The lack of Curse words...where would we be?

[finalrain]

tgas

Speaking of the south, what in the name of G.C. does "You're the bees knees" mean? A friend of mine was told that a while a go, and we've been trying to figure it out ever since...

I thought that was flapper slang (ie from the 20's, etc.), similar to "Cat's Meow" and the like. What the metaphor is, I have no idea. What it <i>means</i> is that someone is "really cool."

some website

The Bees Knees" - 1920s slang used to describe a terrific dancer

[jhafiasuhfsdifhsie]

finalrain

tgas

Speaking of the south, what in the name of G.C. does "You're the bees knees" mean? A friend of mine was told that a while a go, and we've been trying to figure it out ever since...

I thought that was flapper slang (ie from the 20's, etc.), similar to "Cat's Meow" and the like. What the metaphor is, I have no idea. What it <i>means</i> is that someone is "really cool."

some website

The Bees Knees" - 1920s slang used to describe a terrific dancer

Ahhh...we've only heard southern people use it, so we always assumed it was a southern thing.

[Rowan Fox]

See now, I would have no idea what that would mean b/c I am south of the south, if you catch my drift. (hence, florida >P) So now I know...Weixuan, I liked that last one you posted...

EDIT: but then, apparent'y, it's not really from the south, or is it?

[finalrain]

tgas

Ahhh...we've only heard southern people use it, so we always assumed it was a southern thing.

Southern slang tends to be less ... innovative than flapper slang. The south wants you to know when you've been insulted. With the flappers it's hard to tell if they just liked making it so the "average joe" couldn't understand what they were saying, or if they were just trying to sound too cool for their own good.

Considering much of the flapper era occured during the American Prohibition of alcohol, it's possible that some of the necessity of slang grew out of a need/desire for some amount of secrecy. However, if this was the primary use, I don't think any given phrase worked well for long towards that purpose. whee

(It's amazing how much flapper slang is common parlance today.)