Shawty

On my commute to work I listen to a lot of music. I like all sorts of music but have developed an especially affectionate relationship with hip hop. Since I'm not a habitue of the streets as a rule, sometimes I get tripped out up on the current lingo that is prevalent in said genre of music.

Thank goodness for Urban Dictionary. If I hear a word that I'm not clear on, I turn to this valuable online resource. I like to think of it as practical as an English-Foreign language dictionary. The search engine on this site is especially valuable.

The current word that has been baffling me is "Shawty" or "Shorty." Both forms are used. I kept hearing it in Sean Kingston's songs. Then I heard it in an Usher Song. Then Ray J and Lil Wayne. And so on. Shorty was obviously a woman but the question was this: Is Shorty a good witch or a bad witch? I needed some clarification.

On closer examination I realized there are two different kinds of shorties.

1. Shawty, as in a fine ass woman or your girl. Thanks to Urban Dictionary, let's use it in a sentence for each respective definition:

-Fine ass woman: "Sup shawty, how you doin?"

-Girlfriend: "Me an my shawty went to da sex shop yesterday and got some shit, yo".

OR

2. Shorty, as in an affectionate term for a girlfriend, attractive female or concubine. (Concubine? WTF?)

Examples:
"Shorty is shaking her ass on my Hummer with spinning rims, or something." (that must be the concubine version)

or more commonly (because, hello, how many people actually own a Hummer)

"Yo shorty, let me holla at you for a second."

Another mystery solved.