When someone listens to someone else talk there might be words in their speech that they are not quite sure of what they mean or are talking about.  Most of these words fall into the category called slang.  There are millions of different slang words that people use everyday.  In fact, the slang language has become so popular that it has it�s own dictionaries.  Most of the meanings of slang words have been derived from the word�s original meanings and have changed in meaning to the way people use them.  The slang word that I think has a variety of meanings is the word ripped.  The word�s usage, classification, history, and why the word ripped should be included in Standard American English will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

      The word ripped first came about in the late 1880�s and has changed in meaning throughout the years.  The first meaning of the word ripped came about in 1823, and the meaning was to cut or slit.  The meaning from 1823 stuck around till 1941 when a new meaning was added to the word.  The meaning was to be torn up.  Then around 1971, the word ripped took on another definition that meant to be under the influence of a drug.  The final definition that was added to the word ripped was to mean robbing a person or exploiting them, and the meaning was recorded into the dictionary in 1971(OED).
I also consulted another dictionary called Webster�s New World, and it gave the definition of ripped to mean to cut, to become ripped, to rush, and to cheat.   The meanings given by this dictionary were very similar to the meanings in the Oxford English Dictionary.

       The word ripped is that past tense form of the word rip.  The word ripped originally came from the word rip, which means to tear.  The word ripped is the past tense form of the word rip.  The spelling of the words rip and ripped have changed over time because of the different languages that used them.  An example of the different spelling came from the Norwegians, and they spelled it rippa(OED).

     The meaning of the word ripped I am more interested is, to be under the influence of a drug or alcohol.  My friends and I use this word a lot when we are hanging out, and we are discussing the past weekends events.  We will use the word to describe someone who was extremely drunk at a party we were at, and they made a fool of themselves.  An example of what we would say would be, Alexis was so ripped at the party on Saturday night she kissed a pig.  In the context of the sentence, the meaning means she was drunk and did a foolish thing.  The word ripped would be used a lot around college kids because they supposedly like to party so much.  They will use it to describe their friends or theirselves on the weekend.

     The term ripped isn�t the only slang word use to describe being under the influence.  Some of the other common words are smashed, hammered, drunk, and toasted.  These alternative words take on the same meaning as the word ripped.  Many people use all these words, but who their friends are or their preference can influence the word someone will choose to use.

      I think that the term ripped and the definition I am giving of it does belong in Standard American English.  It is very useful in describing a person when they are drunk, and it has a clear and easily understood definition once it is made clear.  I don�t think this will be a term that older people will use like my parents, but I feel that my generations and generations after them can use it in their English.  I think the term ripped is catchy, and once it is said a few times people will pick it up and use it on a regular basis.

     So, why not try this new slang form of ripped in English?  It�s possible you might like it.