Here’s a bit of campus slang accompanied by a hand gesture: awkward turtle. Grant explains what it means and how it’s used. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Awkward Turtle Slang”
Grant, I’m looking at this collection of slang from UCLA, and one of the expressions that intrigued me here is awkward turtle. Have you heard this?
I’ve heard it, but I don’t know very much about it.
It’s interesting to me. I mean, you say it in an awkward situation, and it’s accompanied by a hand gesture, which involves, according to this, one hand placed palm down on the back of the other hand and both outstretched thumbs wiggling.
I guess it’s like a turtle on its back or something, but I don’t know what it sounds like. I guess that’s what it looks like.
Oh, that I do know. I’ve heard it. People usually say, awkward turtle, like that.
Oh, really? When somebody commits a faux pas, it’s awkward turtle?
Yeah, it’s kind of the same sing-songy tone that you use when you say, too much information.
Right, there’s a few things in English that we say that way.
I like that.
I’m going to try that, but I’m afraid I’m going to get the hand gesture wrong.
Well, Martha, it is something for the young people.
Yeah, that’s true, for the youngins.
Yeah, I don’t know.
It’s completely outside my experience.
It’s definitely people who are like 10, 15, even 20 years younger than me using it.
Well, if you want to tell us how to make an awkward turtle, give us a call.
Or if you want to talk about any other kind of slang,
The number’s 1-877-929-9673,
Or send those emails to words@waywordradio.org.
