Is slang good

Answer 1

No. It's corrupting the English language. Refrain from using it as much as you can.

Slang is a normal part of any language. People naturally invent slang terms and use them. Using slang is neither good nor bad - refrain from using slang in formal situations, otherwise, it is fine to use slang.

Slang's a FAD?

Slang is, after all, short-lived by nature. In order for slang to stay "slangy", it has to have a feeling of novelty, a sense of naughtiness.

Slang is like fashion; never "in" for long. The word itself "FAD" originates in 1825-35; then fad was used in the context of looking after things, busy oneself with trifles i.e. "faddle to play with". Now, it means a craze; fashion that is taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period of time. See lexicons change all the time and the semantic meanings of them too.

We tire of even the most popular words and phrases like "Am I bovverd". (From Catherine Tate's caricature of a teenage chav called Lauren) Now most students use it themselves without intentionally realising that they're using it.

By natural selection it is true that only the strong survive. Some words are retained for long periods and eventually become part of the standard language. Words such as phoney, blizzard, and movie would have been considered slang decade before, but now years later these words are squeezed into the English dictionary.

For example "Cool" is positively prehistoric by slang standards; it originated during the jazz culture of the late 1930s. But every generation since then has embraced it as its own. And, this is the same for "Ghetto," for instance, a word that dates to 1611.

There is no reason why one word stays alive while others get delivered to the scrapheap of linguistic history. It just happens! When one word is not liked or rarely used it is thrown out, like rubbish.

Are youngsters the ones who use slang?

A good deal of slang is heard in the common school playground, many children use cant (language of the underground) such as back slang and pig Latin so teachers do not find out what they are saying. Within schools, there is a demand for too much accuracy as opposed to creativity and imagination.

Every trade and profession, and every closely tight knit group have their own usage of slang. Groups like the: RAF (Royal Air Force), criminals and surfers. The theatrical profession say "break a leg" to do well and a sign of good luck. Therefore, most know which group they belong in.

Where do they get it from?

Today's slang originates from hip-hop culture and rap music but that is not the only inspiration where our youngsters get this from. Matt Lucas's character of Vicky Pollard creates satire opinion of girl chavs.

In the classrooms you hear a parody of "yeah-but-no-but". In a sense-it's quite funny! To think this phrase has bounced from our small TV screens into normal everyday life.

It is Kate Burridge, professor of linguistics at Monash University in Australia, who is supporting a campaign to get the Little Britain's character, Vicky Pollard's phrase entered into the Cambridge English dictionary.

John Simpson, chief editor of OED has no objection as "yeah-but-no-but" being included; if only it is widely used. However, prescriptive followers such Lynn Truss (writer of the bestseller Eats, Shoots & Leaves) would cause such riot.

They celebrate punctuation and make others brush up on grammar; they would not warm to this. Samuel Johnson, who wrote the first universally accepted dictionary in 1755, had no slang included in his dictionary. He thought that words such as "bamboozled", "capture" and "novel" were of low usage and unconventional. But these words are now standardised; taken for granted and hardly ever used. He said that this was "to stop the rot of the English language". He would turn in his grave to find out that slang now is being included in the dictionary in this day and age.

To us, parents and teachers, it may sound as if they are omitting disgruntled murmurs and moans. But the youths of today are very skilful. They can flip from one linguistics mode to another; depending on relevant situations revolving around them. They have good grasp as to when to use formal or informal language. This is multi-dialectal. This must be a good objective as they have become more socially aware.

Should we accept this as the talk of tomorrow?

Slang is merely cleverer than Standard English. It's catchy, and it can produce flashes of humour and even poetry.

The author, Gk Chesterton proposed that:

"All slang is metaphor and all metaphor is poetry".

Students use slang in an inventive form of language rather than a "low and of a vulgar type" that is usually presented. It requires more creativity; thinking time is needed to process how to use certain slangs in various situations.

Wasn't everyone young once?

Perhaps slang does have a degrading effect on public discourse. To these teens, slang is language- it's slangauge! It's the way they talk and think and feel. In the 1930s and 1940s, it was the swing and jitterbug culture that infected the hip talk of the day. In the 1950s it was the beats and fast-talking radio disc jockeys. In the 1960s, it was the long haired hippies and girls in minis who affected the language; even then the youngsters of every era were blamed for "corrupting" the English language. But what is true English? What is good English? Has true good English ever existed?

Today it doesn't, but has it ever…

Slang is a linguistic movement which cannot be refrained from.

Ferdinand Sassure (Swiss Psycho Linguist) said that:

"Time changes all things. There is no reason why language should escape this universal law"

and this makes sense. If time changes people then why shouldn't it change people's attitudes towards language variations?

Why is the idea of using slang despised by many?

Is slang misunderstood by those who don't understand what it means and how to use it or just plain bad mannered!

Is it because teens have a lower social status as a result adults feel threatened by them?

Or are teens "decaying" the language? Are we affronted? How dare they change our wonderful language?"

However, when Slang is used properly- it sparkles and lives for humour and emphasis.

It shouts independence! After all, any student can spot a fraud a mile away.

It is as if it can be hit in the face several times and still ask with a smile in its face more please. So what's the deal with us using it too; joining in with the kids will help us to understand students more and why they act in the way they do. Also slang is an attractive resource to analyse for language variation for linguists.

Should we join too?

Instead of trying to force out "proper" English in to them why don't we join them. The inherent addiction to slang is that each generation has a chance to shape its own lexicon (words), and in so doing, exercise imagination and originality. I do admire the tenacity and determination of students who want to make a mark in English language. After all, each era wants to make their entity mark in history.

The end result is a playful body of language that at times is used for no reason other than because it's fun to use.

In a way slang builds relationships and maintains bond. The main reason why we all use language is to communicate? Rules are important and we could "preserve" or "embalm" language. But what happens when English dies out because of this. This was the same case for Latin. Language is to help us view and outline our feelings to one another, this is what slang does!

Overall slang and language variation is a good objective and fascinating to analyse.

Answer 2

Slang is colloquial language, where words mean something other than their formal meanings, or where words are used that are not actual English words. (Sometimes slang or vernacular words will become dictionary words through use and custom.)

Examples of slang :

• the gangster term "hit" specifically meant an armed attack or killing.
• The gangster term "rod" meant a gun
• the non-word "warez" is computer slang for pirated or illegal software
• the slang "babelicious" means an attractive female
• the word "cakewalk" which became an accepted term for something easily done
• the online slang "chatnik", a chat addict

Slang is words that are used that are often not found in the dictionary, because someone or a group of people have created them as shared expressions. Slang words are words or expressions that are not part of standard or generally accepted language. They are often specific to local territories or groups as opposed to the larger culture.

Answer 3

No, it's part of whatever language you're speaking.

Answer 4

Yes. See the link below for an online slang dictionary.

Answer 5

Of course it's "real" - if something can be understood, then it's real speech and not nonsense.

Answer 6

In informal settings, slang is fine to use. In a formal setting such as a business meeting or a report or other formal writing, use proper English and not slang.