Slang! American Lingoes

Hi everyone,

On my nightstand* lies a book I read from time to time: "Slang! Topic-by-topic dictionary of Contempory American lingoes" written by Paul Dickson.
According to the editor, it's the first and only guide arranged by subject.

* "nightstand" is an American word, the British equivalent being "bedside table".
NB: Note the term "Lingoes" which is used in another topic of the "Let's Talk Together" forum; it means languages with negative conotation.

The book is not brand new but except words that stay in street vocabulary for a few months only, most of slang words stay for long in street language.
It is sorted in categories then alphabetic order: Advertising & public relations, auctionese, automotive slang, aviation & space, bureaucratese, and so on till Yuppies, dinks and other moderns.

Comment at the back:

Paul Dickson's hot, cool, cosmic, groovy, nifty, right, boffo, zoning, crankin', souped-up, slam-dunk, userfriendly dictionary captues all the spicy variety of slang as it is slung in contemporary American life.

Crazy the number of slang words for "Mental states" (same in French)!

Hi Muriel, hi everyone,

"Nut" is very used in "mental states".
"Nut" means mad.

Take care with "nuts" as it's slang for testicles and I let you imagine the risks of saying dodgy unwanted expressions.

- "To be off one's nut" -> "être complètement cinglé"
- "To do one's nut" -> "piquer une crise"

I can't say I had heard the phrase "be off one's nut" or "do one's nut" in the States.

Howdy Tregouet!    Nice to read your words on the forum.