The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 39

6 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE-TIMES, Sunday, January 4, 1981 Oh Language Whatever Happened to Good 01' Mom and Dad? puzzled, tell them it's the new middle- aged lingo. Transitionese: From deep inside the Reagan transition team comes word of strange locutions. The people at the power center have already adopted the White House favorites "in the loop," Nifty: "I was shocked," writes Linda Rawson of New York, "tq see the word "nifty' appearing in the Wall Street Journal recently. Where did this word come from and why is it so popular? Perhaps you could also suggest an alternative word." (She meant to write "alternate word" or The use in the Wall Street Journal was: "The Republicans said it seemed like a nifty way to upstage the President." In that context, the word means either Mom or Pop connotes an irreverent affection, or detached intimacy, that enables a young person to address a parent in a manner familial yet cool. "Mama" and "Papa," the endearments of earlier generations, are becoming rare; they recall immigrant days, or our parents' recollections of their parents.

"Ma" is used occasionally, "Pa" rarely. Like "Dad," from "dada," "papa" is rooted in baby talk, and led to an 1838 citation for "pop," meaning "father." Nowadays, "Pop," when capitalized and used as the name for someone who is not your father, ref ers to a likable geezer or the grizzled night watchman. The declension of filial address begins with a breezy "Howzit goin, Pops?" to a more respectful "About my allowance, Dad," to a resigned and resentful "Yes, Father." Going back up the scale, it is Thank you. Mother, I can do it myself to "Mom can you come over and baby-sit?" to "Seeya, Moms!" If you are disconcerted by the addition of to Mom and Pop, try answering by calling your son "Sons" or your daughter "Daughters." If they seem By WILLIAM SAFIRE 'What has become of Mommy and: Daddy, and Mom and Dad?" asks. Isabelle Bradley, an irate mother from Birdsboro, Pa.

"We are.becoming a nation of 'Moms' andTops. have been wondering for some time why my teen-age children have been calling me "Pops," which is the namje of an orchestra in Boston. My suspicion is that the addition of an to Campus Lingo Changes with Times Dialing Back: Last month, Newsweek wrote: "As a result, 'Kemp-Roth will be dialed back in the Republican-controlled Senate as well as in the House, says one well-wired congressional tax expert." In the same issue, in a piece on the tax troubles in Massachusetts faced by Gov. Edward King, a well-wired Newsweek writer used it this way: "King has dialed back on his tax-cut pledges and watched his popularity plummet." Again in that issue, back in the business section, Representative David Stockman, the Reagan choice to head the Office of Management and Budget, is quoted as saying: "You don't have to dial back on the original public-health protection, but we need to recalibrate all the It was as if somebody hollered down the halls of Newsweek: "This week, it's 'dial back'!" The expression has replaced "cobble up" (to fabricate, to put together, to emulate the action of a cobbler) as the favored locution at that magazine. What is the source of the metaphor? According to the reporter who quoted the well-wired tax expert, Rich Thomas (his first name is short for "Richard" and is not intended to distinguish him from a "poor Thomas" on the same staff), the expression is derived from By United Press International for those privileged to be "copied" by receiving copies of memoranda, and "the power curve," behind which disaster beckons and they are bringing along a few of their own.

The verb "to ding" rings bells with Reaganites (or, as the national-security aide Richard Allen likes to call them, According to a student of the jargon inside Resume Arms, "I dinged him" means "I communicated my desire to have this straightened out," or "I let him know this is unclear and he should clear it up," or, the most common meaning, "I made known my displeasure." The verb appears in tionaries with the definition "to repeat tiresomely," rooted in a Scandinavian word for its current meaning is "prod." Another import this one is from business jargon is the use of "reference" as a verb, as in "I referenced the sinking of the Titanic in my report." This means "I made reference to," and is a genuinely silly coinage, since "refer" is already a verb, and shorteF than "reference." When Ambassador Robert Neumann became infuriated at the constant leaking of transition memoranda, he threatened to "salt" them. This does not mean preserve in salt, or reference them to the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. To salt a memo" means to insert a word in one person's copy, and a different word in another copy of the same memo. When the telltale word appears in print, the leaker is identified. (cl 1981 New York Times News Service "clever, adroit," with an overtone of harmless trickiness.

