The 1980s saw significant changes in British society, youth culture, politics, technology, and language. The rich got richer while the poor got poorer under Margaret Thatcher's government. Youth embraced new music genres like hip hop, break dancing, and warehouse raves. Politically, Thatcher dominated but was criticized for policies like raising the poll tax. Technological advances like home computers, email, and camcorders entered popular use. The financial sector boomed, introducing new words around markets, investing, and economics. Overall, the decade brought many innovations and new vocabulary that reflected social and cultural shifts.

1. The 1980’s
By Olivia smith

2. People of society
• Rich got richer
• Poor got poorer
• Shell suit decade
• People were poor due to Margret thatcher
increasing poll tax

3. Youth Culture
• Music terms – hip hop origin/ garage origin
• ‘body popping’
‘break dancing’
• ‘moon walking’
• ‘crack’ ‘E’s’
‘ Warehouse raves’
• ‘moshing’

4. Hip hop origin
• www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-O5IHVhWj0

5. Politics
• Margret Thatcher - making the poll tax too high which particularly
upset the middle of England
• Anyone who went against her was seen as ‘handbagging’ her
• Labour party also upset everyone which lead to words such as
‘fudge’ and ‘mudge’ to come into the English language.
• Emily’s list - Increase number of female MPs
• Words which came out this were :
• Sleaze and spin doctor

6. Money
• A major part to this era was that finance brought
new vocabulary into the English Language.
• It also changed the dynamics of society as there
was now considerable amount of wealth.
• Financial boom in stock markets 1986
• 1987 – Black Monday – Share prices plummeted

7. Money terms
• Words that were added into vocab:
• ‘Grey market’
An unofficial market in which goods are bought and
sold at prices lower than the official price set by a
regulatory agency
• ‘Dawn raid’
An investor buys a substantial number of shares in a
company first thing in the morning when the stock
markets open because they are at their cheapest.

8. War
• Faulkner's war (1982) this benefitted Margret
Thatcher's electoral prospects
• The threat of war in Britain made Britain set up peace
camps. This started new lexis being added: zero
option, START and build down.
• Eastern Europe had gained independence and the forty
year cold war had been won by the West of Europe.

9. Technology
• Technology accelerated in this era:
• Dongle and toggle
• Lots of people had problems with this new technology however.
• Communication in technology was a new influence on the modern
world
• Snail mail was dying out and cures for hackers such as ‘vaccines’
were being found
• Email and information superhighway were new terms

10. Technology
• Walkman's and ghetto blasters portable
sounds
• Camcorder, record own videos
• Chat lines and help lines reinvented
telephone industries

11. Environmental concerns
• Bio diversity/ Eco friendly – we were eager to
be this sort of society
• Cruelty free products- people bought
• We supported the construction of wind farms

12. Aids
• Terminology of disease came about when it
did
• Buddy, HIV, PWA, AZT
• Femi-doms, safe sex , bonking

13. Slang
• Wicked
• Massive
• Mega
• Radical
• Prostitutes became ‘sex workers’
• Pets – ‘companions’
• Deviation from norm had to be phrased as ‘challenged’
• Sizest or fattist comments or anti feminist comments were
discouraged