Origins of the word "twerk"

[linguaholic]

Some of you might be familiar with the meaning of the word "twerk". I didn't know this word until today and therefore I was glad that this article teached me something new :=) Have a look for yourself:

http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2013/08/what-is-the-origin-of-twerk/

[LivetoErr]

I didn't realize the word was 20 years old. I had never heard it prior to all the news reports of Miley Cyrus doing it at the MTV VMAs. Granted, I don't dance and I wouldn't dance like that, ever. The word has yet to pass my lips and I plan on it staying that way!

[Peninha]

I haven't heard of this word until now and I had to read the definition in the link you posted linguaholic. Miley is even teaching us English now, where will this girl stop!  :wacky:

[justusforus]

I had to look it up when I first heard it.  I too did not realize it was that old in origin.  The explanation of "work it" when said to a dancer does seem to be a plausible explanation, but even that phrase I would have guessed was of more recent origin.  You learn something new every day!

[LindaKay]

I didn't know it was that old, either. I have heard it in hip-hop songs long before Miley Cyrus came along, but I didn't know it was almost as old as I am. Hmm.

[LauraM]

linguaholic, thanks so much for sharing the link to the article.

I had no idea the word was that old.  Like many others who have replied here, the word was completely new to me until Miley Cyrus' infamous MTV VMAs performance.  Now suddenly, like it or now, we all know the word!

I have a feeling it may run its course eventually, sooner rather than later.  It seems already that the twerking craze -- if there ever really was one aside from Miley Cyrus -- is starting to fade away.  Maybe in a few years from now it will all seem very dated, like a passing fad! 

[Daimashin]

I've heard of the word before but never thought that it's that old. I have always thought that "twerk" was some kind of new age word that was made up after the 2000's, before Miley Cyrus used it. "Twerk" sounded so much like some new age slang.

[JessiFox]

Wow, consider me in the camp that had no clue it was decades old. Of course, I'd prefer to go back to never having heard of it all, but things can't be done, I suppose.

[xbrix]

That's really interesting to know. I would've thought that it was a new recent word.

[Lodismel]

This is pretty hilarious. I can't remember if I had heard the word before the current use. It makes a lot of sense that it would come from a dance move. It reminds me of 'The Twist'. Of course, the current version of twerking is a lot more sexual I would assume. Maybe not though, I guess I wasn't twerking in those days so I have no real way of knowing.

[Bonyi]

Wow! Thanks for sharing. We all learn new things everyday. This is very informative.

[Baburra]

Very interesting! I never knew it was rooted in the '90s, I always just assumed it was a new derivation trendy word like yolo. It does sound like a relatively natural sounding word though, so I can see how it took off.

[sidney]

I first heard that word in Usher's song "Twork It Out" around 2002, so that word is already familiar to me when it became popular. However, I never really bothered to research what it means until it became popular recently, thanks to Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus "owns" that word now, like Paris Hilton's "That's hot", lol.

[basmae]

What a joke!!  Miley Cyrus teaching specific English words to our new generations.

[crucider]

I remember this word around 2010 when I was listening to a few songs.  But Miley Cyrus is definitely not the first person to use this word, though she does use it repetitively in her songs which is annoying.  But pretty nice article, nice to know what year it was originally used in.

[Cookiesandcream]

I thought it was something that was recently invented. Good information I guess you learn something new everyday. Thanks!

[Lithium]

That's a shame. I hope they would have never reused this word again.

[Litnax]

:amazed: Wow...

And I thought it was just a recent internet slang. I never would have guess that Miley Cyrus would be mentioned in linguaholic.

[apexa1]

Lol wtf I thought it was a few months old at most, pretty mind blown that it's 20 years old! Wasn't expecting that

[Cadence]

Interesting! I don't think I've ever heard the word "twerk" before the whole Miley thing either..

[Rosa]

Twerk is a word that I have heard used several times before but I have never even thought of it as a real word. To find out now that the word is that old is certainly news to me. I guess we live and learn everyday.