If you don't think people who grew up on the southside talk like this take the time to listen to Ed Farmer the white Sox radio announcer. I could go on forever! I hope you enjoyed some of these. Midway,Vitum,West Lawn, Marquette,Town and Lake, Bogan,Ford City Scottsdale.old little league fields on the southside.Īlways and I mean always, city kids refer to where they grew up by the Parish they lived in, Tommy Moore,Galls,St. Slag Valley,Pill Hill,Gage,Marquette Park, the Ville, Mt Greasewood.neighborhoods in the city. Top of the ****.newsman reporting from the John Hancock buildin the house diagonally across the street from somewhere."Yeah, they useta live kitty corner from Goldblatts." the old CTA buses that were green back in the day sometimes refered to as beer "Ya wanna get some pops after work?" "I gotta go, my old man's sick and my ma's gonna kill me if I ain't home soon" "Don't do that ya goof, theres coppers all over da place!" southside (skitch northside term)term for hangin onta da bumper of a car in a snowstorm and getting dragged for fun.Ĭopper(s). He used to hang outit da thirty thirt street playlot." ,"Oh yeah, I remember him from the old neighborhood. Shot anna beer joint.neighborhood tavernĪ lot of times the letter three (rarely here tree anymore) at the end of a second set off numbers sounds like -Fifty thirt street Narrow back, turkey bird.old school name for certain Irishmenĭp's.racial term for Dumb Pollacks(sp?)īrick sh*t house. Squad Car.Police car "Dont blow the light theres a squad parked right there." Patty wagon.Paddy wagon, racial slur for a police squardrol which in the old days was often used to transport drunken Irishmen "This guys a real softball so watch out." Softball.other than 16" it is also a term for a weirdo or freak. "He lives right over by der, ah nexttada Jewel" As with many other eras of the past, some of the slang words from the '50s are still being used today.Over by der. On the other end, there was the business of communism and the radicalism of the American teenager. On one end, there was homogeneity in America.
There were drive-in movies, Howard Johnson's and those primal golden arches that embody all things American - McDonald’s was born.Īll of this, plus the brooding idea of McCarthyism and the rising Red Scare of Communism in the undertow, gave 1950s slang a covert language all its own. After all, it had taken a decade to rebound from the depression. It was during this era that America had become more of a homogeneous nation, resilient to change. It was a time where patriarchy reigned supreme the quintessential role of a woman was that of a mother and housewife. The evolution of television ushered in shows that embodied the spirit of the era, such as The Ozzie and Harriet Show, Father Knows Best and Leave it to Beaver. The 1950s was an age of consumerism, with even babies targeted as potential customers. Historical Background: Context for '50s Slang
kick - something that's fun (as in "to get a kick" out of something).gangbusters - anything that’s successful.
can - toilet or bathroom (In 1940s slang, “can” referred to a jail or prison.).burn rubber - to quickly cause a vehicle to accelerate.big tickle - something that’s really funny.beatnik - youth with a relaxed fun-loving lifestyle, including alcohol, drugs, a great music scene, and their own beatnik slang.bake a biscuit - to make a record album.This led to a lot of slang for everyday experiences. Teenagers were going steady and always inventing new words to hide their teenage love affairs. Three women and a 10-year-old girl were killed yesterday as tragedy struck again on Irelands roads. Prince Philip car crash footage emerges from. They began living the suburban lifestyle in family homes complete with front lawns, small backyards and garages. Jackie Griffin died in the crash in Dublin, Ireland, yesterday - and friends have hit out after pictures from the scene were shared on social media. The American Dream became a reality for many families during this prosperous decade. wet rag - someone who is boring or who puts a damper on others' fun.square - a person who conforms to traditional social norms.party pooper - someone who’s not fun to be around.hip /hipster - someone who is cool and with the times.greaser - a guy who used a lot of hair grease a tough guy in general.fast - person who quickly allowed dating relationships to become physical.bird dog - someone who tries to steal your girlfriend.back seat bingo - making out in the back seat of a car.beatnik - a young person who's into the beat lifestyle (music, drugs, booze, etc.).Explore some of the many ways people were discussed during this colorful era. It has long been said that, during this time, one baby was born every seven seconds in the United States. These were the years that the baby boomers were conceived.