Did you use the slang term "ERT" growing up?

[bbernardini]

I was just thinking about this (and discussing it with a friend), when I found a blog entry about it. I remember at some point in the 80s, in elementary and junior high, we used the term "ert" to indicate that something was stupid. Kind of like "DUH", or a more tolerant version of "that's so gay" (even then, we were trendsetters in tolerance and understanding).

It's beginning to seem like it was VERY localized to the Downingtown School District. As far as myself and the previously mentioned friend can tell, it definitely went through West Bradford Elementary, East Ward Elementary, and through to Downingtown and Lionville Junior High.

So...anybody have anything to add?

[modrepub]

1. Haven't heard this term in decades

"Ert" was so Jr High @ DHS.... Never ran into it anywhere else other than 9th grade.

[Number9Dream]

2. Not in the Lehigh Valley or northern Jersey shore

Spent time growing up in both the Lehigh Valley and the northern Jersey shore in the 60's & 70's - never heard that term.

[femmocrat]

3. Never heard it in W. PA, either.

I was teaching all grade levels (and had kids that age) in the 80s, so I would have heard it, if it was colloquial. I still hear "that's gay" sometimes. Mostly at the middle school. I always give them a reprimand when I hear it.

[RadicalGeek]

5. Nor I

Of course my school system was predominately African-American.

[northampton]

4. Yep, I used it

I went to West Bradford in the 80's and we used "ert" to mean "that's stupid". It never occurred to me to use "that's gay" to mean something is stupid and I didn't hear about that until much later, so I wouldn't say it was a PC version of that phrase. It just means "that's stupid". Besides, I don't think being PC was a concept that elementary school kids in the 80's were aware of.

I forgot about "ert" until earlier today when "ert" came spontaneously out of my mouth when I was talking to my friend. It was a real WTF moment. From what I remember and can find online it's pretty specific to Downingtown. I think it was used less and less the further along in school I got and don't remember hardly ever (if ever) hearing it at Downingtown Sr High. I always thought it was specific to West Bradford.