The word is always used in an admiring sense: as "graceful" or "slick," as in "a nifty move," or "stylish, natty," as "a nifty jacket" worn by the down-stuffed Sleeveless Generation. According to Bret Harte in 1868, "nifty" was derived from "magnificent." His use: "Smart, you bet your life 'twas that! Nifty! Short for magnificat." His friend Mark Twain picked it up as well, in "Innocents at Home" in 1882: "He was always nifty himself, and so you bet his funeral ain't going to be no slouch." After a century in active use, the word is deftly slipping out of the slang category and beginning to insinuate itself adroitly in the "informal" range. In its meaning of "excellent" or "very good," I consider it slang; in its other meaning of "smart, stylish," it is still slang, and slightly outmoded; in its third meaning of "clever" nimble in a shifty way the word has a unique place in the language and has earned its "informal" rating. Like the adjective "ace," "nifty" has a feel of deliberate raciness or jazziness and is used by people who pitch campiness. You will find no precise alternative, until nifti-ness reaches the state of being "peachy keen." Stain A person disliked by just about everybody.

Step Out Go on a date or outing; especially with a member of the opposite sex; particularly when dressed up. Stoked To be immensely pleased. Ted A turkey, nerd, (an incompetent). Tighten Up Your Backstroke Get your act together. Tunes Music.

Turkey A Ted. Ultimate A game of disk, (see Disk) V-Ball Volleyball. Vegged Out or Veg Out Hang around and do nothing. Wail To verbally or physically abuse someone or something. Wedgie Process of pulling up underwear being worn by another person; usually attempted from the rear.

Week in Review Sunday night leftovers. Wench An ugly woman. Wenching Looking for girls with the guys. Wimps Persons who are extremely studious. Wired 1.

To have something mastered. 2. To be overly tired and keyed up. Za Pizza. Frosted To be put off by someone.

Fun Pointless. Gatoring A dance emulating an alligator turned on its back. Geek or Grind Study. Get Off My Case Leave me alone. Get Nailed Get caught.

Great Useless. Guts Easy courses. Heavy Dramatic and having great relevance. High Wire Act Staying awake on amphetamines for more than 10 consecutive days. History Dead, ended and over with.

Hockey Pucks Cafeteria steak patties. Hose Getting shortchanged, ripped-off. Occurs in degrees; mega-hose and total hose are the two higher states. I Hear Ya Used to express an understanding of what someone says. Information bank A filing cabinet.

It's Been A Slice Short for 'It's Been A Slice Of Jazzed See Stoked. Later 1. See you later. 2. Used derisively to suggest something is best forgotten.

Left Yet? Rhetorical question shortened for 'Have we left engineering controls: "When you get too much steam in a boiler, you move the pressure dials back," Thomas explained, adding ruefully, "I've got a hot-water heater." If you'll dial back on "dial back," fellows, we'll all do what we can to recalibrate Rep. Stockman. (Can be used as an insult). Libes Li brary. Lightweight 1.

A light drinker. 2. Anything that doesn't re quire a great deal of effort. Lizards Very studious students. Lost A per TAMFA MANUFACTUEER son who is out of it.

Max Maximum. The most. The best. Mega Prefix used to enhance the size or impact of something, such as "megabaked." Motor Same as to "Book." Munchies Hunger; used es College students have a jargon: all their own. But the terms change with the times.

Students today, for example, appear preoccupied with being intoxicated drunk or stoned. Their terms for it: Annihilated, Baked, Blasted, Blown Away, Blown Buried, Buzzed, Faced, Pressed, Ripfled, Stupid, Trashed and Zonked. Here is a glossary of some other campus terms which may help parents understand their offspring and students at One campus understand those at another: Ace To pass a course, more often witlv an Airhead An attractive female, not necessarily one with higher intelligence. Babe An attractive woman. Beat Tired.

