Everybody develops ways of expressing themselves through words.  The way a person talks can often influence the way people view their overall character.  Sometimes a person will use slang in their writing or speaking to give off a certain type of effect.  In this case, the word lit fits into that category.  Lit is a slang term that has been used for centuries in the English language.  Although the meaning has changed a few times since its conception, lit is still used today by many individuals.  In this essay, I will explain the history of the term, what it means to people, and why I think it should be admitted into Standard American English.

      Lit has always been used in English.  Most people know it as meaning the past tense of the word light.  For example, �The candle is lit.�  This is the general meaning of the word.  The more complicated meaning came from the Bible.  This word, spelled litte, meant to dye or to stain (�Lit.� Oed).  Today it sounds rather unusual to hear somebody refer to something stained as �litted.�  This specific definition for lit, along with its general meaning, was continually used for a long period of time.  The general meaning of the term (�lighted, illuminated�) was used considerably in poetry and stories.  Poets and authors alike would use this word to enhance the emotion of their poems.  For example, �My own lit heart, its rays of fire�(�Lit.� Oed).  The term�s meaning changed into another way of expression in the year 1914.  Lit was the term used to mean �drunk or intoxicated� (�Lit.� Oed, Britannica).  For example, �We all got lit after the wedding.�  This meaning of the term was used in novels and other documents from the mid-1900�s to the present.  It was also considered a slang term then as well.

      Today, lit takes on a few meanings in the slang world.  The term can mean happiness in certain situations.  For example, �I can�t believe that I got such a high grade on the test.  I�m so lit!�  It is rarely used in reference to happiness when compared to expressing anger.  Like, �My father was lit when I drove the car into the river!�  The most common use for this slang term is using it in reference to being intoxicated.  It is used among teenagers and adults alike, depending on whom they are talking to.  Lit is definitely used more among teenagers overall.  To me, lit means different things in different situations.  If I were to say I was �lit,� most people would assume I was referring to being intoxicated.  Even if people aren�t familiar with the word in that context, they still get an idea of what I am trying to say.  I use the term quite frequently in reference to being angry.  �My math teacher gave me a terrible grade yesterday.  I was lit!�  This means that I was very angry in that particular situation.  Since there are at least three current meanings to the term, most people avoid it by saying similar things.  They may feel that a word like lit is too vague because it carries more than one meaning.  Instead of saying �I am so lit,� they might say �I am so drunk.�  Personally, lit is one of my favorite words.

      I honestly think lit should be admitted into Standard American English.  The term defines itself, unlike some of the more complicated slang terms.  It is also short and to the point.  But, lately the term has been losing touch with popularity.  I don�t hear too many individuals using this wonderful word anymore.  Other than myself, nobody around me has been using it the same way.  At first, I was afraid that this word was on the brink of extinction.  But after I thought about it for a while, it didn�t seem to bother me.  It�s a way of showing my individualism when I use it.

     In conclusion, lit is a word that is special to me.  Since lit is becoming more rare, I am attracted more and more to this word.  It�s a way of being different and really expressing myself.  It�s also a unique term that can catch one�s attention, but won�t be found in that person�s vocabulary right away.  If the point came where I was the only person using the term, �I would be so lit!