In the show, Beaver often describes Wally as "flaky" when he gets close to a girl. I know what "flaky" or "a flake" generally means but in the show it seems to relate specifically to love and dating. I can't find anything about this online - anyone know if "flaky" as 1950s slang meant something different than it does now?

In the show, Beaver often describes Wally as "flaky" when he gets close to a girl. I know what "flaky" or "a flake" generally means but in the show it seems to relate specifically to love and dating. I can't find anything about this online - anyone know if "flaky" as 1950s slang meant something different than it does now?


I guess it meant like Wally was acting starry eyed, silly, head in the clouds type of feeling you get being young and liking somebody of the opposite sex. Your heart gets fluttery, your thoughts are a mile away. It's hard for me to explain in writing exactly what I mean. But you get the idea right? ;)

In interviews Jerry Mathers has referred to the slang on LITB as !950'/60's valley speak.

All I know is flaky was kind of a beatnik term and I say junk all the time. Most people know what I mean when I say junk but some get offended. I tell those people to use their age specific competency

And " Giving you the business"! They said that all the time. Meaning someone was B.S. ing you! Wally would say "Beav, he's just giving you the business"!

And " Giving you the business"! They said that all the time. Meaning someone was B.S. ing you! Wally would say "Beav, he's just giving you the business"!
My favorite was when they referred to a piece of cake as "a hunk of cake" !!

Wally loved "hunk." Also a hunk of milk. Once June told Wally not to use words like flip or ape. Ape was a real LITB word. How about one of Beaver's records....You're Driving Me Ape You Big Gorilla.

Beaver called Linda Dennison a Smelly old ape!! LOL!!! He liked her and his classmates found out. At their age it wasn't cool to like a girl, so to prove he didn't he had to call her a bad name. By 50's standards and LITB standards. "Smelly old ape" was a really bad thing to call someone I guess??!!! LOL!!!!

Wally loved "hunk." Also a hunk of milk.

A hunk of milk...that one's so goofy sounding!! Yeah, I've also heard Wally say that. If I ever said that, my family members would look at me very strangely.

Beaver and Larry got into a fight in todays ep. and Beaver called Larry a big ape!!! LOL!!!!

These days if somebody called you an ape, would it really be that insulting? LOL

These days if somebody called you an ape, would it really be that insulting? LOL

It is kind of like the dispatcher in Adam 12 stating that the bad guys have chains and knives.

I always giggle at that. I bet modern law enforcement wished the bad guys only had chains and knives. Awe the good ole days when ape was insulting and the bad guys were not so well armed.

We've mentioned ape, but what about rat? Beaver has called Wally a rat several times. Rat! Rat! Rat!

Love "clobber" someone was always gonna clobber you in LITB.

Love "clobber" someone was always gonna clobber you in LITB.



LOL!! Yeah!! And as Torgo mentioned calling somebody a rat! Another one was calling a person a creep. Or even calling yourself a creep. Like Wally would say, "If I don't wear the right suit to the dance , Mary Ellen Rogers will think I'm a creep"! LOL!!!! :lol:

I just love the words the Beaver would make up because he didn't know the real word to use. It made for some funny comments by the Beaver.

I just love the words the Beaver would make up because he didn't know the real word to use. It made for some funny comments by the Beaver.
That started in the very first episode whe Beaver thaught he was going to get "spelled" (expelled) from school!!

Yeah like swift cheese sandwiches, constellation prize, conspicious for conspicuous and love when he would say "I told you afore."

"croaked"....remember the frogs Beaver and Richard had? he didn't wanna sell them cuz he said the man would "croak" 'em...

Beaver asks Ward if the lamp made a short circus in Beaver's Big Contest.

The sad thing is I am starting to use LITB slang in real life. In 2015. I'm always taking about "giving people the business." Oh well. At least I haven't started calling people Sam yet. :lol:

The sad thing is I am starting to use LITB slang in real life. In 2015. I'm always taking about "giving people the business." Oh well. At least I haven't started calling people Sam yet. :lol:


LOL!!! I've always wanted to say that to someone if I think they are being BS'd ! " Aw, he/she is only giving you the business"!!! :lol: :D


Oh and welcome to the forums, LarkRiser! :wave: :)

On one of the eps they showed today Beaver says

"Miss Landers made us memorize a big hunk of poem"!!

On one of the eps they showed today Beaver says

"Miss Landers made us memorize a big hunk of poem"!!
They really like to use the "hunk" especially relating to food. Like having a hunk of cake. And a hunk of milk to go with it!!

I noticed that they used the word "dibs" in the show. I still use the word "dibs".

Later Beaver would say "that's a gyp" like when he wore the sweatshirt and Wally was supposed to talk to Ward on his behalf but Wally didnt get a chance. "What a gyp." I think I say that even now.

Later Beaver would say "that's a gyp" like when he wore the sweatshirt and Wally was supposed to talk to Ward on his behalf but Wally didnt get a chance. "What a gyp." I think I say that even now.

I used to say what a gyp and jew them down until I learned it was a derogatory term for Gypsies and Jews.

Now I don't put those two groups down anymore.