If you are serious about becoming a surfer, then you certainly need to learn the lingo. It’s vital that you understand the language of the waves, as it will help you befriend your fellow surfers and understand their colloquial chit-chat. Surf language can be extensive, but there are a few important words and phrases that you should know if you really want to fit in.
First of all, you should get to know the terms used to describe surfing. To “wipeout” means to fall off your surfboard while on a wave and to “kick-out” means to pull out of a wave. When you walk to the end of your board, this is called “walking the nose”. When you complete an accurate turn on the top of the wave, this is called a “snap”.
There are also words used to describe breaches of surf etiquette. When you cut in front of someone who is riding a wave, you are “dropping in”. You are “snaking” when you obstruct another surfer on a wave. These things are looked upon badly by other surfers and you should avoid doing them.
You also need to learn the slang used to describe different types of waves. A “barrel”, also known as a “tube”, is when the wave forms a tunnel that you can surf in. You refer to waves that break from right to left or left to right respectively as “rights” or “lefts”. “Wind swells” are waves formed by the wind rather than the tide. You call the top of the wave the “lip”.
Also it might be helpful to learn some of the words that surfers use in conversation. Besides the obligatory “dude,” that almost everyone associates with surfers, it is also common to use the word “brah” to describe a buddy. If something is bad, surfers will describe it as “gnarly” or “hairy”, or if it’s really bad, “fubar”.
You really have to live among the surfers to fully understand the lingo, but you can pick up a lot by doing some simple research beforehand. Good luck dudes.