More teen lingo

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
More teen lingo
12
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 1:31pm
As long as we're discussing teen lingo in another thread, what is your understanding of how teens are using the following terms today: "pimp", "ho", and the oh-so-delightful "douche bag"? They apparently don't have quite the same meanings as they did back in the old days.

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Avatar for mjaye2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 2:47pm

LOL

No, they *aren't* what they used to be. :) My kids use "pimpin" all the time. If something is "pimp" that means it is cool--or something that is fancier than just stock. Like a pimp truck--a regular Chevy pick up that has a new grille, or stereo system, or lights, etc. Pimpin' is the verb of pimp. "I'm pimpin' out my ride."

Hos--mine don't use around me but I've heard their friends use it to mean girl friend, or even just a girl. Apparently it can have both a bad and good connotation, at least from *my* perspective. lol

douche bag---never heard my kids use that either, but I've heard it used and I'm thinking it's a derogatory word for an idiot. I dont' know if it has a gender-bias or not (ie only a woman can be a d.b. but not a man?? I don't know.)

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 3:53pm

I've only heard "douche bag" applied to guys, not girls. And I thought it meant someone who is a real jerk, but now I'm wondering if it means someone who is an idiot or otherwise not cool.

My son almost got the award for "biggest pimp" at marching band camp, but then the mother of the kid who was giving out the awards stepped in and put a stop to it. My kids said it just means a guy who flirts w/ a lot of girls. I would have been so proud! (NOT!)

Avatar for mjaye2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 4:03pm

LOL on your son's "award"! Aren't kids great??? LOL Too funny!

And the d.b. slang could be exactly what you think (a guy who is a real jerk)--I was totally guessing just from what little I had heard.

As with any slang, there could be a lot of regionality coming into play in the usage.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2007
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 4:18pm

Google Image Search helped me find this gem.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e49/SHANNALEANNEPAUL/douchebag.jpg

DoucheBag: "An individual who has an over inflated sense of self worth, compounded by a low level of intelligence, behaving ridiculously in front of colleagues with no sense of how moronic he appears"

See Picture for an example.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 4:38pm

I haven't heard my dd (16) use any of those words...at least in front of me or her dad. To be honest, I can't say how she talks when she's around her friends without adults around...I have no clue. But, I can't picture her saying these words...she's not really into using slang.

As far as how I feel about those words, I think they are really disrespectful. Maybe I'm just showing my age but back in the day when I was younger, it was considered pretty insulting to be called a 'hoe (whore). I think it gives people permission to put women down and say that it's just a name and doesn't mean anything.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 4:41pm
Gee...I think my dd knows that kid! JK
Avatar for mjaye2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 5:11pm
LOL
Hey, I WORK with this guy!!! ROFL
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 8:27pm

No matter what, they are still durogatory terms. You don't call people you admire and respect pimps, ho's or douche bags -- even if you are just kidding around.

The valedictorian of a class is hardly being called a "ho" and the star of the school athletic teams is not "pimp'n".

Avatar for bookwormmom
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2003
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 8:33pm
Now I think that guy is pretty hot and so does my dd. I'd think he's more of a Pimp than a douche bag. LOL! A very preppie pimp that is.
She says:
Douche bag just means an idiot.
Ho is a whore, but the girls these days call other girls they don't like ho all the time.
Pimp is a hott guy that a lot of girls are interested in.
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Fri, 08-24-2007 - 10:21pm
My kids don't go around using that kind of language around the house either. It's just what I've gleaned from being around teens. My point is that these words, like "ho", don't have quite the same meaning they did back in our day, so I don't think the kids consider them as insulting. It is jarring to us "older" folks to hear these words being used in this way.

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