Book Review
Urban Dictionary

By Aaron Peckham
Reviewed by Bill London
from the May 2005 Newsletter

Joe called me recently from his home in LA.  He had been hearing a word, “booyah,” and had no idea what it meant.  For some reason, he called to ask me (is it because I live in Moscow, the center of the known universe?)

And I could answer his question, because I knew where to look.  Sure enough, there it was on page 53 of the Urban Dictionary.

Booyah is “an interjection used to express excitement and satisfaction” and is one of the 250,000 new slang words and phrases that Aaron Peckham collected and defined first on his Web site (www.urbandictionary.com) and now in his book.

Peckham started collecting slanguage in 1992 by creating that Web site and asking for new words and definitions.  He sure got plenty – his site now houses a million definitions, and has become the authoritative place to find and understand emerging language.

New words, from skaters, gangsters, stoners, and young people of all kinds, fill the book and actually make this dictionary a fun read.

Here’s just a few:

sheeple – people who are unable to think for themselves
ridonkulous – absurd and laughable
big girl’s blouse – a coward
hasbian – former lesbian, now heterosexual
ten minutes ago – out of style

You can get a copy at BookPeople or borrow one at the Moscow library.

Bill London edits this newsletter and reports proudly that his grand-daughter, Leyna Grace, got madd street cred, fo’ rizzle!

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