Also a worn out object. Bee Short for Frisbee. Bent Out of Shape Angry. Big Times A callous or ironic summation of an insignificant event. Bi-zarro A leftwinger.

Blastoff To leave to go somewhere. Blow Off Purposely forget or skip something. Bolt; To leave someplace. Book To leave someplace. Bowling, Luds and Cruise Taking Quaaluds, drinking and chasing pedestrians in a car.

Bozo A rightwinger. Brew (Brewskie) Beer. Breeze Easy. Brutal 1. Sarcastic description of a somewhat serious event 2.

Emphasizes the relative difficulty of something, like an exam. Bummed or Bummed Out Glum, disappointed, depressed. Bummer Anything unpleasing that depresses you. Bust A drag, bummer. Burnt or Burned Out Tired.

Burn Out Describes someone who gets drunk or uses drugs too often, or a person who is so active socially they are failing in schobL Catch Rays Tan. Catch You Later you later. Catch Z's Sleep. Clone Generally used as an insult with; no particular definition. Com-puterhead Engineering or computer major.

Cool Breeze Someone suave and debonair. Cool Out Take it easy. Cop Out What a plea bargainer does. Cosmo A woman who dresses stylishly, as in the magazine Cosmopolitan. Crank To speed through something with ease.

Crash To sleep. Cruise 1. Leave one place to go to another. 2. A breeze.

Deck out 1. Lie on a beach to catch rays. 2. Hit someone. 3.

Dress up. Disk; Frisbee. Do A Bone Smoke marijuana. Doobie Marijuana sometimes abbreviated "Doob." Drag A bummer. Dynamite Great or really good.

Emotional flash To fall in love, briefly. Face Book Yearbook. Flaky sea Airhead, Space. Flamed To be angered by someone. Foot Walk.

pecially for the hunger experienced after smoking marijuana. Munch Out THIS IS YOUR PRODUCTIVITY EVENT The Suncoast Tool Manufacturing Engineering Stuff yourself with food rapidly. Nerd or Nurd (Spelling varies) A person dedicated to academics with lit tle or no social life. Nerding Out Studying. New Wave The latest, up beat music.

Number Cruncher Cal Conference and Exposition culator. Nunnery Female dormitory. Pig Out Stuff yourself with food. The Pits When something or some January 6-8, 1981 Xx Sponsored by: Society of Manufacturing Engineers place is very boring. Played Over with, ended.

Same as History and Spent. Power Tooling Driving Curtis Hixon Convention Hall 600 Ashley Drive, Tampa around. Psyched Pepped up or emo tionally ready for something. Pumped Greatly excited over something or someone. Punk 1.

New type of music; part of the New Wave rock 'n roll. 2. Strange mode of dress. 3. Type of person adheres to the Punk culture; an elitist group.

Pup Squeeze A one night stand. Rack or Rack Out Go to sleep, Rank To verbally abuse someone. One "Ranks out" another person. Re late Used to express a mutual under standing. Rents Short for parents.

Scoping Check out good looking girls. Shine It On Ignore something that could cause duress or discomfort. Shrooms Mushrooms. Slimy A clever political opponent. Space De scribes a person who is crazy.

Space Out 1. To spread things out over a period of time. 2. To forget something. Spent Finished, over with, ended.

FIRST MORTGAGE CORPORATION of Winter Haven If you're in manufacturing, you're in the business of employing the most advanced technology and methods for increased production efficiency, product quality, and company profits. This is your invitation to a major manufacturing event in Tampa, sponsored by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. The Suncoast Tool Manufacturing Engineering Conference and Exposition is 198 1 's best one-stop source for demonstrations and expert advice concerning the latest applications of advanced manufacturing technology. The Exposition will feature three full days of "hands-on" demonstrations by some 100 suppliers of machine tools and related equipment and services. See and compare equipment in some 40 categories: material forming and removal, tool die, NC and computer NC, testing and inspection, grinding, finishing, material handling.

complete manufacturing spectrum. And it's all under one roof and complemented by company specialists on hand to answer your productivity questions. SME's Suncoast Conference will give you that productivity edge, too. Concurrent technical sessions will discuss Industrial Robot Applications and Electronic Assembly. day-long symposium on Group Technology is also slated.

