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Slayer Slang: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Lexicon. Michael Adams. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
The television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) attracted critical acclaim, a devoted fan base, and much academic attention, including an international conference and numerous books and articles. Michael Adams joins the academy's engagement with Sunnydale's finest with this intriguing book, Slayer Slang: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Lexicon.
As Adams notes, language in Buffy is an essential part of the show's appeal to a broad audience. Although the characters employ general American slang, they also engage in clever word play and use words in creative, humorous ways. Adams was hooked when he heard "Love makes you do the wacky" (71), but any regular viewer could provide favorite quotes, from "Undead American" as the politically correct form for a vampire to Buffy's mother referring to her support of her daughter's lifestyle as having "marched in the...