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Two false identities of underage girls?

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oristarA
 
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 11:21 am
The meaning of "Two false identities of underage girls" seems having two ways:
1) the identities are false, but the two underage girls are real;
2) the identities are false, and the two underage girls do not exist in reality.

I think 2) is what the author intends to express. Am I on the right track?

Besides, does "Like is my life real" mean "for example, is my life real"?

Context:

According to the New York Times, evidence later revealed that a group of self-described conservatives[30] had been monitoring Weiner's communications with women for at least three months. Two false identities of underage girls had been created by unknown parties to solicit communication with Weiner and the women he was contacting.[30] Bloggers reported a tweet made in April by a 17-year-old Delaware girl in which she exclaimed, "Seriously talking to Representative Weiner from New York right now! Like is my life real?" In early June, Fox News Channel, whose reporter "happened to be there when the cops showed up", reported that police went to the girl's house to question her and her parents. The police, who had been "made aware of an alleged contact" between Weiner and the girl, also reviewed content on her computer. Weiner confirmed having communicated with the girl, but denied sending any inappropriate messages. The family of the girl stated the contact was "not salacious or in any manner inappropriate". The police did not find anything wrong in Weiner's communications with the girl.[31][32][33]

More:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Weiner_sexting_scandals#Initial_media_reports_and_Weiner.27s_denial
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Tes yeux noirs
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  2  
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 11:40 am
@oristarA,
Quote:
1) the identities are false, but the two underage girls are real;
2) the identities are false, and the two underage girls do not exist in reality.

There is nothing to suggest that one or the other of these is the case; one may suspect the second. To use the real names of underage girls online might expose them to unwelcome attention from e.g. stalkers and would be irresponsible.

Quote:
does "Like is my life real" mean "for example, is my life real"?

"Like" used in this way is a meaningless word, a discourse particle, filler, hedge, or speech disfluency, much used by initially teenagers but now just about everybody wanting to be 'casual' or 'cool' or 'down with the kids'. It originated, I believe, in the slang of 1950s beatniks, and was spread later by the popularity of' 'Valley talk', originally 1970s teen California sociolect, but now widely used.

One suggested explanation for this phenomenon is the argument that younger English speakers are still developing their linguistic competence, and, metalinguistically wishing to express ideas without sounding too confident, certain, or assertive, use "like" to fulfil this purpose.

Examples:

He's, like, tall (He's tall)
It's, like, hot today (It's hot today)
I'm, like, here (I'm here)
oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 11:48 am
@Tes yeux noirs,
Excellent.
Does 'down with the kids' mean "adults learn from/emulate kids"?
Tes yeux noirs
 
  2  
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 11:55 am
@oristarA,
Quote:
Does 'down with the kids' mean "adults learn from/emulate kids"?

An adult who tries to be 'down with the kids' is one who uses teenage slang, clothes, etc, usually to make themselves appear young, hip or 'cool'.
Setanta
 
  2  
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 12:36 pm
To be down with is a more general expression, a rather dated expression, which means to understand and to approve. At the height of the "hippy" era, someone might propose an idea, and someone else might express approval by saying: "I'm down with that."
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InfraBlue
 
  2  
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 02:17 pm
@oristarA,
Going by the text, it seems that the underage girls were real and false identities were created for them as part of a muckraking sting operation.
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Tes yeux noirs
 
  1  
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 02:44 pm
Quote:
Weiner sent a link to a photo ... of his erect penis concealed by boxer briefs to a 21-year-old female college student

With a name like his, you'd think he would be more careful.
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Tes yeux noirs
 
  1  
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 02:49 pm
This suggests that adults were masquerading as underage girls

Quote:
A Twitter user employing a fake name posed as a 16-year-old California high school girl in May and tried to get Mr. Weiner to be her prom date, according to people with knowledge of the communications and a review of documents. The person behind another Twitter account created under a fake name claimed to be her classmate and offered to provide the group with incriminating evidence about Mr. Weiner.

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oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Thu 3 Dec, 2015 08:16 pm
@Tes yeux noirs,
Tes yeux noirs wrote:

Quote:
Does 'down with the kids' mean "adults learn from/emulate kids"?

An adult who tries to be 'down with the kids' is one who uses teenage slang, clothes, etc, usually to make themselves appear young, hip or 'cool'.



The word "down" here appears to be an adjective. I found another example:
Down with hegemonism!
Is "down with" here a verb phrase?
Tes yeux noirs
 
  2  
Reply Fri 4 Dec, 2015 01:04 am
@oristarA,
Quote:
Is "down with" here a verb phrase?

Yes, but "down with" has different meanings in "down with the kids" and "Down with hegemonism!"
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