"Hey man..."

Who the hell is teaching this?

Depending on how I be rollin' that day I'll explain that "Hey man" is an overly familiar greeting and inappropriate in just about every context or I'll say "Yo, s'up, homie?"

But where's it from?  Who's the boss?  I need to know.


A'ight?

 

Um, that would be me. Sorry. I thought it was cute, like the little Meet the Focker kid saying "ass-hole."

I've also been teaching them that 'clothes' is pronounced 'cloth-says' and saying "HAllloooooo?" in a high pitched voice to a foreigner is really funny.

Sorry. I'll teach them 's'up homie' from now on since you seem to like that one better.
 

Fine.

Classroom sing-a-longs?

Wish I would've met you
but now it's a little late
What you could've taught me
I could've saved some face
They think that your early ending
was all wrong
For the most part they're right
But look how they all got strong
That's why I say hey man nice shot
What a good shot man
A-a-a-a-y man
Ha-a-a-a-z gun
HE-E-E-E-Y MAN
Ha-a-a-a-ve fun
Nice shot.

QUEEN'S BICYCLE RACE


Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle

I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

You say black I say white
You say bark I say bite
You say shark I say hey man
Jaws was never my scene
And I don't like Star Wars
You say Rolls I say Royce
You say God give me a choice
You say Lord I say Christ
I don't believe in Peter Pan (from another thread)
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my

Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties oh yeah
Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah (for EL and his Chinese girl fixation)
On your marks get set go
Bicycle race bicycle race bicycle race

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle
Bicycle bicycle bicycle
Bicycle race

You say coke I say caine
You say John I say Wayne
Hot dog I say cool it man
I don't wanna be the President of America
You say smile I say cheese
Cartier I say please
Income tax I say Jesus
I don't wanna be a candidate for
Vietnam or Watergate
Cause all I wanna do is

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride it where I like

I remember some Portuguese eight and nine-year-olds responding to my attempts at classroom management with, variously, "F*ck you, man", and "Kiss my ass, mu'fukka". Guess they'd been watching some non-Disney DVDs.

They're just trying to relax themselves before speaking with a Laow...foreigner. Bro.

Borkya, I was "Hey, Man"'-ed long before you arrived. I try to teach them "what ho, old crumpet" instead. It's part of my one-squirrel mission to Wodehouseify China.  I seem to recall...well...almost all movies made in the 80's had, at some point, a street savvy youngster with a bandana and a boom-box addressing the main character with a loud "Hey, man"...they must have seen these movies, how else do you explain the popularity of break dancing???

On the difference between British and American English:

"Wotcha cock!"

British English--a greeting, means Hey man.
American English--a warning, means put that thing away.

What, ho? Yo, strumpet! is American for umm, well it ain't something Jeeves would say. Bertie maybe, but not Jeeves

I disgaree. Bertie Wooster would never call a lady a strumpet. Personally I find “Hey man” to be abrasive and too obnoxious...the British “you alright, mate” is much more pleasant...

Hey man is a direct translation of the Chinese "na".

Borkya, I was "Hey, Man"'-ed long before you arrived. I try to teach them "what ho, old crumpet" instead. It's part of my one-squirrel mission to Wodehouseify China.  

Not a bad idea, old man, if you don't mind me saying.

One of my less mentally versatile students reminds me rather powerfully of Madeline Bassett. Beautiful, but with her eyes permanently fixed on another plane of existence and a smile of wonderfully comprehensive incomprehension.

Um, that would be me. Sorry. I thought it was cute, like the little Meet the Focker kid saying "ass-hole."

I've also been teaching them that 'clothes' is pronounced 'cloth-says' and saying "HAllloooooo?" in a high pitched voice to a foreigner is really funny.

The next time I accidentally tread on a decomposing dead rat, I'll imagine it's you.

I blame David Bowie, and his Suffragette City. Just take a LOOK at these lyrics!

(Hey man) oh leave me alone you know
(Hey man) oh Henry, get off the phone, I gotta
(Hey man) I gotta straighten my face
This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place

(Hey man) my schooldays insane
(Hey man) my work's down the drain
(Hey man) well she's a total blam-blam

I'm sure you all know this song, it's the one with the kinda' unforgettable phrase (love it or hate it): "Aaaaaah Wham Bam Thank you Ma'am!"

Not sure if the origin is British or American because Bowie definitely spend time in the States.

Bowie is decidedly British and doesn't even affect a US accent unlike many other singers (including Beatles and Stones)
check out his rhymes despite his having hung out with Iggy Pop and Andy Warhol et al

I was always tempted to teach my students using the Cheech Marin method in "Born in East LA." The proper greeting is, "Wa sappening?"