Word Question: Shawty?

[Weimann]

So I've seen this word floating around and I don't know what it means. It seems to be applicable to girls but doesn't sound degrading, so I'm therefore at a loss for what it could mean.

[Jack Squat]

From Urban Dictionary (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shawty)



shawty
A term orginating in Atlanta that, in the beginning, referred to a short person or child, but the span of the word has grown to include any and all people, especially a girl that is attractive; it is mostly used as a term of endearment to others or just a way of addressing someone, like 'Wassup Man,' Instead of "Man", shawty is used.
NOTE: Can be shortened to "shawt" or "shawtdawg".
"Waddup Shawty, when you coming over?"

[John Cribati]

So I've seen this word floating around and I don't know what it means. It seems to be applicable to girls but doesn't sound degrading, so I'm therefore at a loss for what it could mean.

That makes it seem as though you believe all slang words for girls are inherently degrading. In any case, "shawty" is generally used to denote a "Ten," a female with whom the speaker would like to copulate. Generally, this has to do with "getting loose,"- showing signs of a state of sexual availability- or wearing clothes that suggest such a state. For example, apple-bottom jeans, or boots with fur.

[tyckspoon]

It's a representation of a particular dialect's way of pronouncing 'shorty', which is.. well, have Urban Dictionary. (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shorty) I would actually say it does tend to be degrading, or at least dismissive, thanks to its prominence in the "I'm in the club and all the womens want me" genre of rap and/or hip-hop songs.

[Weimann]

From Urban Dictionary (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shawty)

It's a representation of a particular dialect's way of pronouncing 'shorty', which is.. well, have Urban Dictionary. (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Shorty)That is one of 55 definitions on Urban Dictionary. Among them, "Something Justin Bieber should not say."

Conclusion: disregard Urban Dictionary.


That makes it seem as though you believe all slang words for girls are inherently degrading.Not inherently, but I do find that in practice, most of it is, or at least becomes over time.


In any case, "shawty" is generally used to denote a "Ten," a female with whom the speaker would like to copulate. Generally, this has to do with "getting loose,"- showing signs of a state of sexual availability- or wearing clothes that suggest such a state. For example, apple-bottom jeans, or boots with fur.
I would actually say it does tend to be degrading, or at least dismissive, thanks to its prominence in the "I'm in the club and all the womens want me" genre of rap and/or hip-hop songs.Mmm, I see.

What about the other thing mentioned in the Urban Dictionary, the more general usage where it just means "man" or "my friend?"

[SaintRidley]

What about the other thing mentioned in the Urban Dictionary, the more general usage where it just means "man" or "my friend?"

I can think of no situation where I am aware of the term being applied to anybody who identifies as male. As a general term of endearment, it is general as a term for women only. You might address any young woman as shawty, but you would never say it to a guy.

[Liffguard]

And suddenly it becomes clear why I couldn't find a definition for this slang term no matter how hard I looked, I thought the word being used was "shoddy," which would normally mean untidy, half-arsed or sub-par.
"Shawty" as a corruption of "shorty" makes more sense.

[Liriel]

I've usually heard 'shawty' or 'shorty' to be a term used to refer to one's girlfriend. I believe that definition is on the Urban Dictionary too.

[Morph Bark]

Reminds me of this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYmrg3owTRE) bit.

[Kindablue]

"I got mad love for you, shorty. That's on the real. I wanna, like, listen to Boyz II Men when I'm with you."

[Tebryn]

That is one of 55 definitions on Urban Dictionary. Among them, "Something Justin Bieber should not say."

Conclusion: disregard Urban Dictionary.


No, just go off the top few definitions.

[The Durvin]

In most places it's only female, but when I was in high school in Richmond, Virginia, it was gender-neutral--just kind of a stand-in for words like "dude" or "man" (which were also gender-neutral). I knew one guy from New York that tried to correct everybody, but he was outvoted. I might also need to note that it was often shortened even further to "shaw", especially in the expression "For real, shaw?", but that might be because I went to school with some lazy, lazy people.
My point is, anyway, that as a slang term, it has different meanings in different places; with this one, I knew it as an innocuous form of address, whereas much of the country uses it to mean "attractive prostitute". Ask your local Fonz or Fonz-equivalent before usage.

[Fiery Diamond]

In most places it's only female, but when I was in high school in Richmond, Virginia, it was gender-neutral--just kind of a stand-in for words like "dude" or "man" (which were also gender-neutral). I knew one guy from New York that tried to correct everybody, but he was outvoted. I might also need to note that it was often shortened even further to "shaw", especially in the expression "For real, shaw?", but that might be because I went to school with some lazy, lazy people.
My point is, anyway, that as a slang term, it has different meanings in different places; with this one, I knew it as an innocuous form of address, whereas much of the country uses it to mean "attractive prostitute". Ask your local Fonz or Fonz-equivalent before usage.

This is pretty much the best advice ever when it comes to slang terms. If you already know what it means in the area you live in by experience, use it that way in that area if you want to use it. When using a slang term elsewhere or a slang term that you have just encountered, the best people to ask are those who are actually using it (or those who associate with them/know a lot about them/whatever) in the area that you are hearing it to find out how it is being used/what it means there.