The Slang Time Warp of Expats
I’ve noticed lately that a lot of my expat friends seem to be in a slang word time warp. Do slang words learned before moving abroad stay through the years in one’s expat life? Does slang stand still over time?
Je pense que oui. It seems to be the case in La Mom’s entourage. Here’s what I’ve overheard:
At the expat get-together:
Kansas Mom: Dude, Montana Mom has a groovy poncho.
La Mom: I love it. It looks like it’s Missoni.
Kansas Mom: Oh là, I dig it even more knowing it’s a Missoni.
Kansas Mom is clearly stuck in a 1970s slang time warp.
Texas Mom: Mmm, Quebec Mom made paté for us. I can’t wait to eat some.
California Mom: Gag me with a spoon. I hate paté.
Texas Mom: Do you like foie gras?
California Mom: No way, José. Barf me back to the stone age.
Texas Mom to La Mom: Did she really just say, “Barf me back to the Stone Age?”
La Mom: Are you from Southern California? How long have you been in France?
California Mom: How’d you know? Too long.
California Mom = stuck in a 1980s slang word time warp.