Star Wars Terminology: Slang

This article will review different phrases, slang and cursing as it would happen if it took place inside the Star Wars Universe instead of the one we all live in. This will help write from our character’s points of view.

The course notes will run through major categories to consider with a small list of examples. There are many more examples and resources to use for further incorporation depending on situation and species. Using the right phrase at the right time will also depend on the writer’s judgement as well.

Idioms

An idiom is a commonly used phrase or group of words where the meaning is understood even though it differs from the actual words would suggest. What is understood in the Star Wars Universe is different from the real world, so use of these is sometimes acceptable while other times require more Star Wars specific phrases.

Similar

• Kill two birds with one stone.
• I think we’ve bitten off more than we can chew...
• Let’s get the show on the road!
• We’re not out of the woods yet!

Different

• Burn the sky until we see lines
• Chucked under the speeder
• A credit for your thoughts
• Blue milk run
• Loth-cat got your tongue?

Slang Terms

Often times, non-standard words and phrases are used as part of language. These slang terms are restricted to a specific group of people or context. Use of appropriate slang by characters in fiction can help give distinguish them as part of a certain group. With possible use as dialogue by characters, ensuring proper placement in the Star Wars Universe is important for realism.

The distinction from the list of idioms in this list are standalone words used as part of informal language. Both develop a certain cultural meaning with a specific group and attention should be paid to the group a character belongs to. If a background is military, or farmer, or political, and implications of race and societal status, will significantly alter the use of slang used by a character in their dialogue.

As with idioms, certain slang terms exist outside the Star Wars Universe in a similar manner, but use of slang terms which a character is not familiar with should be avoided.

Examples
Barve	Animal loosely the equivalent of a pig.
Clanker	Clone Trooper term for CIS droids.
Dets	Term for detonators.
Eyeball	Term for TIE Fighters.
Fishead	Term for members of the Mon Calamari race.
Flyboy	Term for a starfighter pilot.
Furball	Nickname or term for members of the Wookie race.
Grease	Stormtrooper term used for kill.
Impstar Deuce	Term used by the Republic for an Imperial Star Destroyer Mark II.
Imps	Term used to describe all Imperials.
Klick	Term used in place of a kilometer.
Lightfight	Term used to describe a blaster fight.
Meatbag	Term used by ‘certain’ droids to describe organics.
Nerfherder	Insulting term used in reference to the profession.
Outlander	Term used to describe someone from a different world.
Rimmer	Someone from the Outer Rim.
Scrap City	Slang term for where droids go when outmoded.
Slicer	Slang term for someone who is technically skilled in computers.
Spacer	Term for someone who lives their life in space.
Spice	Term that covers many mind altering drugs not ingested by drinking.
Stormies	Slang term used for Stormtroopers.
Tailhead	Term used for members of the twi’lek race.
Triple Zero	Slang term used in place of Coruscant due to its hyperspace coordinates.
Ugly	Term for a starfighter made from parts of various different models.
Vape	A term used by starfighter pilots for destroying a target.
Vapebait	Term for an unskilled pilot who makes an easy target.
Laserbrain	Term for someone who shoots first and thinks later.

Interjection

Also known as an exclamation, used in dialogue to express an emotion or sentiment and commonly followed by an exclamation mark. Their use is not grammatically related to any other part of a sentence.

Examples

• Blast it!
• By the Force!
• Emperor’s Black Bones!
• Great Galactic Core!
• Sithspit!
• Rebel scum!
• TRAITOR!

Expletives

Expletives are the commonly used curse or swear words found in the Star Wars universe. Please note that in both the Fiction and ACC Rubrics, real-life profanity will act as a detractor in your writing scores, so try and use these examples instead.

• Frak!
• Frak it.
• Frell.
• Kriff.
• Kriffing.
• Kark.
• Karking.

Additional References

• Wookieepedia list of phrases and slang
• Slang Category
• Phrases category