Colloquialims, Idioms, Etc.

[zDave40]

I have a question about colloquialisms, idioms, expressions, etc.

As you probably know, my WIP takes place in 1849 and involves time travel. Several adventurers have decided to go by wagon train to California. Their original intention is to form their own company and not get involved with the "natives", the people of 1849. Of course, even they think that will be unlikely to avoid.

At first, they spend a day a month and then go to weekends every month in practice to get the skills they need with wagons and animals, cooking, camping, etc. for the actual journey.

They attempt to speak without confusing words and phrases. But idioms and colloquilisms slip into their speech. Of course, they interact with the "natives". How can they resist treating cholera victims and saving human lives? The remaining members of the company they rescued joins theirs.

What I need is more than just their odd accent from the future--I need modern colloquialisms that are so common in everyday speech that they slip out no matter how hard one might try to avoid them.

I have located a source of colloquialisms from the mid-1800s, but nothing from today. Those of you who do not live in the United States, but have visited it within the last 10-15 years, may be better able to come up with some than our residents, but I'll accept whatever you have to offer!

Age does make a difference. Most of the modern adventurers are adults, both men and women. A few are 11 to 20, but most are between 25 and 45. Younger people have different expressions than older adults.

Here are a few common ones I have found that will give you an idea of what I am looking for:

gone missing,
backtalk-talking back
ya know (used even when the listener doesn't know)
"how come" instead of "why"
going to go (often used for intending to do something)
virtually, actually
that's cool
okay, OK, and A-OK
yeah

Those are some odd ones that many people use all the time without realizing it. I would appreciate any more you can think of as well as regular idioms and colloquialisms.

Just throw them at me and let me judge how useful and appropriate they are.

Dave
_________________
Writing Manzanita Gold
Editing Transference

[phoenix.writing]

I only have a minute now, but off the top of my head:

The perpetual use of the word "like";
The expression, "It's all good" (although they might not find this odd, I don't know--my mother did when I started using it before she started hearing it all over the place);
Frequent use of swear words.

I will see if I can think of anything else.

[NutmegAngel]

lol (yes, some of my friends do use this...)
spam
blasphemy
that's about all I can think of...

[phoenix.writing]

Referring to "guys/girls" (Like saying, "That guy told me about the book".)