Clueless, the acclaimed 1995 film, significantly impacted cultural slang and fashion trends, showcasing expressions like "as if!" and "totally". The film's language reflects more than just Valley speak; it includes euphemisms such as "hymenally challenged", highlighting humorous takes on sociolinguistic trends. Through collaboration with language expert Jen Chaney, a glossary celebrating these phrases was released for the movie's 30th anniversary, emphasizing the lasting influence of Clueless on popular vernacular and its connection to teen culture in Beverly Hills. Heckerling's relationship with local teens informed the film's linguistic authenticity.
The glossary shows there's a lot more to the language of Clueless than Valspeak. There are tongue-in-cheek euphemisms like "hymenally challenged"—a politically correct way of saying someone's a virgin.
According to Chaney, Clueless director and writer Amy Heckerling got many linguistic ideas for her film from hanging around with teens at Beverly Hills High School.
"It is pretty remarkable that some of these phrases are still part of our vernacular," said Jen Chaney, a TV and film critic and the author of As If! The Oral History of Clueless.
Some of the terms in the glossary are steeped in "Valley speak"—a social dialect most commonly associated with affluent teens in California's San Fernando Valley.
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