Ahhh the 80s!!! It was an exciting era of long hair, shoulder pads, synth-pop music, & neon colors. Although it has been a long time since we said adios to that creative, innovative, and vibrant decade, we still tend to carry certain elements to this date that specifically originated during that frame of time, for instance, slang. 1980s’ notion of creativity and innovation still have an impact on our daily life-speech. A lot of slang, phrases, and idioms that originated in that iconic era are groovy and unique in nature. In this blog post, we will take a look at the 10 most popular 80s slang terms and explore their origin stories. So, fasten your seat belts as we set our time machine to the nostalgic era of the 1980s:
1. Totally Tubular!
This particular 80s slang was highly popular among the youth of the 80s. Generally, it is used to refer to something excellent, fantastic, cool, or amazing in order to express inner excitement and enthusiasm.
The word “tubular” originated at the very beginning of the 17th century from the Latin word tubulus, which referred to a small tube. Later, in the 80s, the word was used by surfers to describe a wave that was long, smooth, and had a pointed peak, good enough for surfing. This reinvention of the term basically popularized it all over the mainstream media.
The term slowly started to fade away as the 80s came to a close. Yet, the legacy remains intact in nostalgic minds. If you are someone who belongs to the contemporary era and has watched Stranger Things, then perhaps you have been a part of this legacy. As the setting of the series takes place in the 80s, thus, it certainly captures the elements of the era, including slang. Remember, the scene between Lucas and Sinclair that takes place in season 2, episode 6 of the series? While Max shares her family background and issues, in response, Lucas utters, “And you’re, like, totally tubular.”
2. Gag me with a Spoon!
Being gagged by a spoon sure sounds awful, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, this is where the inner meaning of this slag lies.
“Gag me with a spoon,” perhaps, can be labeled as one of the weirdest slangs of the 80s. Generally used to express annoyance, disgust, or distaste. In the modern world, we are more used to using the word “gross” in order to express something like that.
This phrase is considered to have originated in the valley of San Fernando, California, during the early 80s, and was popularized by the Valleygirl sub-culture.
3. Where’s the Beef?
This phrase came into the limelight in the 80s when Wendy’s commercial for its hamburger chain, titled Where’s my Beef?, was aired on January 10, 1984. This particular promotional campaign became so successful in the USA and Canada at that time that the phrase became an everyday phrase, uttered to question the substance of an idea, event, or product.
Initially, the TV advertisement was supposed to feature a young couple, but later the director, Joe Sedelmaier, changed the idea because it didn’t sound funny to him and decided to feature three elderly ladies. Not to mention, the advertisement was a direct attack on Wendy’s competitors, Burger King and McDonald’s. The TV advertisement not only increased Wendy’s sales at that time by 31% but also became a cultural phenomenon and still remains iconic to this day.
4. Word to Your Mother
“Word to your mother” is basically an informal way to express agreement, support, or respect. Although it is frequently used in a playful or humorous way, it can still be used in a serious context.
This particular slang was popularized by African-American communities in the 1980s. It was originally used to pay respect to the mother country of an African-American man, the African continent. Later, this phrase evolved with time and became an integral part of 1980–90s hip-hop culture. As a result, it became infamous among street language and recording artists.
5. Totally Radical
If something was awesome, cool, enthusiastic, exciting, or innovative, it was “radical” in the era of the 80s. This fun and lighthearted phrase represents the youth of the 1980s. Although this phrase is still used in contemporary times, most likely in a sarcastic way.
6. Veg out
Although the exact origin of this phrase is still unknown, it became extremely popular in the 80s. It is considered that the phrase “veg out” is actually a combination of “vegetate” and “out,” ultimately referring to the act of relaxing or chilling or doing nothing by taking a break from activities. In simple words, it is used to indicate the action of doing nothing what-so-ever.
The phrase still remains relevant in our modern, fast-paced world, as it provides us with the critical message of self-care and the importance of unwinding and rejuvenating for better mental health.
So, the next time you feel the necessity to relax and recharge yourself, don’t be shy to “veg out.”
7. No Pain, No Gain!
This phrase might not be unfamiliar to us like the previous ones, as it is still used as part of our everyday speech in the form of a proverb, which means: If you want to achieve something in life, you have to go through discomfort or pain. It is highly applicable in the context of life, work, relationships, etc., where success requires effort and sacrifice.
The phrase made its entry into mainstream usage after American actress, Jane Fonda started producing aerobics workout videos post-1982. In these videos, Fonda would use the phrase “no pain, no gain” for the concept of working out beyond the point of encountering muscle aches.
“No pain, no gain” has been used in a bunch of movies and tv shows, for instance, Superman IV, Just One of the Guys, and The Simpsons, etc. What makes this phrase so strong is its ability to act as a powerful motivator. After all, life is not a bed of roses, in order to survive, it’s necessary to push ourselves to our limits.
8. Eat My Shorts!
No, no! Don’t take this literally unless you are one of Bart Simpon’s biggest fans!
“Eat my shorts” is generally used to express an irrelevant rebuke or dismissal and was popularized in the 80s thanks to The Simpsons as well as The Breakfast Club.
9. Cowabunga
Thanks to The Simpsons and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, “cowabunga” became a major catchphrase in the 80s. This word is particularly used to express excitement and exhilaration. It is assumed that the term originated from a US television show titled Howdy Doody during the 1950s.
In today’s world, “cowabunga” is still uttered by individuals but is rarer compared to the 80s in terms of usage.
10. No duh!
Generally, used to express the obvious or apparent, this particular phrase is still commonly used in the current era, often used in a derisive or sarcastic way. It is considered that the origin of this phrase took place in the 1960s and became popular during the 80s thanks to the Valley-Girls sub-culture.
Overall, the 80s was an exciting era that came up with some really unique phrases that sort of reflect the attitude and vibrant culture of that particular period. From Valley Girl slang to catchphrases from popular movies and campaigns, these linguistic gems have left an unforgettable mark on our cultural lexicon. As we reminisce about this iconic era, let’s celebrate the linguistic creativity and colorful expressions that made the ’80s truly awesome!
(Note: While the explanations provided offer a general understanding of the phrases’ origins and usage, it’s important to remember that the exact origins of language and cultural trends can sometimes be challenging to trace with absolute certainty.)
I hope you enjoyed reading this piece of writing as much as I enjoyed writing it! Let me know if this blog article is useful to you in the comments section. It will work as tiny drops of motivation for me… Also, let me know if I missed out on something! I would like to hear from you… Thank you for reading…
