Tag Archives: slang

Force it Down Mid- Verbal Folklore/Slang

Text:

Informant: “Its from League of Legends, I’ve never played the game before but I’ve heard people say it before and I know how the game works. I know its played on a field that has three lanes, top, middle, and bottom lane. And the middle lane is the most contested, so to ‘force it down mid’ means to be stubborn and tunnel vision and push it down without any worry about challenges. So you’d say it if you need to persevere through something challenging.”

Context:

The informant learned this expression through online gaming culture and conversations with friends who play League of Legends.

Analysis:

Like much of verbal folklore and especially for slang, this example relies on shared knowledge within a folk group. In this case, player’s of the game League of Legends, or people in the gaming sphere. It also functions as a folk metaphor and can be used in everyday situations. The “mid lane” becoming a metaphor for a challenge, and “forcing it” implying stubborn determination. This reflects the growing influence of internet and gaming culture, where inside references circulate rapidly among online communities and spread into everyday conversations.

“Stop dicking the dog”

Main Text:
Background on Informant:
My informant is my dad, who I have grown up around and learned many sayings from. He often uses informal phrases in everyday conversation, especially when talking about work or getting things done. I asked him about to explain one of the crazy sayings that he used to say when I was a kid, I would cringe every time he would say it. I also asked him where he had heard it first. He explained that he first heard it while working in construction and has continued using it in daily life.
Text:
Interviewer: Dad, what’s that one saying you used to say to me all the time that I hated so much? You remember it.

Informant: Oh yeah, uh, “stop dicking the dog.”

Interviewer: Right, so tell me, what does that mean?

Informant: It just means stop messing around and get to work. Like if you’re wasting time or not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, that’s when you say it.

Interviewer: Okay, so it’s like for when you’re half-assing something then? Like instead of saying don’t half-ass it, you’d say don’t dick the dog, right?

Informant: Correct.

Analysis:
This is a clear example of folk speech or specifically slang/ proverb like sayings. While functioning as a form of indirect advice, reflecting how this saying can convey guidance without hostility or criticizing someone. Instead of giving a long explanation, the phrase quickly conveys that someone needs to stop wasting time and be productive. In class, we discussed how folklore helps reinforce group identity. This example shows that clearly, as the phrase was originally learned in a construction setting and is now used in everyday family conversation. It reflects values such as productivity, discipline, and responsibility. This also demonstrates the idea of multiplicity and variation, since the phrase moves across different contexts while keeping a similar meaning.

The Phrase “Lock in”

Context: The use of the phrase “lock in” has become widely used by many, especially from the younger generation (Example: gen-z)

MC: “Basically when something gets like super serious, usually someone will say ‘it’s time to lock in’ or ‘let’s lock in.’ Its basically like telling someone or usually a group of people that they have to focus to like win something like in a game or a race.”

Q: Do you know when you first started hearing the phrase?

MC: “Maybe like around the middle of senior year in high school (2023-24) when I heard people shouting it during football games or during track practice and it used a lot on social media like TikTok and Reels.”

Analysis: The phrase “lock in” has become a commonly used slang that was popularized through social media. Telling someone to “lock in” means telling someone to enter a state of focus/concentration in order for them to excel at their best. It has become a commonly used term, especially in common activities such as studying, work, or sports. It’s been seen as a positive term in order to motivate people to try their best.

“Striking” – Theatre Slang

Text: “To strike” or “striking”

Context: AB is a Screenwriting BFA at USC, though has a substantial background in theatre. In a theatrical context, the word “striking” means to clear something [a prop, set piece, etc] from the stage. This is often used during scene transitions within a performance, but can also be used in a rehearsal context for any physical piece that needs to be removed from the performance area.

Analysis: As someone with extensive experience in theatre, it can be interesting to realize what specific terminology isn’t widespread. These terms are so ingrained into your muscle memory when working in theatre, it’s startling to realize they’re not intuitive. Both AB and I are film majors with backgrounds in theatre–in film, “striking” means to turn a light on, which is completely removed from its usage within theatre.

Jail

Nationality: American
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Language: English

Text:

Jail 

Context:

My informant first heard this saying on social media when she was in high school. She either will simply state “jail” or say that someone “deserves jail” for something that they either said or did. It is often used when people say something unexpected, strange, offensive, etc. 

Analysis:

This slang word or term is used in casual conversation to convey a form of shock or disbelief, most likely used around friends. It builds on the sentiment that someone said something or did something that was so unbelievable that they deserve to spend time in jail as a result of their actions. The use of this phrase would only make sense in a culture where there is a criminal justice system and amongst people who are often on social media sites where phrases like this are often used.