Valleyspeak

ValleySpeak or Valspeak is the common name for an American sociolect. Originally the term was used to describe the particular manner of speech of the Valley Girls of the San Fernando Valley, California in the 1970s. This was initially a local fad, similar to the surfer slang or skateboarding slang, and many forms of expression, however, later found their place in everyday life, California.

Origin of the term

Popularity gained the designation by the 1982 published by Frank Zappa single Valley Girl. The song includes his 14 - year-old daughter Moon Unit Zappa spoken passages which illustrate the linguistic dynamic and youthful insouciance of Valspeak. Expressions like grody to the max spread through the song. Partially used Moon and vocabulary from the surfing scene, such as tubular or gnarly, whereby these words again found their way into the vocabulary of the Valley Girls. In return, the surfers Valley but no terms made ​​our own.

On television for the first time served in 1976 Laraine Newman during an episode of Saturday Night Live way of speaking. The stereotype of the Valley Girls was also played by Tracy Nelson on the sitcom Sqare Pegs, stating as a source of inspiration Zappa song. Since then, the sociolect was often clichéd, used in numerous media.

Dissemination

Some phrases, eg the tail expression like today are more common part of the American vernacular. Elements of ValleySpeak can be found even in the world again, especially in young native English speakers. Lately, the speaking style has developed a predominantly symbolic character regardless of its actual meaning.

Intonation

The use of a high rising terminal is frequently encountered in the Valley Speak. This pure statements are sometimes stressed as questions. So opinions sometimes appear as a gentle interrogation. In English, we call this technique uptalking.