It’s sometimes associated with California, but it’s used pretty much everywhere. Like can be used as multiple parts of speech: comparing similar things, in similes, as a synonym for “enjoy.” But its slang usage - introduced into youth culture by “ valley girls” in the 1980s - is hard to pin down. “I saw the new Star Wars in IMAX over the weekend.” You know, massive, awe-inspiring things that “put the fear of God in ya.” But in the American lexicon, awesome has expanded to include the less awe-inspiring, like a hit single, a hamburger, some new sneakers - if you’re even just mildly excited about something, it can be awesome. In the old days, “awesome” was a word reserved for the truly powerful, fear-inducing or sublime: the view from a mountaintop, the sea during a storm, the voice of God emanating from a burning bush.
(We know you’re thinking it, so here’s the beer commercial that made this American phrase world famous.) 2. Just like the French “ ça va?” you can respond to “What’s up?” with - you guessed it - “What’s up?” The beauty of “What’s up?” is that it’s not really a question in need of an answer. In more formal situations, it’s better to say, “Nice to meet you” or “Nice to see you.” No matter what you learned in English class, do not greet a friend or acquaintance with, “How do you do?” “ What’s up?” and the even more informal “ ‘sup?” mean the same thing without making it sound like you should be tipping your top hat. Thanks to the influence of American television shows around the world, chances are you’ve heard many of these examples before - but do know the real meaning of all of them? 1. Here are some useful American English words and phrases that will help you understand just what the heck ‘merkans are talking about. English may be a global lingua franca, but the way it’s spoken is very different from place to place.
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