I grew up in Hawai'i where they have their own way of speaking: Hawaiian slang. They call it Pidgin' and sometimes it doesn't make any sense. For instance: Are you going to the store? can be said: You stay going store? White people are known as "Haoles" (how-lees) and since I have been away from Hawai'i and don't speak Pidgin' anymore, they say that I have been Haole-fied.
A few weeks ago, through the magic of facebook, I was talking to an old friend from Hawai'i when she said to me "ewww thats so NAILS!"
Nails--I have not used that word since I left Hawai'i. Now, everything that I find awful I call Nails much to the confusion of all my friends.
Nails--I have not used that word since I left Hawai'i. Now, everything that I find awful I call Nails much to the confusion of all my friends.
According to the Urban Dictionary:
Nails- Adjective
1. Disagreeble; unpleasant
2. Crass; cheaply vulgar; tasteless; crude
3. Junk; ugly; unappealing
4. Mean; cruel (said of one's treatment of another)
**The exact origin of this word's usage are unknown but contemporarily has been used in Hawaii's gay and Mahu (transgendered)(ma-hoo) community for the past 30 years.
Makes sense. Nails screeching on a blackboard is unpleasant, or being nailed by someone while playing football can make for an ugly situation. Or Piss a Mahu off in high heels and green shorts and see what happens....
I have fond memories from elementary school (Hana batta days- a time when you were too little and couldn't wipe your own nose -hana meaning nose, batta- meaning butter) all the way through high school saying "thats so Nails!" Hmm maybe that was a clue that I was gay, using the word Nails.
I want to bring it back! Spread it beyond Hawaii! Beyond gay culture!
I have my friends here in NYC starting to use it:
"This restaurant is so NAILS!"
"Did you see what that guy was wearing? NAILS!"
"My boss was NAILS today"
"Gurl, you look NAILS, what happened?"
Go ahead, try it. Think of something unpleasant that happened today, and instead of trying to describe it, just say it was NAILS! Its so much easier.
Help me spread a little bit of Hawaiian Mahu slang around the world, by using Nails!
I don't care if you think that idea is Nails or not.
12 comments:
are those your nails? cool!!! it's nice to see people just being themselves in nyc. sometimes people here don't feel like they can do that. especially teenagers.
never heard the term "nails" before. i'll do my best to bring it back. probably won't use it in the classroom though. it seems like to the kids, every word i use (except math vocab) is a slang for some drug or sex thing.
keep writing--i enjoy reading your blog! =)
LOL I think I should reveal that those Nails on the hand in the picture is SCOTCH TAPE on a friends hand LOL.. looks good huh? And its a guy too!
i love it! nails is totally the slang de jour...who's the shirtless guy in the pics? it kinda looks like Miguel from Step it up and Dance....
Those nails on that guy's hand are totally nails. I also like how diversified the word nails can be, however,using the word will only have meaning for those of us who understand its meaning.
((((((((FLASHBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK)))))))))
OMGAWWD. I remember you did that back in elementary LMAO (we used to pretend we were the Thundercats and Tala wanted to be Cheetarah LOL) and I think you made his nails lmao...because of your idea--me, Lahela, Christie, and Tarah all did that whenever we played lol and btw, if I'm not mistaken, you did that for a commercial project in High School LMAO
You're such a trendsetter ;)
keep blogging...I enjoy them :P
That anonymous comment was given by me, Debbie
Those nails are fierce!!! That hand model did an exceptional job - like a true professional :)
The guy in the green shorts could be Miguel form Step It UP and Dance - Maybe it's his lost twin and this blog will some how bring them together - it could happen - but it wasn't him...he was fierce on those heels - he had a fierce walk and then with a click of the hip he could do a totally diff walk - very talented.
It was sooo NAILS that it was raining the day of the pride parade.
Billy...I had to laugh at this. First of all, your definition of Hanabata was nails! Hehehehehe. You summed up Nails really good but when you defined Hanabata, I was cracking up. It means back in the days but when you stated Hana (nose) and Bata (butter) you cracked me up. Good try though. Anyways this reminded me of my 'Olelo Hawai'i class the other week. My kumu said "Oh you so unz" and the young Haumana (students) said "what? kumu why you making up words?" then I, being the oldest in the class had to explain that we used to use that word back in da dayz. It meant "uncool" they just cracked up about that word and started using it. they have since stopped, I guess they had to be there :)
Having to work today is so Nails. Did I use that right, or was it too Haole? XD
Mahu slang!
thanks for the information that is shared among users in these pages, with its Topical there I can better understand and grasp it.
Sis nail because it's the opposite of Hammah(Hammer) Duh ... You know solid braddah are called Hammers so if you're not your nails. But yeah like 💅 on the chalk board nail is also someone unpleasant... 🤙🏾🌺🌊🌴Aloha Tita.
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