There may have been situations when you have heard your friends use the expression “catch you on the flip side” when you both are going separate ways and you felt confused as to what the phrase means. Or you may have heard the phrase in movies or TV series and wondered about the meaning of the expression.
If you are looking for the meaning of the phrase “catch you on the flip side” then you have come to the right place. In this article, we will not only provide the meaning of this expression, but we will also explain the origin and where and how to use the phrase. So read on, if you want to know more about the expression “Catch you on the flip side.”
Catch You On The Flip Side: Meaning And Origin
In simple words, the phrase “catch you on the flip side” means “see you later,” “talk to you soon,” or “goodbye.” It is generally used when two people are going separate ways, but it is implied that they will see each other in a while. The phrase is a colloquial way of saying farewell.
But How Did The Phrase “Catch You On The Flip Side” Originate?
According to Urban Dictionary, the phrase has its roots in the music industry. Once upon a time, when vinyl records were in vogue, Disk Jockeys or DJs used the term “flip side” to refer to the reverse side of the vinyl record. A vinyl record was basically the big brother of CDs and had two sides – Side A and Side B.
Side A of a Vinyl record used to contain the more popular songs. Hence Side A used to be played first at any party or club, and then the Disk Jockey would turn or flip the record over to play Side B.
During that time, some DJs used to say, “I will catch you on the flip side,” meaning that they would start playing a particular album and wouldn’t say another word until it was time to play the reverse side or the “flip side” of the album.
However, the current meaning and usage of the phrase have no bearing on how the phrase was originally used.
Interestingly enough, there is one more explanation for the origin of the phrase that shares some relation with the current meaning of the term “Catch you on the flip side.”
When space flight was still in its early stages, NASA developed a new technique to save rocket fuel for the much-needed trip back to Earth. After the development of the new technique, rocket ships used the moon’s orbit as a slingshot to return back to Earth.
However, when the rocket ships used the moon’s orbit as a slingshot, there was a period when the spacecraft had to be on the moon’s backside. During that period, the spacecraft would be completely hidden from the Earth and also lose radio contact with the ground control.
Before losing radio contact, Ground Control used to say, “catch you on the flip side.” Non-space community adapted this phrase as an alternative to “see you soon” or “goodbye.”
Catch You On The Flip Fide: Usage
In the above section, we mentioned that the phrase “Catch you on the flip side” was made popular by Disk Jockeys during the vinyl records era. They used it to mean that they would play a record and not talk until it was time to flip the record or turn it over to play the b side. But nowadays, the phrase is commonly used in casual conversations to mean “goodbye” or “see you in a while.”
When To Use The “Catch You On The Flip” Phrase?
It is important to remember that “Catch you on the flip side” is a slang term or a phrase. Therefore the phrase should only be used in informal settings, such as when talking to friends, family members, or colleagues with whom one has a close working relationship.
Here Are Some Examples:
Situation 1
Sammy: Hey man! Coming to the party tonight?
Luke: No bro, I am beat. I am heading to the dorm for a nap.
Sammy: Okay, Catch you on the flip side.
Situation 2:
Jenny: How long will you be away for?
Alex: For 15 days.
Jenny: Have a safe flight, and catch you on the flip side
Situation 3:
Max: Hey Chris! Good luck with your new job, mate! Catch you on the flip side.
Chris: Thank you, buddy! See you soon
When Not To Use The “Catch You On The Flip Side” Phrase?
It is important to remember that “Catch you on the flip side” is an informal expression. It should not be used in formal situations such as
- While writing an academic term paper
- While talking to your professor/teacher or boss
- While writing an email that is meant for your boss/client or professor
In short, avoid using the term while communicating with any person with whom you share a formal relationship.
Catch You On The Flip Side: Similar Expressions
If you dont want to use the phrase “catch you on the flip side” and are looking for a phrase that has a similar meaning. Then you can go through the phrases given below:
- See you on the flip side
- Catch you on the flip
- See you later
- Talk to you soon
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, by now, you have understood the meaning of the expression “catch you on the flip side.” In addition, you just need to remember that the expression is informal in nature. So use it as much as you want while talking to your friends and family, but dont include it in your term paper for school or while writing an email to your boss. Now that you have familiarized yourself with the meaning and usage of this expression catch you on the flip side!
If you have any questions or inputs about the phrase, feel free to let us know in the comments below!
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