Talkin’ American: A Dictionary of Informal Words and Expressions
Revised and updated on-line edition
© Ronald M. Harmon, 2025
In memory of Mel and Canela
Acknowledgments
My loving thanks to my wife, Dr. María R. Montaño-Harmon, for her support, encouragement, and many useful suggestions.
Special thanks go to the nine evaluators who rated the frequency of use of this dictionary’s entries. Their efforts have provided a unique and most useful contribution to this work. They are, listed here with the states where they have had extended residence:
Robert J. Childs (California)
Daniel Bragg Cook, Jr. (Alabama, Colorado, California)
Darrel F. Crose (Ohio, California)
Kathleen C. deVries (New York, Connecticut)
Kathi A. Johnson (Ohio, Arkansas, California)
Brian P. Kariger (California)
Faye Folkins Miltenberger (Arizona, California)
Lisa Morgan (Michigan, Massachusetts, California)
Sharon Portman (Texas, California)
Introduction
Talkin’ American―A Dictionary of Informal Words and Expressions is a descriptive compilation of more than 6,500 terms and expressions commonly used in informal American English. It is both a reference and a learning tool. Its entries have definitions or explanations, example sentences, and frequency-of-use markers determined by a team of native speakers of American English.
The United States is the largest community of English speakers in the world, and the terms and expressions listed in this work are the common stock of language used in everyday circumstances in American society, including conversation in almost all situations (among friends, family members, even strangers), much writing (contemporary fiction, much nonfiction, plays, and letters) and the media (television, radio, and movies).
Talkin’ American focuses on the informal language of the United States. While it is also largely relevant to Canadian English, the selection of its entries is based solely on U.S. usage. Its entries are not necessarily exclusively American. Many of them occur in informal English throughout the world, but their inclusion here affirms their use in the U.S.
This work was designed for users who were not born and raised in the United States, especially those whose first language is not English. But to benefit from it, the user should have at least a basic knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary.
Informal Language
Talkin’ American has sought to include all common terms and expressions that are generally used only in informal circumstances and avoided in formal speech or writing (in meetings, conferences, reports, etc.). Of course, many terms are informal when they have special meanings in informal circumstances, while they are not informal when they have their basic meanings. For example, buy is informal when it means “believe” or “accept” but is not informal when it means “purchase.” While much language is neutral in style (i.e., it may be used, with the same meaning, in formal or informal circumstances), this dictionary includes only those items with meanings generally limited to informal situations.
Common Usage
Talkin’ American includes only terms and expressions that have widespread use in the United States, that is, items that a majority of Americans know and understand. Thus, it does not include strict regionalisms, ethnic speech, jargon, or slang that is restricted to special groups of speakers. It does include items coming from such groups if they are widely understood throughout the country and among the general population. The team of frequency-of-use evaluators has determined that all entries meet this criterion.
Format
Sample entry:
LOSE
* lose [one’s] shirt (colloq.): suffer a big financial loss, lose all that [one] has >He lost his shirt on that deal and had to declare bankruptcy.
1) Each entry is listed under a key word in bold type and capital letters. Cross-references may lead the user to the entry (this one is cross-referenced under SHIRT).
2) A frequency marker precedes each entry expression: two asterisks mean frequently heard or read, one asterisk means regularly heard or read, and a dash (—) means occasionally heard or read.
3) The expression is listed in bold type. It may include grammatical indicators such as “[one’s]” or “[s/one]” in brackets, where specific pronouns or nouns appear in actual use.
4) A usage indicator given in parentheses after the expression shows the level of informality or the situation that the expression is appropriate for.
5) Definitions/explanations give the expression’s meaning or shades of meaning to convey the scope and tone of its use. They also indicate grammatical function.
6) An example sentence, in italics and preceded by an arrow, uses the expression in a typical and natural context to help point up its meaning and grammatical usage.
Sample entry:
PICK
** pick up1 (vt) (colloq.): learn informally or through experience >Patty picked up quite a bit of Spanish when she lived in Mexico.
