Valleyspeak

Valleyspeak or Valspeak is a common name for an American sociolect, originally of the San Fernando Valley in Southern California, in particular Valley girls. This stereotype, which originated in the 1970s, became an international fad for a certain period. Many phrases and elements of Valleyspeak, along with surfer slang and skateboarding slang, are stable elements of the California English dialect lexicon, and in some cases wider American English (such as the widespread use of "like" as a hedge). Elements of Valleyspeak can now be found virtually everywhere English is spoken, particularly among young native English speakers. The language has gradually become symbolic and is increasingly becoming unrelated to its original meaning.