Analysis of the Word “Trippin'”
In this essay, we will be discussing the semantic changes found in the word tripping by comparing the changes in its meaning over time. In particular, we will chronicle the evolution of this word by exploring the historical usage of tripping [trɪpɪŋ] and its root morpheme trip (v.) as far back as the 1300s, its references to drug culture in the 1960s, and its modern usage in American hip-hop culture from the 1980s until now. Throughout the essay, we will analyze the word’s lexical and semantic change in context of the given time periods.