JSLALALAND

CITY & ITS PEOPLE

The LA subtext dictionary

In LA, understanding the English doesn't mean you got it. 15 sets of everyday and situational subtext, from coffee, running late and polite no's to restaurants, apartment hunting and the office, plus 5 bonus phrases that make you sound local.

Translated from Jasmine’s original Chinese. The illustrated slides are on the interactive reader.

Key points

Full text

  1. No.01｜"Let's grab coffee sometime!"

    What it really means is 'nice to meet you,' the same family as Taiwan's 'I'll treat you to dinner someday.' To actually make plans, give a time: "Are you free next Thursday?" The one who gives you a date means it.

  2. No.02｜"How's it going?"

    It's a greeting, not a question. Say "Good, you?" and keep walking; when the cashier asks how's your day, you don't need to report your schedule.

  3. No.03 | Running late, in four parts

    "Running a few minutes late" = haven't left yet; "On my way" = still looking for my keys; "10 minutes away" = add 15; "Traffic was crazy" is the all-purpose excuse.

  4. No.04 | The LA-style polite no

    "I'll let you know" = probably not; "Let's play it by ear" = it's never getting locked in; "I'll see how I feel" = I'll be home. When people are really coming, they say "I'm down!" or just ask "What time?"

  5. No.05｜"I'm protecting my energy this week."

    In plain terms: I'm not coming, and the reason is very wellness. Same family: "I need a quiet weekend," "I'm in my hermit era," which all mean: don't make plans with me this week.

  6. No.06｜"You're good!" / "I'm good."

    Bump into someone and say sorry, and they say you're good = no worries, not a compliment; the server asks if you want a refill, and I'm good = no thanks. Taiwanese say 'sorry to bother you' ten times a day; Angelenos say you're good ten times a day.

  7. No.07｜"Yeah, no." / "No, yeah."

    "Yeah, no" = no; "No, yeah" = yes, I agree. With Southern Californians, the point is always in the second half.

  8. No.08｜"That's so LA."

    Totally absurd, but we're all used to it: a nearly $20 smoothie, a dog birthday party grander than people's, a Wi-Fi password that's an affirmation. When people say it, there's usually a little pride in their voice.

  9. No.09｜"It's super casual!"

    You can't dress formal, but you can't actually be sloppy either. Everyone spends 40 minutes getting ready to look like they 'just stepped out.' Effortless is the most effortful look there is.

  10. No.10｜"Oh, that's on the Westside..."

    So far, I'm probably not coming (said by someone on the Eastside, and it works in reverse). Exactly the tone of a Taipei person saying 'that's in New Taipei.' In LA, one freeway apart counts as long distance.

  11. No.11｜"I'm working on a project."

    It might be a movie, a podcast, a brand, or still in their head. Nobody asks for a progress report, because everyone's working on a project. The most lovable thing about this city is that everyone's still dreaming.

  12. No.12｜"Love that for you!"

    Usually they're genuinely happy for you; but if the end drags out and their eyes drift to the side, that's another story. With "Oh, interesting...", the longer the pause, the less they agree.

  13. No.13 | Situational: restaurants

    "Are you still working on that?" = can I take your plate; "Can I get you anything else?" is usually the check's opening act; "No rush!" = here's the check, take your time.

  14. No.14 | Situational: apartment hunting

    Cozy = tiny, Has character = old, Walkable = you can walk to one coffee shop, Close to the beach = a 20-minute drive. Always ask: "Is parking included?"

  15. No.15 | Situational: the office

    "Let's circle back" = parking it for now; "Per my last email" = I already said this, read the email; "No pressure, but..." = pressure. The more polite the email, the bigger the problem.

  16. Bonus | Say these and you sound local

    Put 'the' in front of freeways (the 405, the 10), call the gray days in May and June May Gray and June Gloom, say the Valley, DTLA, PCH, and when asking directions, ask 'how long' rather than how many miles.

  17. Why do Angelenos talk like this?

    Everyone came from somewhere else, lives far away, and has a packed schedule; the subtext is a gentle distance that doesn't want to let you down or make promises it can't keep. 'Taiwanese politeness saves face; LA politeness gives space.'

In this series

Read it with the slides →

An original JSLALALAND field guide by Jasmine Chang (@jslalaland).