PEDIATRICS Vol. 88 No. 5 November 1991, pp. 998
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SURFSPEAK

MALIBU, Calif.—Thanks in part to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, surfspeak is washing across the nation like a stoked tsunami. That's like, you know, a totally awesome wave.

Surfspeak derives largely from Standard English and is very closely related to Californian. In fact, it has become a sort of classical language, by Malibu standards, dating all the way back to the ancient 1960s, when the Beach Boys were really boys and Ventures was a rock band instead of things that capitalists finance. Surfspeak has occasionally basked in national favor and seems to have inspired much of what is known as Valley Girl talk, thus extending its influence over young people around the country.

Now the language is beginning to receive scholarly attention - mainly from Trevor "Coconut" Cralle, 29 years old, who. . . has combed almost every known surfing spot on the West Coast, Hawaii and Australia in search of the perfect wave and the most esoteric slang. . .

Mr. Cralle. . . has compiled his research into a thick manuscript, "The Surfin'ary: A Dictionary of Surfing Terms and Phrases," and is shopping it around to publishers. . .

The Surfin'ary is designed to preserve and document a rich subculture, Mr. Cralle says. But it may also have great appeal for surfing wannabes or poser hodads or nons (non-surfers) who want to sound like surfers while avoiding sunburn and salt water and who have never tried to be up on a stick (to surf). Even people who don't know the difference between a goofy foot (their left) and a natural (their right) can talk like thrashers (surfing show-offs).