Sessions are conveniently scheduled to allow you ample time to tour the Exposition. Make your plans now to be with SME at the Curtis Hixon Convention Hall this Tuesday through Thursday for Tampa's most complete manufacturing exposition and conference. event for you and your company to draw upon for years to come. SHOW HOURS: Investment Notes Six-Month 14. Tuesday, January 6: Noon to 9 PM Wednesday, January 7: Noon to 9 PM Thursday, January 8: Noon to 6 PM CURRENT ZANNUAL $10,000 MINIMUM If you work in industry, bring in this advertisement for complimentary admission to the Suncoast Exposition.

No one under 16 years of age admitted. telephone 228-0564 for show information. Year Investment Notes IS 3,000 MINIMUM CURRENT ANNUAL EXHIBITORS IN THE SUNCOAST EXPOSITION EFFECTIVE ANNUAL YIELD UM 30 Month Investment Notes S500 MINIMUM CURRENT RATE QJJ My 9 EFFECTIVE ANNUAL YIELD 1 1.20 Snap-Tap, Inc. Standard Abrasives Storage Handling Equipment Sullair Florida, Inc. Swiss Precision Instruments, Inc.

Geo. A. Teck Machine Tool Co. Tek Rep Tool Die Supply Co. Toolmcx Corp.

Turnex Corp. Twinwest Industries, Inc. U.S. Amada Ltd. Varian Industrial Equipment Weber Automatic Screwdrivers Westwav, Inc.

Widdelf Industries Wilson Tool Corp. World Wide Equipment Co. Y.C.I. (I'SA) Inc. Yuasa International Inc.

Dalen Co. Dentsply International Digital Machine Corp. Double Disc Grinding Dunbar Commercial Enterprises, Inc. Ebway Eisele Corp. Engineered Castings, Inc.

Fabricating Machinery Inc. Forward Industries, Inc. Future Machinery Inc. General Electric Credit Corp. Hialeah Metal Spinning, Inc.

High Quality Engineering Hutson Corp. JET Equipment Tools Kasto-Racine, Inc. Kennametal Inc. Accurate Diamond Tool Corp. Aero Tool Supply Anderson Industrial Supply Ash Tool-South Auto-Kinetics Brackcr Corp.

Branson Cleaning Equipment Co. Bridgeport Machine Tool Brouwer Industries CRC Chemicals, U.S.A. Capital Machine Tools Carr Lane Manufacturing Co. Cherry Associates, Inc. Chip Machines Tools Cindex Inc.

Collins Meyer Inc. Computer Controlled Machinery Center Continental Tool Supply Crown Industrial Products Co. Cyril Bath Co. Kennedy Manufacturing Co. Krumholz Equipment Supply Inc.

L.A. Brush Manufacturing Corp. MDSI MTICorp. Marathon Saw Co. Marco, Inc.

McKechnie Machinery Co. Medalist Industries Megalogics Mercury Machine Tool Supply Co. Milligan and Fouls Inc. Morey Machinery, Inc. Roy Nelson-Machinery Arthur M.

Pichler Sales Polaroid Royal Master Grinders Sanders Tool Machine Co. Scotchman Industries IShort term Capital Notes may not be redeemed by the company prior to I maturity. Additional one year notes may be purchased in multiples of 81000 and 30 month notes in $100 multiples. Interest paid quarterly-. FIRST MORTGAGE CORPORATION OF WINTER HAVEN 1 606 CYPRESS GARDENS ROAD PHONE (813) 29 1-325 4 This antiminmnrnt i wither an offer nor a iliilatiin of an offer lo bin ant of Ihrsr notes.

The offering is made by the Prospectus for Florida residents onlv..