Valley girl
Meaning: A stereotypical young woman from the San Fernando Valley known for a distinctive speaking style heavy on 'like,' 'totally,' and upspeak.
The Valley Girl stereotype emerged in the 1980s: a materialistic, fashion-conscious teen from LA's San Fernando Valley who speaks with heavy upspeak (rising intonation on statements), overuses 'like' and 'totally,' and is obsessed with shopping. While reductive, the Valley Girl speaking style actually influenced mainstream American English, and many of its features are now common nationwide.
Examples
- She talks like a total Valley girl — every sentence ends with a question mark. 她说话完全像个Valley girl——每句话结尾都像在提问。Habla como una auténtica Valley girl — cada frase acaba como una pregunta.彼女は完全にバレーガールみたいな喋り方——全部の文が疑問文みたいに終わる。걔는 완전 밸리걸처럼 말해——모든 문장이 의문문처럼 끝나.
- The Valley girl accent has influenced how all of America speaks now. Valley girl的口音已经影响了全美国人的说话方式。El acento Valley girl ha influido en la forma de hablar de toda América.バレーガールのアクセントはアメリカ全体の話し方に影響を与えたんだよ。밸리걸 억양은 지금 미국 전체의 말투에 영향을 줬어.
- Don't be such a Valley girl — there's more to life than the mall. 别像个Valley girl一样——人生不只有购物中心。No seas tan Valley girl — hay más en la vida que el centro comercial.そんなバレーガールみたいにならないで——人生にはショッピングモール以外にもあるんだから。그렇게 밸리걸처럼 굴지 마——인생에 쇼핑몰 말고도 다른 게 있어.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: cultural reference, speaking style, stereotype
Tone: playful, sometimes mocking
✓ Do Say
- She has such a Valley girl accent.她说话完全是Valley girl口音。Tiene un acento muy de Valley girl.彼女は完全にバレーガールのアクセントだね。걔는 완전 밸리걸 억양이야.
- Valley girl speak spread way beyond California.Valley girl的说话方式早已传播到加州以外了。La forma de hablar Valley girl se extendió mucho más allá de California.バレーガールの喋り方はカリフォルニアをはるかに超えて広まった。밸리걸 말투가 캘리포니아를 넘어서 퍼졌어.
✗ Don't Say
- Calling someone a Valley girl can be seen as dismissive or sexist — use it carefully and aware of its stereotyping称呼别人Valley girl可能被视为不尊重或带有性别歧视——使用时要谨慎,并意识到其中的刻板印象Llamar a alguien Valley girl puede considerarse despectivo o sexista — úsalo con cuidado y siendo consciente del estereotipo誰かをバレーガールと呼ぶのは軽蔑的・性差別的に受け取られうる——ステレオタイプであることを意識して慎重に使うこと누군가를 밸리걸이라고 부르는 것은 무시하거나 성차별적으로 보일 수 있다——고정관념이라는 점을 인식하고 조심히 사용하라
Origin & History
The Valley Girl stereotype was created by Frank Zappa's 1982 song 'Valley Girl,' featuring his 14-year-old daughter Moon Unit imitating girls from their San Fernando Valley neighborhood. The 1983 movie 'Valley Girl' further cemented the archetype in American pop culture.
Cultural Context
Era: 1982
Generation: Gen X
Social background: Middle class
Regional notes: San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles
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