to have a Kardashian-like figure, I suppose my posterior is indeed more substantial than his. Regardless, I take pride in my ability to cycle long distances without discomfort, so I guess I’ll embrace it.
Language is fascinating—it changes and develops over time. Some phrases endure, while others fade away. It struck me how often I still find myself using expressions from my youth when my 11-year-old son questioned, “What do you mean by ‘I’m so sure’?” I hadn’t realized I was still using that phrase, which was prevalent during my teenage years, but it certainly slipped out during moments of exasperation. When the cat food gets scattered across the floor or one of my sons throws a punch at his brother for no reason, I instinctively exclaim, “I’m so sure!” Even when I ask one of my kids to clean the toilet and he does a half-hearted job, I can’t help but raise my eyebrows and declare, “I’m so sure!”
Clearly, some expressions from the ’80s still resonate with me, and why not? We had some truly iconic phrases back then. Here are a few that might spark a smile:
- Gag me with a spoon
- Grody to the max
- Barf me out
- Tubular
- Rad
- Righteous
- Gnarly
- Totally awesome
- Like, totally
- Like, whatever
- Très
- Don’t have a cow, man
- Take a chill pill
- No, duh
- Damn skippy
- Word
- Anything with “-amundo” added on (e.g., “I’m starving-amundo,” or “You’re a dork-amundo.”)
My brother was particularly enthusiastic about ’80s slang. He often used phrases like “I dogged you” or simply shouted “Face,” while rubbing his chin. If he could resurrect any term from that era, it would likely be “face,” just to sprint down the hallway at work and yell it out.
I encouraged my son to bring back “I’m so sure,” especially since I use it frequently in our household. However, he merely rolled his eyes, insisting that he and his friends have their own contemporary expressions. I’m sure they do, but let’s be honest: there’s something irreplaceable about “Don’t have a cow, man” or “Gag me with a spoon.” I mean, no, duh!
When I asked friends about phrases that have fallen out of use, my friend Jack replied, “Dial the phone.” That just goes to show how much language evolves over time.
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In conclusion, the language we used during our formative years often holds a nostalgic charm. While newer generations have their own vernacular, the phrases from the ’80s remain unique markers of our youth.
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