TALKIN' THE TALK

Master Your Slang: 10 Expressions That Shaped The English Language

Image: Aleksandr Popov

Fashions are always changing, and everyday language is no exception to this rule. Have you listened to teenagers talk lately? Their vocabulary is full of words we don't quite understand. But come on, we did it too: every decade has had its own set of slang words and expressions. Have you ever said "Bread," "Radical," or "Talk to the hand"? Today, we'll look back at 10 slang words and expressions that have defined each decade from the 1930s to today! Let's "chillax" and read!

Image: Nathan Bingle

This phrase originated in the early 20th century but reached its peak popularity in the 1930s. What does a monkey have to do with your uncle or with being surprised? Well, those are some of the questions that have come to mind because "I'll be a monkey's uncle" was used to express great surprise, as if to say, "I can't believe this!"

And wait until you hear its origin. The expression is believed to have arisen in response to Charles Darwin's theory of human evolution! Someone very shocked-and probably not understanding Darwin's proposal- might have said, "Well, if humans and apes are related, then I'll be a monkey's uncle!"

Image: Tim Mossholder

Fortunately, we have thousands of ways to express affection to those we love, and giving a "smooch" is one of them.

The origins of the slang "smooch" are disputed, but it is believed to have emerged sometime before the 1940s in America, appearing as an onomatopoeic imitation of the sound an affectionate kiss makes. Other sources suggest that the term arises from an adaptation of the British English dialectal verb "to smouch," meaning to kiss.

In general, this slang expresses much love and care. So, have you "smooched" today?

Image: Alexander Dummer

While this expression may seem like the title of a horror movie or the name of some strange insect that lives in the jungle, its actual meaning is much cuter than that.

"Ankle bitter" rose to popularity in the 1950s to refer to toddlers. It makes sense: they are just starting to walk, and they're still tiny, very close to the floor, and, well, also close to our ankles.

As time went by, the expression also began to be used to refer to another type of creature that can get close to - and literally bite - our ankles: that's right, puppies!

Image: Pepi Stojanovski

Have you ever been ready to pay for something and suddenly realized you didn't have any "bread"? What? Wait, let us explain.

While it appeared for the first time many years earlier, the term "bread" became popular in the 1960s, particularly among young people, to refer to cash or money in general.

Many sources suggest that the term originated from an association between money as a primary means of subsistence and bread as the basic food. While it's still used, it's not as widespread as it once was.

Image: Edilson Borges

If someone tells you a story that is too good to be true, you've probably encountered a "jive turkey."

Originated in African-American Vernacular English and popularized in the 1970s, this expression is used to describe someone who is not entirely honest, cheats to get what they want, makes empty promises, or someone who just says things that aren't totally true.

The term "jive" had already been slang in its own right for a few decades and was used to describe people who were frivolous or simply deceitful. The 1970s came along to give some more charm and humor to the expression. Thus, the word "turkey" was added. Does any jive turkey come to mind?

Image: Isai Ramos

Besides spandex, big hairstyles, and neon colors, the 80s had a good variety of slang terms, many of which survive to this day.

One of the most popular slang words of those years was "radical." The term initially gained popularity among surfers and skateboarders in the California area, who used it to describe something too cool, awesome, or impressive, like a "radical wave."

Over time, the expression transcended the sport and started popping up everywhere.

Image: Zan Lazarevic

If there is something more nineties than grunge and low-rise pants, it is this slang phrase.

"Talk to the hand" was a popular saying among 90s youth, particularly associated with the stereotypical "cheerleader girl" style. However, with the term appearing in many popular movies and sitcoms of the time, it gained ground in popular culture.

When someone responded, "Talk to the hand," it basically meant they didn't care what you had to say or that they weren't going to listen. If you plan to use this expression, remember the most important part: you must accompany it with the classic raised hand gesture.

Image: Brian Lundquist

But it's not only movies and TV that influence the way we talk; music does, too. So it was back in the late 1990s and early 2000s when hip-hop culture gave birth to the term "bling," remember?

"Bling" (or "bling-bling" if you were really cool) was slang for jewelry. But not just any jewelry; the term specifically referred to the big, shiny pieces typical among popular rappers and hip-hop artists of the time. In fact, the expression is also found in the titles and lyrics of many of their songs.

As time went by -and as it usually happens- the word expanded its meaning to refer to an ostentatious or luxurious lifestyle. The fame of "bling" was such that it was eventually added to many dictionaries.

Image: Oziel Gómez

For several years now, another significant factor has been shaping our lexicon: social media. If you were online in the 2010s, you definitely read or heard the term "bae."

This slang expression has two theories about its origins: the first claims that the word arises as a short form of "babe" or "baby." The second holds that "bae" means "before anyone else." As you might guess, the expression refers to a significant other, such as a boyfriend or girlfriend.