1) Two or more entry expressions having the same form but different meanings have superscripts to distinguish them (there are five different “pick up” expressions).
2) A “(vt)” indicates a transitive verb or verb phrase (one taking a direct object). A “(vi)” indicates an intransitive verb or verb phrase (one not taking a direct object).
Sample entry:
BIG DEAL
** (it’s) no big deal (colloq.): it’s not so important, it’s not worth being concerned about, it’s no problem >It’s no big deal if you get there a little late.
1) The key word may be a compound written as separate words (BIG DEAL), as one (RUBBERNECK), or hyphenated (KNOCK-DOWN-DRAG-OUT).
2) Optional parts of an entry expression are included in parentheses.
Sample entry:
BUMMER
** bummer (bum´әr) (sl.): disappointment, upsetting or unpleasant thing or occurrence (also interj.) >This party’s a bummer—let’s split. >Bummer, man! My surfboard’s cracked.
1) A pronunciation transcription is given in parentheses after the entry expression for words occurring only in informal situations (e.g., ‘bummer’) and for word spellings with more than one pronunciation (e.g., ‘lead’: ‘lēd’ and ‘led’).
2) An additional grammatical function besides that given in the definitions/explanations is shown following them in parentheses.
3) A second example sentence shows the entry used with its additional grammatical function or with a different shade of meaning.
Additional Format Notes
Frequency-of-use indicators
Entries with two asterisks (those rated as frequently heard or read) constitute 12% of the total number of entries, those with one asterisk (rated as regularly heard or read) make up 45%, and those with a dash (rated as occasionally heard or read) represent 43%.
Entries
When more than one entry is listed under a key word, entries that are just that key word are listed first, and nouns come before verbs. After that, multi-word entries are listed alphabetically by their first word, taking into account words in parentheses (optional parts of an expression), but not words in brackets (grammatical indicators).
Some entries contain variants, indicated by a slash that separates them. For example, “like a million dollars/bucks” may be used in the form “like a million dollars” or in the form “like a million bucks.”
Entries made of letters pronounced separately are generally listed as capital letters with periods after them (for example, “P.C.P.”). This spelling is used throughout, although such terms may be seen written elsewhere without periods or, at times, with lowercase letters.
Usage indicators
The three main usage indicators are colloq. (for “colloquial”), sl. (for “slang”), and vulg. (for “vulgar”):
• Colloquial terms and expressions are those that can be used in any informal setting. They are not characteristic of specific groups in society and are widely accepted and used in everyday language. They do not have the “youth-oriented” and “in-group” dimensions that slang items do, they are not taboo in polite social settings as vulgar items are, and they are less informal than items in these other two categories.
• Slang terms and expressions are very informal. They tend to be more contemporary, playful, inventive, and youth-oriented than colloquial items and generally serve to enhance group identity.
• Vulgar terms and expressions are considered coarse or obscene and are offensive to many people. They are inappropriate in polite society and may even be censured in some social circumstances.
Other usage indicators, which may be added to the three above, are pej. (for “pejorative”), hum. (for “humorous”), sarc. (for “sarcastic”) and dtd. (for “dated”):
• Pejorative terms or expressions degrade or belittle a person or group on the basis of gender; race; age; occupation; sexual orientation; physical traits; or national, religious, ethnic, or regional background. They are offensive to most people, and there may be social and even legal sanctions against their use in some situations (for example, in the workplace).
• Humorous terms or expressions are generally used in a funny or playful way.
• Sarcastic terms or expressions are generally used in an ironic or mocking way.
• Dated terms or expressions are less commonly used today than in past years, but may still be encountered occasionally
Definitions/explanations
Parts in parentheses are more explanatory than definitional and include such phrases as “(used esp. [especially] ...),” “(freq. [frequently] used ...),” and “(intens. [intensifier] to ...).”
