Probably every generation, and even every particular group, of teens ends up redefining a word and making it their own. Sometimes, like the word "cool", these words stick around to the point they are barely slang anymore.
I think my daughter and her group of friends have picked their word, and that word is "random." By this, I don't mean that they have a random word that they use to "own", but that they have selected the actual word "random."
It's pretty easy to pick out the word that your group of teens have decided to make their own, because it becomes the appropriate response to everything.
I'll give some examples to show you what I mean, and in full disclosure, I have to say that these are completely fictitious examples. I don't have any real examples at hand, because I didn't know I'd be writing about this (making this post possibly random) and it is used so frequently by my teen daughter and her friends that it would be like trying to nail down the meaning of the word "THE" by definitive example!
Example 1: "I like that shirt. It's blue. THAT'S SO RANDOM!"
Example 2: (talking to friend) "What is our dear friend, Bird Feathers doing today?" (answer) "Shopping at the mall." (response) "That's so RANDOM!"
Example 3: (talking to Mom) "What did you do today?" (answer) "Bought a new car." (response) "That's so RANDOM!"
OK, well, maybe example 3 is somewhat random as both of our cars had over 150,000 miles - obviously we don't frequently change cars! Basically, anything a normal person like you or I would say "COOL!" to, they are now inserting the word "random" much of the time.
Additionally, anything that happens to them or their friends that they don't expect - which covers A LOT, since they are teen girls and apparently don't learn from the past - they will use the word RANDOM to explain away.
Example 4: (talking to friend) "Why can't Fuzzy Hair come with us today?" (answer) "Her parents grounded her for texting friends in the middle of the night, again." (response) "That's so RANDOM!"
I talked to my daughter about this recently, "I don't think you really know what random means, because random actually means 'occurs without any cause or pattern' (my own definition, I should write a dictionary!)"
Her response?
"Whatever, Dad. You just don't get it!"
How random!
Your blog is soooooooooo RANDOM!
Seriuosly, I don't get it either. and remember that I am closer to Rebecca's age than yours!
Posted by: Sarah Kempf | February 09, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Thanks for keeping me up with culture. Haven't this come out of my kids' mouths. I'm still trying to catch up with "my bad."
Posted by: Mel | February 09, 2009 at 02:03 PM
Then there is RAM (Random Access Memory)! Go figure!
Posted by: Gregg's Dad | February 09, 2009 at 05:44 PM
When I was around 13 years old or so, my friends came up with a word to replace "cool". We casually used the new word, inserting it into everyday conversation. One day, using it at home in conversation with my parents, I could not at all understand the look of absolute shock on their faces when the word came out of my mouth as casual as you please. Obviously, I had led a sheltered life because I really didn't know that the word #(#* had sexual connotations. Believe me, my parents straightened me out very quickly and I went back to using the word "cool".
Posted by: My World's a Stage | February 11, 2009 at 10:45 AM
ohkay...I have decided to set this straight now. this is a REAL example of how we use the word "random"
example 1: Mr. Teacher- Alright class let's open our text books to page 105.
Rae-*yelled form back of classroom*I LIKE POTATOES!
Me-Gosh Rae, you're so random.
Posted by: Rebecca | March 26, 2009 at 05:37 PM