Socializing in the 1950's is very different from how we socialize today.  Particularly, teenagers.  Before and during World War II, American families faced tough times.  Teenagers went to school and typically had a job to bring in money for the household.  There was little time for socializing among the youth. After World War II, economic success thrived in many families in addition to advances in technology.  Many kids were able to afford cars, school dances, and were encouraged to go to college, resulting in extra time to socialize with other teenagers.  New nicknames for cars, telephones, dates, and conversations arose because of more free time teenagers had to be around one another. 

A common way to greet a friend of yours was What's up Doc?  Another common phrase was What's buzzin'?, which means What's new?  The block party everyone's been talking about at school was called a bash.  That term is still used today.  Make the scene meant to attend an event. Your friend might say to you,  Are you going to take that Dolly on a date tonight?  Dolly was a word which meant a cute girl. If the date did not go well, it was called a fake out. The automobile industry thrived in the 1950’s, and there were a lot of names to call to your new car.  Chariot was the most common nickname for the car.  Other names included adjectives for the V-8 engine: set of wheels, the machine, and bent eight. 

Many slang words were created during this decade that described socializing and interacting with others.  An odd ball meant that someone was weird.  The person you saw yelling, you would describe them as being frosted, cranked, or going ape, which also meant to be excited.  Someone with good jets was another way to say you're smart.  Named the class clown?  You would have been known as a big tickle, meaning you’re humorous. On the hook or You’re on cloud 9 meant that you were in love. Tight was a word to describe someone who was drunk.  Describing a place that is crowded was referred to as Antsville.  On the other hand, if a place was deserted or boring, it was called Nowheresville.

The slang and lingo of the 1950's may be over sixty years old, but there are still some words and phrases that are still said today.  One example is the word salty, which originated in 1950's in Philadelphia. It originally meant to be angry and has a similar meaning today. Slang has changed since the 1950’s, and will continue to change from generation to generation.