A dark blue Chevy Blazer rips around a tight bend at speeds up to 60 mph.

Inside it is filled with teenagers who have just become intoxicated.  There is no music, no

talking, just a deadly silence that cuts through the smoky interior like a knife.  Then

suddenly a deafening shrill erupts from the back seat,” YO MAN LETS ROCK OUT

DUDE.”  In a single second everyone in the car breaks out of their shell, and starts

singing along.  With a New Found Glory pumping in the speakers, everyone in the car is

finally “rockin’ out.”  The phrase “rockin’ out” is so versatile and commonly use that it

must be accepted by the Standard American English.
 

     The word rock is used in many different ways that what the definition is in the

dictionary.  Rock has various definitions as a slang word.  People use “rocked” when

speaking of something that they did very well at or did very bad.  For example say you

did exceptionally well on a test and your buddy asks you how did you do.  You could

reply with “I rocked that test man.”  On the contrary if you do bad on the test you can say

“That test rocked me so hard man.”  Now “rocked” can also mean to become very

intoxicated.  When teenagers are at a party they do not say, “That last beer I drank made

me become even more intoxicated than I was previously.”  If you heard someone say that

you would look at them funny.  The proper way to use the word “rocked” in this situation

is a following: “Man that last beer I chugged just rocked me dude.”  The correct use of

this word can help one fit in with their peers.  The use of the simple word rock can help

one gain social acceptance, and rise in popularity.  The use of the slang word for rock

sounds more acceptable to teenagers, there is no need to become formal with language

while becoming intoxicated.
 

      Another form of the word rock is “to rock: out, or on.”  Now the use of rockin out

can be used in many different forms.  The most popular around my friends and I has

“rockin’ out” to mean listen to loud emo punk music.  We will be sitting around and

someone will say,” Hey man lets rock out.”  It can also be used to encourage one to wear

a article of clothing.  I walk into a room with a new shirt on that I’m not sure about

wearing, and one of my friends says,” Yeah man I like that shirt, rock that out tonight.”
 

     Another common way is to say,” Hey man let’s rock out and go to your house,” this is

used when someone wants to leave and go somewhere else.  When the word is used, it is

often accompanied by a clinched fist swinging in a upper cut motion.
 

      The usage of this word didn’t start with my generation.  Teenagers from the 50’s

until now used it.  The 50’s started it with the creation of rock and roll.  This was branded

as a type of music.  I believe this has adapted from the word rocking (Cassell’s).  The

word rocking originated in the year 1398 (Oxford). Its meaning is an action of swinging

or swaying to and fro, or of causing such motion.  Then in the 60’s the use of rocking out

or on meant to enjoy oneself, especially by playing or dancing to rock music.  Finally in

the 80’s came along the meaning of to become intoxicated (Cassell’s).
 

      There are many alternatives to this word.  For example instead of using “rocked”

to mean intoxicated, one might use the word “hit.”  If someone doesn’t want to use “rock

that out” to mean yeah wear that, one may say, “Yeah man wear that, that is bangin.”

Instead of using “rocked” to mean you did very well on a test you are able to use,

“crushed.”  These are just a few alternative words to the word “rock.”
 

      I know that the word “rock” should be instated into the Standard American

English for many reasons.  First off it is used by such a vast majority of American youth.

I believe that the word “rock” has strength in numbers.  Secondly it is perfect for a casual

conversation at a party or just hanging out.  No one wants to use proper English at all

times.  People need a break from the pressures of using correct English.  This word

makes the language more interesting and fun to use.  Finally the word “rock” has been

used for many generations.  This should prove that its not going anywhere soon.  Since its

been around so long it should just be admitted for surviving so long.  Normally slang

words die off with that generation, but “rock” has hung on for the duration.