Valley girl
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In the United States, Valley girl is a term coined for young, spolied, and rich female residents of the San Fernando Valley, and originated in the 1970s.
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[edit] Origins and usage
The term originally referred specifically to affluent young women living in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California.
The term morphed in the 1980s and 1990s to represent a more widespread and cartoonish stereotype of young women—typically characterized by a "ditzy" or "airheaded" personality, and unapologetically "spoiled" behavior that showed more interest in shopping, personal appearance, and popular social status, rather than in any intellectual pursuit.
The "Val" is typically blonde-haired, (sometimes dyed) The typical style of dress was often garishly loud and colorful—a combination of pastel and neon colors, ruffles and lace. Tutus, leggings and bodysuits were more rare, but represented the extremes of the trend. The 21st century version typically carries such technologies as cell phones, iPods, etc. Thus, she has some knowledge in the use of these technologies. The Valley Girl has evolved as sociodemographics keep changing and the term is no longer just associated or restricted to blondes. A typical Valley Girl is usually deemed attractive and promiscuous.
[edit] Sociolect
- Main article: Valspeak
A certain sociolect associated with valley girls, referred to as “Valspeak”, became rampant among kids during the 1980s. From 1980-1984, every kid from age 6 to 19 in the region (“Valley Dudes” included) used “Valspeak” if they were "remotely cool." Naturally the “Valley Dude” version of the talk was spoken with fewer squeals, but the same slang. It later evolved into the surfer dude speech pattern mimicked typically by Pauly Shore.
Qualifiers such as “like”, “way”, “totally” and “duh” were interjected in the middle of phrases and sentences as emphasizers. Narrative sentences were often spoken as if they were questions (high rising terminal).
Examples:
- As if – lit. ‘as if’ except it does not use a subject; expresses disgust
- Whatever!- short for ‘whatever you say’; sarcastic comeback
- Barf me out! - ‘So disgusting it makes me want to vomit’
- Fer shur – lit. ‘For sure’
- Totally – ‘I agree’ or ‘completely’
- Gag me with a spoon! - ‘you are so disgusting that you make me want to vomit’
- Tubular –Something so amazing, it should be on television (tube = tv); or, excellent, perfect, as in a (surfable) wave which forms a tube
- Grody to the max! – ‘As gross as he/she/it can be’
- Oh no you didn’t! - ‘Don’t even try’
- Like, oh my God – can be used many ways; expresses shock
- I’m suuure! – ‘I'm absolutely positive’
- Tripendicular! - It can either mean 'awesome' or a drug high.
- Totally Radical, Dude! – ‘That is incredible, man’
- You are totally sluggin'! – ‘You are really cool’
[edit] Preventing the Val
- There is some similarity between the phenomenon of a Valley Girl in the United States and the concept of a Sloane Ranger in the United Kingdom, in particular the self-confidence, the emphasis on personal appearance and social standing among a narrow group of peers, and the lack of interest in social issues such as affirmative action, social welfare and climate change.
- Similar phenomena were registered around the globe in books, movies and on television. In diverse places such as Russia, Japan, Ethiopia, and Pakistan, parent movements and religious organizations were formed against this culture. Specifically, the upward inflection sentence was the most marked symptom of the global Valley Girl, marking these girls as part of the new global culture, saved mostly for the privileged.
- A book was written called How to De-Program Your Valley Girl (ISBN 0-89480-239-9) in an attempt by parents to try to cull what they thought was a damaging trend.
[edit] "Valley Girl" in Pop Culture
[edit] Music
In 1982, composer Frank Zappa released the album Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch. The album featured the single "Valley Girl", with his 14 year old daughter Moon Unit (who supplied Frank with much of the content) speaking typical "Valley girl" phrases. Zappa intended to lampoon the image, but the single had the reverse effect and popularized the valley girl stereotype nationwide. There was a significant increase in the "Valspeak" slang usage.
[edit] Film
In 1983, the feature film Valley Girl was released starring actor Nicolas Cage and actress Deborah Foreman.
Besides featuring the up-and-coming actor Cage, the movie contains a soundtrack of New Wave music which was at the peak of its popularity at that time.
The film's producers had initially approached Frank Zappa to ask him if they could make a film based on his song. Zappa refused, and the filmmakers wound up making the film with Zappa's song anyway, sans his permission. Zappa attempted to sue over the obvious capitalization on his song, but the lawsuit was thrown out.
[edit] United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom the term Valley girl is used to refer to a stereotype of a resident of the South Wales Valleys. The stereotype is one of a sexually promiscuous teenager or woman of less than average intelligence.
The stereotype is similar to Essex Girl or Sloane Ranger.
[edit] Texas
In Texas, the term "Valley Girl" is often colloquially used to refer to a woman from the Rio Grande Valley, the far southern area around Brownsville. The term, of course, became more popular when the California term gained nationwide attention (i.e. because of the contrast with this term).
[edit] California
In Southern California, the term "Valley Girl" refers to girls from the San Fernando Valley. In context it is associated with a spoiled "white" girl from an upper class background who socializes with other "valley girls" in cliques. In nearby regions of the San Fernando Valley people will often call a girl a "valley girl" or tell her to "go back to the valley" if she is showing signs of materialism and/or ditzy behavior.
[edit] See also
- Airhead (slang)
- Bimbo
- Dumb blonde
- Essex girl
- Julie Brown is among the performers from the era who personified and popularized the valley girl image.
- Kogal and ganguro is basically the Japanese equivalent.
- Paninaro
- Popular girl
- San Fernando Valley
- Sloane Ranger
- Socialite Paris Hilton is in several aspects a modern-day valley girl in terms of social habits as well as vocal inflection.
- Yuppie
- The charecter Yt from the novel Snow Crash has many valley girl traits
