Dude! You totally forgot "Point Break". Different genre, same dialect.
> Seriously, using "totally" is so "totally" Californian that it is a
> stereotype, exceeded only by using "tubular" as a very good thing, rather
> than a synonym for a torus.
Depends on usage.
There's a particular Valley dialect pronunciation, I'm totally sure, made totally famous by Moon Unit Zappa on her father's recording of "Valley Girl".
Use of 'totally' as an affirmative answer in place of 'yes' or some other answer, might qualify as a Southern Californian dialectical usage. "Are you hungry?" "Totally!"
On the other hand, "totally" has leaked into common usage as an enthusiasm or affirmation marker. (OK, it might only be typical for a particular age group, but still, I suspect the geographic distribution in the US is wide.)
Regardless of the pronunciation, the use of 'totally' has been enlarged to include use as adverb to enhance the verb and affirm the completeness of the action. (Something of a replacement for "really".)
It's a verbal tic, something of an exclamation point, and often gets applied redundantly to things that would often be considered either/or ("totally unique" or "totally pregnant", for example.)
"I believe" vs. "I totally believe" "I think" vs. "I totally think" "You critical the broo" vs. "You totally critical the broo"
etc
Dan
-- Today's fun brought to you by the letters USMC and the numbers 155: http://tinyurl.com/9ld8z3
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