Date: Mon, 3 Nov 1997 10:15:24 -1000

From: Norman Roberts nroberts[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]HAWAII.EDU

Subject: "stoked"



Aloha e Listers



"I'm stoked it was only my leg and that everybody was there for me."



"He's just stoked that God lets him live, and he's thankful for his friends."



These statements appeared in a Honolulu Stat-Bulletin, 10/31/97: A-3 report

of a young man who had been bitten by a shark while surfing. The first

statement is by the victim; the second is by his sister. Both grew up on

Kauai and lived two years (1993-1995) in New Zealand.



This usage of "stoked" is new to me. I don't think it's local surfing

jargon or Hawaiian Creole English. The term seems to mean "relieved" or

"glad" in these contexts. Has anyone heard or seen it elsewhere?



The dictionary definition "to stoke the fire" probably doesn't apply here,

although it might be an extnsion of the meaning "to fill up on food."



Aloha



N