Ever wondered what some of the slang people used actually meant? Wondered if it ever had any context? Wondered how to use it in a context of your own? How it came about? Well, look no further. Here are the first round of hood translations that I use daily and have introduced to many of my friends who have not had the same experiences I have been blessed with. So here you go.
1. What Had Happened Was.......
First thing you should know when you hear this is there's a 95% chance that a lie will come afterwards. Most use it when lying about being late for something, not accomplishing a task in a certain amount time, etc. Ex."Where were you yesterday?" "See what had happened was, (lie). There are tons of slick talkers today, so when you hear those exact words, you'll know exactly that that person is not telling the truth. Don't be sorry, be careful.
2. Bye Felicia...
You've probably heard this one the most. Used in the famous movie Friday with Craig's crazy day in the hood. This funny crackhead named Felicia greeted Craig and Smokey asking to borrow a car, and to smoke a joint. After being joked on by Smokey, Craig simply told Felicia to leave by saying, "Bye Felicia..." with a shooing motion. You can find it used today by people mostly when someone is annoying. So the next time someone is getting on your nerves, don't just say leave me alone, hit them with this and watch their befuddlement.
3. I'll be there in a minute....
Now we all know how bad this statement is yet, we always tend to fall for it! When you hear this from someone you never know if they're actually telling the truth! They could be around the corner coming to pick you up, or be an hour away and you would never know. I try to use exact time when I am ACTUALLY on the way, but I do find myself guilty of using this phrase when I am busy with something else. If it were one of my friends saying this to me, I would go back and take a 30 minute nap at least because I know a minute to them is just another term for "when I get the time". Watch out for those who tell you that they'll be there in a minute.
4. Bet..
This has to be one of my favorites because of an experience I had at Sewanee with one of my best friends. We were talking as usual and he said that he was going to bed and would see me tomorrow. I agreed and said "Bet! See you then" and proceeded to walk back to my room. He answered with, "Bet what? Why are we betting? There's nothing to bet about.." All I could do was smile and laugh. When someone says bet in their normal vernacular, it is not meant to put a wage on something or to gamble. Rather, it is the equivalent of an okay, or alright. So next time you hear someone say bet to you don't be so quick to pull out your wallet, but rather listen to the context of the sentence now that you know what bet means.
Now that you understand these few translations, you should be able understand the vernacular people use around you a little more everyday. Stay woke.
