Swag. What a word. One of the most used words in today’s society. But what does it really mean?
SWAG:
1. Verb. To sway or lurch.
2. To hang down; sag.
1. Noun. A swaying or lurching.
2. A valance, garland, chain, etc. hanging decoratively in a loop or curve; festoon.
3. [slang] Stolen money or property; loot; plunder
4. [Australian] a) A bundle containing personal belongings, as of an itinerant worker.
b) A large number or amount.
So basically, “swag”, as it is used today, could mean a lot of different things. Let’s do some translations. The following are some sentences heard ‘on the streets’ in today’s society.
The sentence:
1. I’ve got swag.
2. We’ve got so much swag, it’s ridiculous.
3. I’ve got so much swag, the people at the airport don’t even want to touch my bag.
4. I’m swagtastic.
5. That place is so full of swag.
The translation:
1. I tend to lurch unexpectedly.
2. We have such a large amount of an undefined object, it astounds people.
3. I have a very large amount of stolen property. So much, in fact, that airport security is willing to let me pass without inspection.
4. I am a drifter.
5. That location is highly decorated.
So basically, never tell a policeman that you’ve got swag, unless you want to get arrested for possession of stolen property. But where did swag come from? When and, more importantly, why did it begin?
Most likely, it began like so many other words today. It originated because people are too lazy to say or spell out a full word, so they shorten it. What word is that? Swagger.
SWAGGER:
1. Verb. To walk with a bold, arrogant, or lordly stride; strut
2. To boast, brag, or show off in a loud, superior manner.
3. To browbeat; bully.
1. Noun. A swaggering walk, manner, or behavior.
2. A very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive gait or manner.
So it appears we have yet another word that was taken, abused, and molded to fit society’s wishes.
“Swag is for boys, Class is for men.”
I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. Besides the fact that “swag” doesn’t make any sense as it used today, I think class and/or style should be more what we strive for. Class has many definitions, but I’ll cover the ones as they relate to our topic.
CLASS:
1. Adj. Of high quality, integrity, status, or style.
2. First-class; very good.
3. Elegant; classy.
1. Noun. Excellence, especially of style or appearance.
So here we have a word that can actually be used correctly in everyday sentences. An honorable word. One we can be proud of. Let’s try a few other honorable words.
STYLE:
1. Noun. Distinction, excellence, originality, and character in any form of artistic or literary expression.
2. Distinction and elegance of manner or bearing.
3. A manner of doing something.
ELEGANT:
1. adj. Characterized by dignified richness and grace, as of design, dress, style, etc.; luxurious or opulent in a restrained, tasteful manner.
2. Excellent, fine.
3. Pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
Let me suggest something. Purchase a dictionary. And a thesaurus. I think you’ll find them very helpful when trying to find just the right word. Use them to find a word, instead of making up your own. And always remember: If someone calls you classy or stylish, thank them. And if someone tells you that you have swag, throw a dictionary at them. It’s that simple.