Definition
 Slang
is sometimes described as 'the language of sub-cultures' or 'the
language of the streets'.
It
is a term for words or expressions used by small groups of people.
It
tends to be vivid and colourful, and holds a delicate position
between the colloquial and the vulgar.
Examples
MONEY |
dough, lolly, spondulicks |
FOOD |
grub, nosh, scoff |
DRINK |
sloshed, smashed, plastered |
SEX |
nookey, the other, crumpet |
Use
Slang
is used in everyday informal speech amongst
members of the same group.
It
can often act as a 'code' which excludes outsiders.
Linguistically,
it can be usefully seen as a sub-dialect.
It
is hardly used at all in writing – except
for stylistic effect.
Today's
slang can be tomorrow's Standard English.
Eric
Partridge [an authority on the subject] identifies a number of
reasons for the creation and use of slang:
- to be different, startling, or original
- to display one's membership of a group or club
- to be secretive or to exclude others
- to enrich the stock of language
- to establish a friendly rapport with others
- to be irreverant or humorous
Cockney
rhyming slang is well known throughout the English speaking population.
It is a very stylised form of slang which consists of two main
elements:
- the item being referred to – 'tea' for instance
- a pair of words of which the latter rhymes with the referent – 'Rosie
Lee'
Thus
'tea' becomes 'Rosie Lee' [names are often used].
To
make matters more complex, the rhyming word is often omitted. Thus
the Cockney slang utterance is abbreviated, so that the listener
may hear 'Make us a cup of Rosie.'
This
practice of omitting the rhyming word creates more interest in
the usage, making it into a kind of conundrum or a word game.
Here
are some examples of well-known Cockney rhyming slang.
'Time to go up the apples to bed.'
[Apples and pears = stairs]
'How do you like my new whistle?'
[Whistle and flute = suit]
'Let's have a butcher's.'
[Butcher's hook = look]
Some
forms of slang change very rapidly, for various reasons.
Teenage
slang changes rapidly because people are teenagers for a short
period of time. For example, in the early 1990s the term used to
express enthusiastic approval was 'Ace'. Now this would be considered
rather dated. It has been replaced by 'Sound' – which itself
will soon be supplanted by whatever the current teenage culture
decides is appropriate.
'Smashing!'
and 'Super!' the teenage slang of Enid Blyton stories of the 1930s
and 1940s is now used to parody the period and the attitudes from
which they sprang. Intrinsically however, it is no different from
today's terms.
One
important function of teenage slang is to create an identity which
is distinct from the general adult world. Teenagers for this reason
do not generally approve of parents or teachers using their slang
terms. This defeats the object of what is essentially a group 'code'.
Thus
new terms are generated every couple of years. It is interesting
that the main slang items are adjectives for
extreme approval or extreme disapproval.
The
criminal culture has even more reason to refer in slang terms to
the key elements of its activities. This is why there are so many
terms for illegal substances. 'Weed', 'draw', and 'whacky backy'
are just some of the slang terms for marijuana.
'Exstasy'
is a slang term which has now been adopted into Standard
English. This is probably because the chemical term is too
complex or difficult to pronounce.
This
process can also occur in reverse. For instance the term 'muck'
is now slang, but it used to be a Standard English word meaning
mud or outdoor dirt.
The
most important lesson regarding the concept of slang is that like
all other parts of the language, it is in process. Cockney rhyming
slang has stayed with us probably because of its creative and almost
poetic element. Also, because of its formulaic nature, Cockney
slang can continue to be generated according to the formula, suiting
a variety of linguistic purposes. |