The term is believed to have originated specifically on Twitter (now "X"), following a viral tweet that used it.

Image: Kilyan Sockalingum

This term has gained a lot of popularity in recent years, being present in music, Instagram, and TikTok.

When someone says something like "I'm serious, no cap," it means they're stating the truth or being honest. On the other hand, when the expression is just "cap," it implies the opposite, a lie or exaggeration, such as "They say he's the greatest quarterback ever, but that's cap."

Some theories propose the term originates from the gesture of removing your hat or cap as a sign of respect and authenticity. Would you use it?

Prophetic hits

10 times fiction turned into fact: predictions that became reality

Image: Drew Beamer

No one can know what the future holds, but there’s no harm in trying to guess! Throughout history, some people have had a knack for making predictions that, no matter how impossible they seemed at the time, turned out to be true. From robotic assistants to the tragedy of the Titanic, there’s no shortage of eerie predictions that became reality. Here, we’ve gathered 10 of the craziest for your enjoyment!

Image: Justin Wolff

Twain famously predicted his own death. He stated that he would die with Halley’s Comet, which was visible in the sky in 1910. He said, "I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it." Remarkably, Twain passed away on April 21, 1910, just one day after Halley’s Comet made its closest approach to Earth, making his death one of the most uncanny and accurate personal predictions in history.

Image: Paula Lavalle

Nikola Tesla envisioned a wireless, global communication system that would allow people to transmit voice, images, and information anywhere in the world. In a 1926 interview, he speculated about the future of mobile technology, saying, "When wireless is fully applied, the Earth will be converted into a huge brain, capable of solving the problems of humanity." This prediction is strikingly close to modern smartphones, though the "huge brain" part is a bit more questionable.

Image: Chris Karidis

Nostradamus’s quatrains are often cited as predictions of major events, and one of his verses is believed to foresee the Great Fire of London in 1666. The quatrain reads: "The blood of the just will be demanded of London, burnt by fire in the year ‘66." In fact, the historically infamous Great Fire of London did break out in 1666, devastating much of the city. Though Nostradamus' cryptic style leaves much room for interpretation, this one is as accurate as predictions can get!

Image: Brian McGowan

Jules Verne’s 19th-century novel From the Earth to the Moon imagined a moon landing, complete with remarkable details such as launching from Florida and returning via splashdown in the ocean. His fictional spacecraft even bore a resemblance to the Apollo command module. To make this even more impressive, in Verne’s time, the idea of actually reaching the Moon was as alien and impossible as it gets! Space travel was purely the stuff of fantasy, and no one had yet conceived of the technology needed to make it a reality.

Image: Danting Zhu

In Morgan Robertson’s 1898 novella Futility, a ship called the Titan strikes an iceberg and sinks—all of this obviously sounds eerily familiar, but surprisingly it was written 14 years before the actual Titanic disaster! The many similarities are striking: both ships were deemed "unsinkable" and carried insufficient lifeboats.

Image: Dan Meyers

In his 1914 novel The World Set Free, H.G. Wells described a future with "atomic bombs" many decades before their invention. His fictional weapons used radioactive decay to unleash destructive power, in an eerily similar fashion to nuclear weapons. Unsurprisingly, when the first atomic bomb was detonated in 1945, physicists referenced Wells’ work, acknowledging its role in sparking public imagination about the potential and dangers of atomic energy.

Image: Two Paddles Axe and Leatherwork

Edward Bellamy’s 1888 novel Looking Backward envisioned a utopian future in which citizens used a card to access funds from a central bank—a concept that closely resembles modern credit or debit cards, which didn’t emerge until the mid-20th century. While Bellamy’s vision was rooted in fiction, it’s clear he had a very good understanding of how emerging economic trends could shape the distant future.

Image: Leon Seibert

Mark Twain certainly had a knack for predicting the future. Not content with foreseeing the date of his own death, he also described a global "telectroscope" network that connected people instantly across the world—a concept we now easily recognize as an early imagining of the internet.

Image: Chris Montgomery

The silent 1927 film Metropolis featured a video phone, many years before such technology was even considered possible. This futuristic device envisioned real-time, face-to-face communication, remarkably similar to how video calls work today. The film captured early 20th-century optimism about technological progress, highlighting how fiction can inspire real-world innovation.

Image: Possessed Photography

In Asimov’s I, Robot (1950), he envisioned a world where robots worked alongside humans, governed by ethical guidelines such as the famous "Three Laws of Robotics." While we aren’t quite there yet, the issues and concepts Asimov introduced continue to resonate today. His work not only anticipated the potential of artificial intelligence but also sparked ongoing ethical debates about AI development and the complexities of integrating advanced technology into society.