New words – 21 February 2011

peng adjective UK slang very attractive
Karen Gillan [star of TV show ‘Doctor Who’] is totally peng. [www.dailymail.co.uk] Apr 2010

totes adverb very informal very, totally
It’s totes the best hun cal froyo [hundred calorie frozen yogurt]! [http://www.yelp.com/list/its-totes-the-best-hun-cal-froyo-san-mateo] Jul 2010

whevs exclamation very informal whatever: used as a sign of rude indifference
Gimme your number (on here, message or text – whevs). [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=286027300060] Jan 2011

About new words

12 thoughts on “New words – 21 February 2011

  1. Harry

    WHEREVER do you find these words? I am a writer and editor in New York and I have never heard or read them. I’m sure there are some populations of English speakers in some part of the world who use this vocabulary, but it should be noted as “regional,” “technical,” “specialized” or whatever. There are a gazillion different versions of English; there is only one large English-speaking country (Australia) without regional or class accents. English is as much a cultural phenomenon as a coherent language.

  2. Rodrigo

    I’m an English teacher/student and for me one thing is missing. Where did you get these words? You should post the region where we can hear that.

  3. David

    Could we have IPA transcription next time? Because ‘peng’ is clear (/peŋ/), but with ‘totes’ (/ˈtəʊtəs/?) and ‘whevs’ (/wevz/?) it’s harder (for a NNS at least).

    1. Hi David, adding IPA is difficult, primarily because most of these words have been observed in written form rather than in speech. So in many ways, your guess is as good as ours, although I think your transcriptions above are correct with the exception of ‘totes’, which I would expect to be /ˈtəʊts/ – so rhyming with ‘boats’ for those unfamiliar with IPA.

  4. Isai Fernández

    What about the word EASEMENT, I didn’t find in the Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Is it a technical word, which I have to look it up in another dictionary?

    1. Harry

      “Easement” is a legal term. It means an agreement by a property owner to allow another person to make limited use of a specific part of his or her property. Two common examples: (1) You own a plot along the main road, and someone else owns a plot behind it. You can give him an easement to permit him to build an entrance drive across your property. (2) A utility needs to extend its lines, whether overhead or underground, across your property to serve other customers; they ask you for an easement. In short, you “ease” (relax, release) control of a specific part of your property for a specific purpose.

      An easement may be sold for money or granted at no charge. It may or may not be limited to a specific time period.

  5. MARIA ALEJANDRA MESA NAVARRO

    which countrys i can heard this words?? i never heard “totes”
    are a lot of people that used this words and is so difficult for me because is another lenguage for me jeje

  6. Pingback: Where does the slang adjective “peng” come from? - English Vision

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