Example sentences
The tone of the example sentences reflects the circumstances of usage indicated for the entry item. Shortened -ing forms (for example, givin’ instead of giving) and combined forms (for example, gonna instead of going to) are used in sentences for slang and vulgar entries to reflect extra informality. Also, nonstandard forms (for example, Him and me for He and I, them for those, and double negatives) appear occasionally in example sentences to reflect the informality of the content.
Suggestions for the User
Finding an entry
The exact boundaries or listed form of an expression that one hears or reads may not be easily determined. So if the expression is not readily found where expected, the user should check all entries under the key word, since an optional part or a variant may have it listed in another place. If it is still not found, the user should check entries under other possible key words, including compound nouns (e.g., the expression “it’s no big deal” is found under “BIG DEAL,” not under “BIG” or “DEAL”). Not all that one hears or reads and does not understand is necessarily informal; consulting a conventional dictionary may be in order.
The user should note that many compound words do not have a standardized spelling in English. Compounds may be seen written as one word, separate words or hyphenated words. Also, the spelling of informal words is not always standard (for example, words ending in -y, -ey, or -ie). Although Talkin’ American includes many cross-references with alternate spellings, the user should apply some flexibility regarding spelling.
Common derivatives of entries are not generally listed (for example, the -ing gerund or the -er marker for agent [or doer] of verbs); the user should keep derivatives in mind when comparing forms heard or read with entries in this dictionary.
Using the frequency-of-use markers
The frequency-of-use markers are especially valuable as guides for making Talkin’ American a learning tool and not just a reference. The user may first select items marked for highest frequency of use to learn and incorporate into his or her active vocabulary, either systematically or as they are encountered and looked up. Later, items marked for lower frequency can be learned.
Using caution with vulgar and pejorative items
Language is a powerful tool and must be used with caution. Since vulgar and pejorative terms do exist in American English and are widely used in restricted circumstances, it is important that this work list and describe them; the user needs to have a means with which to recognize them and their meanings. But it is equally important that he or she realize that using them in inappropriate circumstances may have very negative consequences. Some people are offended by vulgar terms and expressions in any circumstance, and most people use them with moderation. Similarly, most people avoid using pejorative terms and expressions. Inappropriate use of such items may not only offend others and reflect poorly on the user, but may also make him or her subject to social and even legal sanctions.
Suggestions for Teachers
Talkin’ American is a useful reference for all adult ESL learners of American English at an intermediate or higher level. As a descriptive work, it documents all the types of informal language that learners will continually hear and read in real, everyday circumstances. For this reason it includes terms that may be offensive because they are vulgar or pejorative. Because of the inclusion of such items, this reference may not be appropriate for secondary or younger students, but it will make information on all types of language encountered in American English more accessible to adult learners.
Talkin’ American is recommended as a supplemental text in conversation and vocabulary-building classes. The instructor can either treat all terms and expressions in designated categories (e.g., all colloquial entries with two asterisks) or glean specific items for treatment based on some other criterion (e.g., entries derived from sports terminology or verbs with prepositional particles). It is recommended that vulgar and pejorative items not be targeted for active vocabulary acquisition, although they may be studied for recognition.
This work and its usage indicators can be used to teach important basic sociolinguistic principles regarding language register and style, such as the use of nonstandard forms and taboo language and the importance of language appropriateness by situation. Regarding items labeled vulgar and pejorative, the teacher should emphasize 1) the need to recognize them and their meanings, 2) the restricted circumstances in which they are generally used, and 3) the possible negative consequences of using them.
The definitions/explanations can be used for practice and testing of entries, and example sentences can serve as models for students to generate their own sentences using entry items and for creating broader contexts in which the example sentences might occur.
For students who speak nonstandard dialects of English, Talkin’ American may be used in “reverse” fashion, where students learn more formal ways of expressing informal words and expressions that they already know by studying entry definitions, in the manner of a thesaurus. In this way, it could be a useful tool for vocabulary expansion from a casual register to a more formal standard usage.
Finally, Talkin’ American serves as a basic instructor resource for exploring informal language use and for the creation of dialogues, specific vocabulary lists and other pedagogical materials.