07-08-2012, 05:31 PM
The term "high" has a long usage history (yes, I know). At one time it meant drunk/intoxicated, during the 1960's it came to mean intoxicated on pot. A synonym for high during the 60's-80's period was "stoned". Tripping was originally derived from "acid trip" wherein acid refers to LSD, so through the same time period tripping meant taking and having the effects of LSD, and was later expanded to most hallucinogenic substances such as mushrooms, DMT, and so forth (Technically, even though the active ingredient in pot, THC, is listed as a hallucinogenic, it has never been considered as such by the drug culture).
This is the same evolution one sees in the word "ball". In the fifties "balling" meant dancing. In the seventies the term began to mean sexual intercourse. Terms that are used in subcultures that practice illegal behaviors or whose behavior is about rebelling against the current authority, evolve rapidly so that they stay ahead of common usage, as they are used as code words or phrases. Generally, if a words meaning is based on subcultural usage, and therefore not a common usage, out of consideration for ones readers such usage should probably be footnoted. This should apply to any usage of a word whose definition is listed as slang, a colloquialism, is only found in a specialized dictionary, or is not listed at all.
The terms "high", "smashed", and "tripping" as used in relation to drug/alcohol usage would all meet that criteria.
dale
This is the same evolution one sees in the word "ball". In the fifties "balling" meant dancing. In the seventies the term began to mean sexual intercourse. Terms that are used in subcultures that practice illegal behaviors or whose behavior is about rebelling against the current authority, evolve rapidly so that they stay ahead of common usage, as they are used as code words or phrases. Generally, if a words meaning is based on subcultural usage, and therefore not a common usage, out of consideration for ones readers such usage should probably be footnoted. This should apply to any usage of a word whose definition is listed as slang, a colloquialism, is only found in a specialized dictionary, or is not listed at all.
The terms "high", "smashed", and "tripping" as used in relation to drug/alcohol usage would all meet that criteria.
dale
How long after picking up the brush, the first masterpiece?
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.
The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.