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The Dictionary of 1980s Slang
Over 800 Slang Words & Phrases From the 1980s
From "ace" to "zod," the dictionary contains more than eight hundred '80s slang words and phrases meticulously researched from hundreds of sources and numerous subcultures. Explore the world of Valley girls, yuppies, surfers, preppies, rappers, metalheads, and many more.
More than 500 References From '80s Pop Culture
Don't take our word for it! Quotations and references not only prove the slang's use during the decade, but also send you off on a radical journey of (re-)discovery to excellent movies, TV shows and books of the '80s.
Numerous Explanatory Illustrations
Have you ever wondered just how huge a 1980s cell phone really was? How long a "New York minute" really takes? How "mix tapes" were created? The dictionary's illustrations answer all these questions and more.
The Dictionary of 1980s Slang
Stranger than Fiction! The Totally Awesome Guide to Rockin' '80s Lingo
Hardcover Book
Carlile Media
Available Now
STRANGER THAN FICTION!
- Ideal for any '80s kid, and anyone who wants to discover what made the '80s great!
- From the author of the USA #1 best-selling (unofficial) Scrabble book "The Dictionary of Two-Letter Words."
- Packed with over 800 scrupulously-researched entries.
- Over 500 citations from '80s movies, music and books.
- Incisive, humorous definitions examining etymology, history, and more.
- Numerous explanatory illustrations.
- Bonus! Cut-out-and-play yuppie simulator card game.
The 1980s: a decade of uplifting energy, exhilarating confidence, raw power, and uncompromising style. A decade of Armani-wearing, slicked-back dudes and power-dressing, big-haired babes zooming down open highways in sports cars, breakdancers gyrating to the sounds of the boombox, neon-clad skaters and BMXers soaring through the skies in a sparkling, endless Californian heatwave.
It was the decade hip hop and new wave went mainstream, home computing planted the seed of the Information Age, and a flood of electrifying movies and music intoxicated the world with glorious visions of the chrome-plated American Dream.
And the language! Every ’80s movement developed its own vibrant, eloquent, often hilarious slang - and the mass media machine turbocharged it into the popular imagination.
This bright, witty dictionary is no dry lexicon - it's a fresh, zesty expedition into the soul of a vigorous age. You can dip in at random, read it cover-to-cover, or surf from one cross-reference to another in a radical journey of linguistic exploration. However you approach this unique book, you will find yourself reliving an era of limitless optimism and opportunity - or discovering it for the first time!
THE TOTALLY AWESOME GUIDE TO ROCKIN' '80S LINGO
Necessarily contains moderately crude language.
Proudly published in the USA by Carlile Media.
ISBN/SKU: 1949117227
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Before You Buy
Q: Who is this book for?
A: This hardcover book is a strong choice for anyone who grew up in the 1980s, fans of '80s movies and music, writers, researchers, word lovers, and younger readers who want to understand the language of the decade. It works equally well as a nostalgic read and as a practical reference.
Q: What does the book contain?
A: It includes more than 800 carefully researched slang terms from the 1980s, with definitions, etymology, historical background, and examples showing how the words were actually used. It also includes more than 500 citations from movies, music, books, and other period sources.
Q: Is this just a list of funny old expressions?
A: No. The book treats slang as a window into the culture of the decade. The entries explain where terms came from, what they meant, how they were used, and what they reveal about the music, fashion, technology, social trends, and attitudes of the period.
Q: Does it cover different kinds of 1980s slang?
A: Yes. The vocabulary comes from a wide range of subcultures and settings, including music, youth culture, business, technology, fashion, sports, nightlife, street language, and popular media. That breadth is one of the reasons the book works as cultural history as well as a dictionary.
Q: How accurate is the material?
A: The entries are extensively researched and supported by hundreds of period citations. Rather than relying only on memory or nostalgia, the book uses contemporary movies, music, books, and other sources to show that the expressions were genuinely in circulation.
Q: Is this useful for writers and researchers?
A: Yes. Anyone writing fiction, screenplays, articles, or other material set in the 1980s can use the dictionary to check period vocabulary and avoid anachronistic language. The historical notes and citations also provide context that simple online slang lists usually do not.
Q: Is the book meant to be read from cover to cover?
A: It can be. Although it works perfectly well as a reference dictionary, the entries are written in an informative and often humorous style, making it easy to browse at random, follow cross-references, or simply read through for the pleasure of rediscovering the language of the decade.
Q: Does the book contain adult language?
A: Some of it. Slang reflects the way people actually spoke, so the dictionary necessarily includes a modest amount of crude or adult language where it is historically relevant. The overall tone is humorous and informative rather than explicit for its own sake.
Q: Does the book include anything beyond the dictionary entries?
A: Yes. It includes explanatory illustrations and a bonus cut-out-and-play yuppie simulator card game, adding a playful period element to the reference material.
Q: Why choose this edition?
A: It gives readers a substantial, self-contained reference to 1980s slang with consistent definitions, etymology, cultural context, and period citations. That makes it far more useful than a simple online word list for nostalgia, research, writing, or serious language study.
Publication Details & Specifications
| Format | Hardcover |
|---|---|
| Edition | Compact illustrated reference edition |
| Print length | 152 pages |
| Dimensions | 5 × 0.38 × 8 inches |
| Item weight | Approximately 9.8 ounces |
| Language | English |
| Publication date | June 22, 2021 |
| ISBN-10 | 1949117227 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1949117226 |
| Author | Rick Carlile |
| Reference content | More than 800 researched entries covering 1980s slang, expressions, cultural references, and period vocabulary |
| Source citations | More than 500 citations from 1980s movies, music, books, and other period sources |
| Definitions | Humorous but research-based explanations examining meaning, etymology, history, and cultural context |
| Illustrations | Numerous explanatory illustrations |
| Bonus content | Includes a cut-out-and-play yuppie simulator card game |
| Focus | Popular language and culture of the 1980s, including music, movies, fashion, technology, youth culture, and contemporary social trends |
| Reading style | Designed for both quick reference and cover-to-cover reading, with cross-references connecting related terms |
| Content note | Contains some moderately crude period slang |
| Format advantage | Durable hardcover binding in a compact 5 × 8 inch format designed for browsing, reference, and repeated use |
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