YOLO: Slang as Human Migration
Page by: Elizabeth Snyder, Daphne Warren, Jordan Ruiz, and Salbador contreras
Cool:
A Story Of Slang Migration
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**Click for a summary of the page
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How has cool migrated?
It started in 15th century Africa with the word ''Itutu'', which means physical beauty and being calm and detached from your circumstances. It was also used in 15th century Italy with the word ''Sprezzatura'' This means to be nonchalant and hiding your desires behind ironic detachment.
Then there is the Italian concept of Ómerta. Ómerta is keeping your cool and not telling the authorities anything. Our modern version of cool may have come from slaves and prisoners. Then, in the 1940s the actual word ''cool'' began to stick. This is because of the Jazz player Lester Young. The word cool shows that slang migrates because it originally started in Africa with ''Itutu'' along with the Italian concepts of ''Ómerta'' and ''Sprezzatura'' and came to America as the word ''cool''.
There is no recorded first use of the word cool, although it became popular in the 1940s. |
WHen Was Cool first used? |
Who are the cool kids?
People who are cool exhibit a style or taste that people want to emulate, they're fashionable.
WHo
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Everyone! Over the years we have come up with many different words that mean ''Cool''but the only one that has actually stuck around and is cool to use is ''cool''. |