Ever say something that you say everyday and realize that it sounds completely retarded and makes no sense?  I just did.  And it’s a term we all use, all the time, but probably never think about it.  Hang out.  Where the hell did this phrase come from?  We are all gonna go hang out at the mall, we are gonna go hang out at our friends place…what the hell does it mean anyway?!  We all know what WE mean when we say it, but other than that, what the hell is it?  Lets take it literally, it would go something like this: 

Person who has never heard the term hang-out:  “hey, how are you today?”

Hanger-outter:  “I am doing well, yourself?”

PWHNHTTHO:  “Splendid, thank you.  What are you doing to do tonight?”

HOer:  “Nothing much, probably just hang out.”

PWHNHTTHO:  “hang what out?” 

HOer:  “um…..hang out.  I am going to hang out.”

PWHNHTTHO:  “using what?  Fasteners?  A flag pole?  Velcro?  Because I have seen those Velcro suits where you jump against the Velcro wall and you stick.  That looks like fun.  Can I fasten myself to a wall with you?”

And Scene. 

This is a gem of modern English I must say.  And does anyone else feel like an idiot when you use “google” as a verb?  I googled it.  Oh just google it.  Google google google.  We sound like 4 year olds with a speech impediment.  How did this not catch on with other things, like cars?  I am going carring.  Or TV, we don’t say we are televisioning do we?  No, we choose google, the stupidest sounding company name in recent memory, to turn into a verb.  Good job us.