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Valley girl

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For other uses, see Valley girl (disambiguation).

Valley Girl (or Val) is a term referring to affluent upper-middle class girls living in the bedroom community neighborhoods of San Fernando Valley[1].

A Valley Girl can be described as materialistic, self-conscious, self-centered, hedonistic, physically attractive and sometimes sexually promiscuous. Valspeak is also a form of this trait, based on an exaggerated version of California English.

During the 1980s and the 1990s, the term metamorphosed into a caricature and stereotype of such women: a "ditzy" or "airhead" personality, and unapologetically "spoiled" behavior that showed more interest in shopping, personal appearance and social status than in intellectual development or personal accomplishment.[2]

After the release of the Frank Zappa song "Valley Girl" in 1981 and the movie based on it in 1983, girls from all over the English-speaking world imitated the style.

The Valley Girl stereotype has declined in the 2000s for various reasons, one being an evolution into other stereotypes.

Sociolect

Main article: Valspeak

A certain sociolect associated with Valley Girls, referred to as “Valspeak,” became common across the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, and much entered teenage slang throughout the country.

Qualifiers such as “like”, “way”, "as if!", “totally” and “duh” were interjected in the middle of phrases and sentences as emphasizers. Narrative sentences were often spoken as though they were questions using a high rising terminal.

Examples:

  • As if – lit. "yeah, right" or "as if" except it does not use a subject; expresses disbelief.
  • Bitchin' - adj. slang for excellent; first-rate. Though a derivative of "bitch", bitchin' is not considered profane.
  • Whatever! - short for "whatever you say"; sarcastic comeback.
  • Barf me out! - "So disgusting it makes me want to vomit."
  • Fer shur – lit. "For sure"
  • Betch – lit. "Bitch"
  • Totally – "I agree" or "completely."
  • Grody to the max! – "As gross as he/she/it can be"
  • Like, oh my God – can be used many ways; expresses shock (OMG for short).
  • I’m suuure! or I'm so sure – "I'm absolutely positive," but usually used sarcastically.
  • Tre - A synonym for "very" (derived from French "très")
  • Trippendicular! - It can mean either "awesome" or a drug high.
  • Betty - An attractive woman
  • So - Very; used too often and said with too much emphasis.
  • Baldwin - An attractive man.
  • Seriously - Frequent interjection of approval.
  • Gag me with a spoon! - expression of disgust.
  • Gnarly - Good.
  • Joanie - An unhip girl
  • I'm outtie - "I'm out of here".
  • Tubular - Very cool.
  • UV's - Sunshine (e.g. "I'm heading down to the beach to catch some UV's")

"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) speaking typical "Valley Girl" phrases. Zappa intended to lampoon the image, but the single also popularized the valley girl stereotype nationwide, and, to a lesser extent, throughout the English-speaking world. There was a significant increase in the "Valspeak" slang usage, whether ironically spoken or not[citation needed].

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]

Television

  • Sweet Valley High can also be considered an example, although while the main characters exhibit the physical characteristics of a Valley Girl, academic pursuits are considered of merit.
  • Clover from the animated series Totally Spies portrays traits and uses terms associated with the stereotypical Valley Girl.
  • Main character, Cher Horowitz (Clueless) perpetuates Valspeak by using the words "like," "as if," "whatever" and "duh" an exorbitant amount throughout the film. When referring to attractive men and women, Cher uses the terms "Betty" and "Baldwin." Considering the film's release in 1995 and the resurgence of such terms in southern California youth in the years following, it could be credited with bridging the gap between the 80's Valspeak and today's.

Stores

  • In the early 1980s, Hollywood films and songs portrayed the female-dominated mall lifestyle in the San Fernando Valley in southern California. The Sherman Oaks Galleria was perhaps best known as the home of the Valley Girl, since this San Fernando Valley mall was where Fast Times at Ridgemont High was filmed in 1981. (Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1985 movie, Commando, was shot there, too.) The mall was featured throughout Fast Times at Ridgemont High, beginning with the opening scenes of the film, which starts with an elevator ride up to the food court where the young Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Judge Reinhold worked at the fast food stands. However, despite its popularity with stars like Molly Ringwald and Janet Jackson, business at the Galleria began to decline significantly during the 1990s. The 1994 Northridge earthquake caused extensive damage to the structure and served only to accelerate the vacancy rate. The remnants of the building were razed in 1999, and in 2002, the Sherman Oaks Galleria reopened as a markedly different open-air facility that now serves as home to several Warner Brothers office, mortgage companies, restaurants, a movie theater, and a 24-Hour Fitness center.

List of fictional valley girls

Film

Animation

Television

Video games

Literature

Commercials

Phenomena similar to Valley girls

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]

United Kingdom

There is some similarity between the phenomenon of a Valley Girl in the United States and the concept of an Essex girl, although the stereotype emphasis is more on promiscuity and below-average intelligence.

In Wales, the term Valley girl is used to refer to a girl from the valleys (an area in South Wales running north from Cardiff and Newport).

In recent Times Twentysomething British Women who grew up watching US TV Shows such as FRIENDS use Valley Girl slang. However Valley Girl expressions in the UK are associated with Teenage Girls, "He snogged me. And I was like, OMG!".

Texas

In Texas, the term "Valley Girl" is often colloquially used to refer to a woman from the Rio Grande Valley, from the far southern areas around McAllen and Brownsville.[citation needed] The term, of course, became more popular when the California term gained nationwide attention (i.e. because of the contrast with this term).[citation needed]

California

In the Greater Los Angeles area, the term "Valley Girl" refers to girls from the San Fernando Valley. In context it is associated with a spoiled girl from an upper-middle class background who socializes with other "valley girls" in cliques. In regions neighboring 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 idiotic behavior.

Hungary

Two exclusive neighborhoods in Budapest, Rózsadomb and Pasarét are traditionally regarded as breeding grounds for upper (middle) class spoiled brats, including arrogant Valley girl types. Their affluence and lifestyle are comparable to those of Californian Valley girls. There is a huge income disparity between the parents of these teens/twixters and those of the majority in Budapest, especially in Pest.

Ireland

A phenomenon similar to the Valley girls exists in South County Dublin; these girls are known as D4s (shortened form of Dublin 4 postal code). Most come from rich families and attend or have attended local private schools such as Mount Anville Secondary School, Alexandra College, any of the many Loreto schools located in South Dublin, though the Green is better known for academic high standards and as a breeding ground of tomorrows leaders, or the Institute of Education located in Dublin 2. A 'd4' is often identifiable by long blonde hair and the wearing of ugg boots, many jokes surrounding D4s and their skin colour are referenced in Irish culture; one example is the song "Orange" by comedian David O'Doherty. D4 girls are seen as being very dependent on their parents particularly their fathers, many wear designer clothes and are portrayed in the Ross O'Carroll-Kelly books as shopping in Ireland's most exclusive store Brown Thomas regularly. They generally do perform well academically with many going on to study in Trinity College or UCD.

In recent times Female Scumbags are starting to use Valley Girl terminology.

See also

References

  1. ^ internet postings on Urban Dictionary (current). "Definition of Valley girl". {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Time Magazine 09/1982
  3. ^ Baby Got Back Songfacts. Songfacts. Retrieved April 5 2007.
  4. ^ http://www.rmb.ca/sounds/CreativeGallery/Track08.ram
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