JOHOR SLANG WORDS of THE 'UNDERGROUND ROCK CULTURE" of THE LATE 70s to MID-80s ...

by azly rahman

it was the period of rock music whose influence came from down south, Singapore .. words reflecting the sociolect of the genre and the generation I was part of became the dominant linguistic marker and mark of communicative competence of my generation ... here are a few ...


" -- gua, lu, lu orang, member, brader, babe, beb, mat, mamat, sambar, cinoni, minah, bini, mak we', ah moi, apek, jam, kepala best, high, fag, kena dam, jam, jamming, merak, jambu, pergi melabor/go to the bathroom, bertelor/too long in the bathroom, goreng, turun johor, terjun singapore, bigoh, sengal, senak, lepak kompleks, jalan Lido, bapok/pondan bukit Timbalan, kena sembor, masuk mentol / masuk mental hospital, masuk tampoi, kena sound, toya, tantun, lipat, kona baring, buat wheelie, slack, fras/frust menonggeng, bertenggek, bikin trouble, feeling sama dia, story, bando'/bandar, rembat, sesah, belasah, bedok, bengang, rewang, penaggah, chelaka, mem, bos, stout, ayam, ... etc. "

- wa/gua ("I" or "me")
- lu (you)
- turun Johor (to go to town)
- pegi "jamming" (to go and play music with your band)
- best (satisfying)
- toya (nerd)
- tantun (not sophistcated in grooming)
- terror (of greatness)
- fag (cigarette .. not faggots, mind you ...)
- rugged (of american-looking)
- kodok (girls)
- chinoni (very cute)
- bond (police/mata mata)
- boss gua (my father)
- mem gua (my mother)
- kerek (arrogant)
- anak Lord (rich man's son/daughter)
- bedok (to beat one up)
- teranjang (to kick ...)
- stim (to get high)
- kena dam (to get high)
- isap fit (to get high)
- kena barang (to get high)
- bikin kepala best (to get high)
- sedut barang (to get high)
- sedut benda tu (to get high)
- makan pil (to get high)
- tarik itu barang (to get high)
- kena gam (to get high)
- stone (to get high)
- makan madat (to get high ... used in the 60s)
- makcik (girlfried)
- bini gua (my girlfriend)
- scrambler ( motorbike)
- goreng ( to play the scales .. mad scales .. on your elctric guitar)
- wa cakap sama luu ... ( i tell you .../standard expression at the end of conversation ..)
- wa caya sama lu ( i trust you)
- wa cinta sama lu ( i love you)
- wa sumpah (i swear ..)
- wa story sama lu ( i'll tell you what happen ...)
- bapok Bukit Timbalan (tranvestite of Bulit Timbalan)
- turun Lido (go hang out at Lido Beach/now Danga Bay)
- anak ABU (anak anak angkatan bawah umiur / underaged unruly kids)
- gua belanja lu ( i pay for your lunc/dinner/movies/jamming session, etc ..)
- wa main toto (i play the Sports Toto)
- wa kena Stout (i drank Guiness Stout)
- wa panas (angry)
- wa ngan lu kamcheng (we're BFF/great buddies)
- wa tak sombong ( i am humble)
- wa kena kantoi ... celaka .. sial ... ! ( i was caught ... damn damn ..)
- wa hot (angry too)
- wa sedih (i am sad)
- wa happy (i am happy)
- wa punya minah (my girlfriend)
- wa clash sama minah wa (i broke up with my girlfriend)
- wa frust menonggeng (i was really broken-hearted/after the breakup)
- minah Larkin (girl from Larkin)
- minah Tampoi (girl from Tampoi -- stay away ..)
- wa pi Mekah (errr ... quite unlikely ...)

alright folks ... any more ? there will be a test on these words next week .. you better know your stuff ...

JOHOR-MALAY KILLER SLANG WORDS ...

- muntah-kedarah (to eat like a pig; seven Big Macs for lunch)
- memberot (to excrete)
- melabor (to excrete also .. modern usage)
- meneran (the process of excreting)
- membeseh (to urinate)
- berendut (to go on a date)
- membuta (to sleep)
- merayau (to roam around)
- manapak (to set foot)
- menogak (to drink beer/toddy)
- mengisap (benda tu .. ) (to smoke ganja)
- melalak (to sing like a rock star)
- menackle (to 'tackle' a girl or boy)
- menonong (to walk away rudely)
- berda'ah (to lie through the nose)
- bergetah (very beautiful girl) 

please add more if you know ...