Collected Musings and Mutterings - Pavement

What're your thoughts on accents/slangs/verbal ticks in writing?

Speaking as someone who enjoyed Brian Jacques immensely in his youth, the accents really brought out the characters for me. The British hares, the Northern (Scottish) squirrels, the moles and their Liverpool accent, it was just so much fun to read, and it worked wonders for distinguishing the characters.

For myself, I’m always worried about using accents because I think “am I going overboard here? Are people gonna think I’m making fun of them?” or something. People are pretty sensitive these days, so I usually stick to verbal ticks (like Baxter Stuart and his “no word of it a lie” tick, which he always throws in).

But then the idea came to me; why not just make my own slangs? Then nobody can cancel me.

Actually, it’s partially because of my lil’ sis that I came up with it. One of her planned books was going to take place on earth amidst a bunch of street gangs, so one long day working in retail, I started putting together some cool one-liners and phrases for them.

We were having so much fun with it though, so I ended up turning it into a whole Jive-like lingo. Since it ended up being a little of both of our creations, we decided to both use it. For now, just Cecilia Strzelczyk of my Crimseam storyline and her gang speak Pavement, but you’ll probably see it here and there in more of my stories, and of course in hers.

Some classic one-liner examples:

Hey cuz, what's the catch?

Oh, you know me, still draggin' the chain, flyin' topside. What's on the flip?

Naw cuz, all's green in the mean. You sound me?

Aw, off-time cuz. That was left-handed of me.

Cred, I'll red-card myself.

What the trip? You chasin' Dopples? You're talking pigeon, John.

Aw, guilty! That's trippin' swank!

You four-footed shoe-swapper!

You wheelin' shaboinker, what the trip?

Trip, that really steals my shoes.

Naw cuz, I'd strafe that Jane. Seems a little scrambled in the eggs, you walk me?

The coat on that poser!

The trip? You lookin' me to tender your jam?

Here's the ticker: I'm up a blind alley!

I'll mash you, nimrod

Mark it, cuz. Looks half-murky. Let me scout that.

Zen out, cuz. He's fartin' out his mouth

You takin' me for a daisy-chain?

Don't pale, cuz. I'll sleeve ya.

I'm clean, cuz. Ask another Jane.

Grab your rims and let's jet!

Aw trip, it's the Tickets! We're in half thick soup

Call the Blinkers, this is jail time!

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Lastly, here’s a handy reference of the current extent of the lingo:

Guy/Gal = John/Jane

Jerk = Jack/Jill

Bro/Sis = Cuz

Sick! = Guilty!

F***in’ = Trippin’

Awesome = Swank

Loose, slutty = Wheelin’

F***er = Shaboinker

A**hole = Nimrod

My bad = I’ll red-card myself

That was my bad = That was left-handed of me

Wait a sec = Red light

Sorry = Off-time/Cred

Loser = Poser

True = Bible

What the hell? = What the trip?

What’s up? = What’s the catch?

Gets my goat = Steals my shoes

Chill out = Zen out

Steer clear of = Strafe/Surf/Dodge

Taxed = Stole

Talking nonsense = Talking pigeon

Car = Rims

Let’s head out = Let’s jet

Drunk/high = Chasin’ Dopples

Cops = Tickets/Blinkers/Paddies

Bad luck = Wrong horse

Sissy/Pansy = Daisy-chain

Look at = Scout

Really/Seriously/Majorly = Half

Traitor = Shoe-swapper

Coward = Four-foot

The nerve of that… = The coat on that…

In trouble = In thick soup

Nutso/Crazy = Scrambled in the eggs

You read me/feel me/hear me? = You sound me/walk me/rate me?

A** = Jam

Beat up/Kick/Hit = Tender/Redden/Mash

Here’s the thing/the heart of the matter = Here’s the ticker

Got no clue/Out of ideas = Up a blind alley

Done for = Over

Suck it up = Your sympathy card is in the mail

I screwed up = I’ll walk myself to the penalty box

This is the end for you = From here on’s a one-way street

Oof, that wasn’t good = That’ll show on your Christmas bonus

Let’s get outta here = Time to make like the taxman’s here

It’s dark in here = It’s blind in here

You’re dead! = Say hi to my grandma!

Retreat! = Time for a French charge!

Looks like bad news/trouble = Looks like jail time

Vanished/bailed = Went Mothman

You’re finished = It’s curfew

Working = Draggin’ the chain

Getting by = Flyin’ topside

How about you/them? = What’s on the flip?

Good = Green

Now = In the mean

All’s well = All’s green in the mean

Careful = Mark it

Didn’t mean it = Fartin’ out his mouth

Suspicious = Murky

Protect = Sleeve

Worry = Pale

Book = Leaf

Librarian = Leafer

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What am I doing with my life X’D

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