valley girl

 

Origins and usage

The term originally referred specifically to affluent teens and young women living in upscale parts of the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the term morphed into a somewhat caricatured stereotype of such young women, typically characterized by a "ditzy" or "airheaded" personality, and unapologetically "spoiled" behavior that showed more interest in shopping, personal appearance, and social status, rather than in intellectual development or personal accomplishment.

The Valley Girl was prototypically a blonde-haired (though not necessarily naturally blonde) Caucasian. But the "Val" has evolved along with demographic changes, and many young women of different ethnicities have become part of the trend. A typical Valley Girl is usually considered to be attractive and sexually promiscuous.

Sociolect

Main article: Valspeak

A certain sociolect associated with valley girls, referred to as “Valspeak”, became common during the 1980s. From 1980-1984, “Valspeak” grew in use by both boys and girls.

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 though 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 – Excellent, perfect, as in a (surfable) wave which forms a tube
• Grody to the max! – ‘As gross as he/she/it can be’
• Like, oh my God – can be used many ways; expresses shock
• I’m suuure! or I'm so sure – ‘I'm absolutely positive’, but usually used sarcastically
• 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’
• Betty - An attractive woman.
• Don't Have a Cow - Don't freak out.

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 more worldly issues.

• 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]}

"Valley Girl" in pop culture

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^{[citation needed]}) speaking typical "Valley girl" phrases. Zappa intended to lampoon the image, but the single also popularized the valley girl stereotype nationwide. There was a significant increase in the "Valspeak" slang usage, whether ironically spoken or not.

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 anyway. Zappa attempted to sue over the obvious capitalization on his song, but the lawsuit was thrown out.^{[citation needed]}

Stores

Australian women's fashion store, Valley Girl, uses the image of the valley girl to its advantage. It stocks fashionable and affordable clothing for women under 30 years in age.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom the term Valley girl is used to refer to a stereotype of a resident of the county of Essex. The stereotype is one of a sexually promiscuous teenager or woman of less than average intelligence.

The American concept of the Valley Girl is similar to the UK's Sloane Ranger & Essex Girl stereotypes.

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).

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-middle 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.

Recent population shifts in the valley have changed the image of the "Valley Girl," and may not have registered with those unfamiliar with Los Angeles' current racial make-up. During the 1990s, when the demographics of the San Fernando Valley changed dramatically into mostly middle-class Chicano households, today's typical "Valley Girl" is no longer white, affluent, and English-speaking but rather Hispanic, middle-income, and bilingual.^{[citation needed]}

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
• San Fernando Valley
• Sloane Ranger
• Yuppie
• Paris Hilton
• Nicky Hilton
• Nicole Richie

External links

• The Evolution of the Valley Girl

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