Slangalator - That's a Cool 10-4! | Script Revolution

Slangalator - That's a Cool 10-4!

THE SLANGALATOR
When you just don't understand, get the Slangalator.

Ever find yourself watching one of those law enforcement procedurals or one of the forty-seven thousand TV shows about Navy SEALs? And despite trying hard to follow the story, you’re constantly distracted by phrases and acronyms, used to showcase how authentic the show strives to be.

Problem is, unless you actually participated in B.U.D.S (see what I did there?) and graduated from Quantico (yep, did it again), then you don’t have a damn clue what they’re talking about.

Apparently, you’re not alone.

Slangalator, by Ian. J Courter is a wickedly-fun and satirical faux commercial, marketing the benefits of the ‘Slangalator’: a Rosetta Stone-esque app used to help translate military jargon back into human tongue.

WIFE prepares food as Husband walks in.

HUSBAND
Hey, babe. I’m gettin’ with the C-O about my T-D-Y.
Be back about fourteen-hundred.           

Wife looks at camera in despair.

WIFE
I don’t understand him anymore.
Can someone please help?!?

ANNOUNCER (VO)
If you’re a military spouse, you know how
frustrating these conversations can be.
Now that frustration is a thing of the past with…
the Slangulator.

A hand model displays a smartphone as the ANNOUNCER talks.

ANNOUNCER (VO)
This revolutionary application software translates
militarese into English. Compatible with any smartphone,
it’s so easy to use, you’ll never want to be without it.

In the vein of SNL-esque infomercials, the Slangulator dives deep into all the hilarious ways software this ingenious can be applied to everyday life. Not only will you miraculously understand what GI Joe and his pals are talking about, but you can join in as well.

But, it’s worth noting your participation in the parochial buzz-phrase-a-thon may not be so welcome!

HUSBAND
…Smitty just left the TOC (tock)
when a R-P-G hit the DFAC (dee-fac).
the Jawa normally move like pond water,
but he dee-dee-mao’d the A-O so fast,
I thought he was goin’ Elvis on us.

Wife has a puzzled expression as she looks at her smartphone. Then, she smiles and MECHANICALLY reads…

WIFE
Hooah! That’s ate-up like a soup sandwich.
Sounds like Smitty’s a real fob-goblin.

The guys look at her with a mix of alarm and irritation.

A tasty morsel of mordant amusement, Slangulator smartly satirizes our societal penchant for idiomatic tribalism, one that spans multiple cultures and careers.  As a human habit, it’s one immensely hard to override: it’s just who we are, right?

Or, as our friends in the armed forces would opine: SNAFU… Everything Normal. All Fucked Up.

If you’re a filmmaker who enjoys sardonic storytelling, don’t hesitate to incorporate Slangulator into your “dialogue”. Act ASAP. Or your chances will forever be FUBAR’d. Shoot, you may even earn yourself some Chest Candy (dammit, I did it again), with a tale that’s so A1!

 

The Script

The Slangalator

When you just don't understand, get the slangalator.

About The Reviewer

J.B. Storey's picture
Real name: 

My writing career started when I was no more than nine or ten years old. However, it took the form of imaginary adventures my many toys would embark upon. As I got older, I started to write essays at school. I excelled at the ones where I could freely mold my ideas into fiction. Not as good when it came to scrutinizing existing star-crossed literature written five hundred years ago.

So, what did I do with all of that imagination? I studied history and philosophy. Why? For the most...Read more

About The Writer

Ian J. Courter's picture
Real name: 

Ian has been a technical writer for over seventeen years and has published several professional journal articles, but his true desire has been screenwriting. So far, he has written fifteen shorts and seven feature-length scripts. He draws inspiration from a wide range of sources to include: a graduate degree in international relations and comparative government; over twenty years of military experience, including overseas combat tours; extensive time spent in foreign countries with immersion...Read more