There were a lot of great television shows over the years, but not a lot of them have made greater contributions beyond sheer entertainment. Not since Seinfeld has a show introduced us to more catchphrases and terminology than How I Met Your Mother. Sometimes, it’s merely using an existing word in a new, funnier way.
The Bro Code
A text penned by Barney’s ancestor, the code is best known for its first rule, “Bros before hos,” but its bylaws comprise so much more. Such as: “A bro will, in a timely manner, alert his bro to the existence of a girl fight” and “Bros cannot make eye contact during a devil’s three-way” (a three-way with two bros).
Legen….dary
Barney uses the word “legendary” to describe parties and get-togethers, and he uses it way too much. A dramatic pause in the middle of the word can only increase already-doomed expectations, especially when the pause is filled with phrases like “wait for it” and “I hope you’re not lactose intolerant, because the next word is.”
Suit Up!
If Barney were to give only one piece of advise it would be to get a suit. Suits make you look cool and responsible, and that’s why Barney always ask Ted to “Suit up!” before they go out to the bar.
Lemon Law of Dating
In America, the Lemon Law protects you if you’ve recently purchased a car and subsequently found it to be not worth the cost of the floor mats. But it was Barney, of course, who advanced the idea of a Lemon Law of Dating, after going on one too many dates with girls he would like to leave after only five minutes.
Slap Bet
Man has been slapping his fellow man for thousands of years. When Barney and Marshall have a particularly important bet it has to be a slap bet. The rules are complex. Slapping someone before the bet is won can lead to retaliatory slaps, anywhere from 3 to 10.
General Knowledge!
Technically an in-joke between Ted and Robin, the use of common, eveyday phrases as humorous military titles is not new. Ted and Robin have a penchant for spotting them in conversations, and repeating them in unison and then saluting (“General Knowledge!” “Major Buzzkill!” “Genderal Idea!”). Even though we don’t repeat these phrases ourselves, we can’t help but smile whenever we hear one spoken alout.
The Hot/Crazy Scale
Barney’s Hot/Crazy Scale is handy chart indicating how hot a woman has to be in order to make her craziness tolerable in a relationship. As long as the woman isn’t crazier than she is hot, she should fall just north of the line named for Barney’s ex who would increase in hotness even as she increase in crazy.
