Date: Mon, 3 Nov 1997 14:39:14 +0000

From: Lynne Murphy M_Lynne_Murphy[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]BAYLOR.EDU

Subject: Re: "stoked"



Norman Roberts wrote:



Aloha e Listers



"I'm stoked it was only my leg and that everybody was there for me."



"He's just stoked that God lets him live, and he's thankful for his friends."



These statements appeared in a Honolulu Stat-Bulletin, 10/31/97: A-3 report

of a young man who had been bitten by a shark while surfing. The first

statement is by the victim; the second is by his sister. Both grew up on

Kauai and lived two years (1993-1995) in New Zealand.



This usage of "stoked" is new to me. I don't think it's local surfing

jargon or Hawaiian Creole English. The term seems to mean "relieved" or

"glad" in these contexts. Has anyone heard or seen it elsewhere?



The dictionary definition "to stoke the fire" probably doesn't apply here,

although it might be an extnsion of the meaning "to fill up on food."



well, it's been around long enough and widely enough to get into the

_american heritage_ with no regional marking--just a 'slang' label: "1.

exhilarated or excited; 2. being or feeling high or intoxicated,

especially from a drug". so, i'd guess (and i bet jesse has the real

story) that it's come to its more general meaning from drug culture.

interesting that it's so close to 'toked'.



lynne

--



M. Lynne Murphy

Assistant Professor in Linguistics

Department of English

Baylor University

PO Box 97404

Waco, TX 76798