So where did "sweet" or "cool" come from?

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #1 29-01-2007, 08:26 AM

Morning guys,

On Australia Day 2007 I started a linguistic experiment. I have been thinking that at some time, someone said "cool" for the first time...and it caught on. Those of us lucky, or unlucky, enough to have teenagers will have heard "sweet". The list of these words is probably infinite if you had the time to research it.

I have therefore started a little experiment. I am going to try to say "smooth" every time someone says something where you could normally reply with "cool" or "sweet". I will be interested to see how long before a total stranger replies with MY PHRASE. I will have left my mark on our language.

Please feel free to try to propagate "the word" and take part in my little experiment. Our teenage daughter thinks it is pretty dumb, maybe even embarassing...but so is everything we do anyway, and more so many of the things she does!

leon · #2 29-01-2007, 08:55 AM

Hi 1 of 1,

Funny that you brought that up, i'm trying to get people to say 2007, as Twenty 0 seven, not 2 thousand and seven. Before the year 2000, we all said 1999, not one thousand, nine hundred and 99

Cheers leon

[1ponders] (Paul) · #3 29-01-2007, 09:53 AM

Sweet, but dad's aren't meant to be kewl.

Dennis · #4 29-01-2007, 10:16 AM

"Smooth" was big at my school in the UK back in the 60's and 70's in a context similar to "neat", "cool" and "rad" (radical).

Cheers

Dennis

Dujon · #5 29-01-2007, 10:28 AM

[OoO] That's cool, dude, almost as good as a glassy. *cue some Atlantics music*

[leon] I'm not sure what's going on. 1907 or 1807 were always 'nineteen seven' or 'eighteen seven' to me. The current year becomes 'twenty seven'.

Of course, when I'm a hundred years old, I'll refer to 2007 as being "back in '07" . . . just as I do now when I say "back in '45" or suchlike.

Confusing? Not really.

ving (David) · #6 29-01-2007, 10:50 AM

@-}}---

the weirdness never ceases... O_o

all yuor sayings are belong to us!

theres always in words, and tehy usually come from someone covering up a mistake... prolly...

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #7 29-01-2007, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leon

Hi 1 of 1,

Funny that you brought that up, i'm trying to get people to say 2007, as Twenty 0 seven, not 2 thousand and seven. Before the year 2000, we all said 1999, not one thousand, nine hundred and 99

Cheers leon

I would say

"1901" as nineteen o one etc up to 1909, nineteen hundred and one is just not smooth....
"1910" as nineteen ten etc up to 1999
"2000" was two thousand

funny that "2001" was two thousand and one and not twenty o one!

I am waiting to see if people use twenty ten (I will be) or will continue to use two thousand and ten.

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #8 29-01-2007, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis

"Smooth" was big at my school in the UK back in the 60's and 70's in a context similar to "neat", "cool" and "rad" (radical).

Cheers

Dennis

Hmmm....I am afraid I don't think it made it to Oz back then, but I can't actually remember what the "in" words were! At least I am not old enough to remember "the cat's meow"!

If "smooth" catches on (again?), just remember you heard it first on IceInSpace, and we have the thread to prove it!

cahullian · #9 29-01-2007, 12:51 PM

I have three teenagers at home so I will use smooth with them and see how it goes.

Gazz

RB (Andrew) · #10 29-01-2007, 12:52 PM

Your hedgehogs are smooth Gazz !
Now there's an oxymoron !

cahullian · #11 29-01-2007, 01:00 PM

lol Andrew

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #12 29-01-2007, 01:03 PM

When I read " Conneticut Yankee" by Mark Twain I was surprised at the number of slang words/phrases in it that I thought were contemporary.

"Dude" is one example that comes to mind.

I'll have to reread it to jog my memory for more.

matt · #13 29-01-2007, 01:13 PM

Yeah, jjjj.

I think "Catcher In The Rye" is another good one for slang.

Very "cool" book

Outbackmanyep · #14 29-01-2007, 05:03 PM

you wanna hear something funny...my aunty used the word "Bonza" At a family BBQ....we all sat in shocked silence!

Then burst out laughing......lol

I ALWAYS say "Hooroo" getting off the phone.....

...dunno why....

I noticed watching some old 80's shows that the word "Excellent" was used a lot....must have caught on from those old tv shows such as "who's the boss" and "family ties" etc.......ahhhh those old school day afternoons at 3:30.....

Cheers!

ving (David) · #15 29-01-2007, 05:08 PM

i have started using the word mate of late... i never used to

matt · #16 29-01-2007, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outbackmanyep

I noticed watching some old 80's shows that the word "Excellent" was used a lot....

Watch Keanu Reeves in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (1989) for the ultimate use of that word

Sausageman (Mike Boggan) · #17 29-01-2007, 05:54 PM

Bring back Rhyming slang as well.
Well it's time for a jimmy riddle then head up the apples and pears for a bo peep.

How "smooth" is that

Mike.

Sausageman (Mike Boggan) · #18 29-01-2007, 06:05 PM

The Cats Miaow,
Never heard that saying before, only "The cats whiskers".

Mike.

GrahamL · #19 29-01-2007, 07:01 PM

LOL.. give up now ..oneofone ..I have a house full of yougins 17 - 23
and there friends .. running this by them ... methinks your daughter is being
very gratious and a little less than honest about what she really thinks
in regard

.

smooth is so last centuary dude !!!

jjj I loved that book but never noticed .. I did find it a bit strange first up and put it down for a few years .. when I got round to reading the whole thing it turned into one of those reads that you always remember.. mark as an
author and social comentator I've since found is one of the best IMO.

Ric · #20 29-01-2007, 07:17 PM

"Trick" was a great 70's word. The older members of the motorcycle fraternity may remember it as a word to describe a hotted up motorcycle.

Cool