Word that means slang

One of the developments which must certainly be credited to the nineteenth century is the growth of an objective and scientific attitude towards slang which has become one of the most prominent features of the English language.

Slang is very informal language that consists of words and phrases basically used in speech rather than writing and restricted in a specific region or a particular group of people.

Slang Definition

Slang has been defined by Greenough and Kittredge as

“a peculiar kind of vagabond language, always hanging on the outskirts of legitimate speech, but continually straying or forcing its way into the most respectable company.”

The Oxford English Dictionary defines slang as the

“language of a highly colloquial type, below the level of standard educated speech, and consisting cither of new words or of current words employed in some special sense.”

The following definition given by H. W. Fowler in his Modern English Usage, though inadequate by itself, is complementary to that of the Oxford Dictionary:

“the diction that results from the favourite game among the young and lively of playing with words and renaming things and actions.”

Origin of Slang

Slang has its root in topicality, convenience and elementary human nature. It originates and flourishes best in unconventionality. “Among the impulses which lead to the invention of slang”, Dr. H. Bradley says. “the two most important seem to be the desire to secure increased vivacity and the desire to secure increased sense of intimacy in the use of language.”

The conditions favouring the origin of slang is crowding and excitement As Camden Hotten has said, “Any sudden excitement or peculiar circumstance is quite sufficient to originate and set going a score of slang words.” Slang is as characteristic of the individual as of the clique, the profession, the trade and the class. In the opinion of Greenough and Kittredge the coinage and circulation of slang come from the desire of the individual to distinguish himself by oddity and grotesque humour. Another potent force that makes for slang is the impatience with existing words and phrases- the desire to escape from the restraints imposed by a formal standard. The man in the street considers the expression to dismiss tame and colourless, and so he substitutes “to give one the air”. For the same reason a young woman who fails to keep an engagement with a youngman stands him up. The desire to be novel and striking thus has much to do with the origin of slang. Again the desire to be secret and not to be understood by others around the slang-user has given birth to many slang. Students, very close friends, lovers, members of secret political societies, persons in prisons use slang with this end in view.

Slang is personal in its origin. It is the user who determines the matter and meaning of slang. And slang is devised by persons belonging to the different walks of life by persons of wit and ingenuity, stockbroker, scholar, labourer, lawyer, soldier, sailor, the man in the street, and the man in the car. Whatever the origin of slang, personality and environment are the two most powerful determinants of the nature of slang.

Uses of Slang

Slang, has some good uses. It enriches the language. It invests the abstract with solidity and concreteness, and the remote with nearness and immediacy It terrestrializes the ethereal, and brings down the idealistic to the materialistic level. But the greatest use of slang is in its euphemistic effect. There are many slangy expressions which mitigate the tragedy lightens the inevitability of death and prettifies folly or drunkenness. Among the euphemistic slang may be mentioned “make esay” (to kill), “step into a last bus” (to die), “hop the bags” (to attack the enemy across no man’s land), “in Adam and Eve’s togs” (naked), “excuse my French” (forgive me my strong language) etc.

Slang is sometimes used to amuse a superior and place self on an emotional and mental level with one’s audience. On many occasions a man has recourse to it to make known and even to assert that he belongs or has belonged to a certain school or collages or university, a certain trade or profession, an artistic or intellectual group of social class. In other words, he uses it in order to be in the swim” and establish contact. Slang is also employed to disperse or lessen the solemnity or excessive of gravity of conversation or the pomposity of a piece of writing.

Characteristics of Slang

The most important characteristic of slang is its tendency to rise in the verbal world, and thus to become ennobled. H.T. Buckle has very humorously said, “Many of these (slang) words and phrases are but serving their apprenticeship, and will eventually become the active strength of our language.” The slang of one generation has often become the literary language of the next. Many of the English idioms have come from slang, for “idiom is”, as John Brophy says, “fed by the tested inventions of slang”.

Among the slang phrases that have risen in status are “at fault” (from a dog’s losing the scent), “to start in” (to begin), “on the stocks” (in preparation), to peter out, down to bed rock, it is up to you to be in at the death, below the belt, mass play, knock-out blow etc.

Another distinctive characteristic of slang is its ephemerality. Since novelty is a quality which soon wears off, slang which derives its life from novelty has to be constantly renewed. Like man, its creator, slang comes and goes.

“Vamoose, skiddoo, twenty three and beat it give place to scram! which will certainly be forgotten when a newer expression catches the popular fancy.” (A.C. Baugh).

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• Theories of the Origin of Language

The third characteristic of slang is its synonymous abundance, and the ideas and facts which are most fertile in synonyms are money, drinking, drunkenness, the sexual organs and the sexual act. In The Slang Dictionary Hotten lists 130 synonyms for money. He gives drink the next place and intoxication the third place. “But the tabooed words of standard English”, says E. Patridge, “are hardly less productive of slang synonyms: because of the need for euphemism, or of a desire to give them a different appearance and complexion, these taboos result in synonyms more ingenious, and many of them, more picturesque than those for money and drink.”

Slang in relation to legitimate speech

Slang hangs on the outskirts of the legitimate speech and some slang words manage, now and then, to find their way into legitimate speech. Thus we use now naturally, and with entire propriety, many slang words which were regarded as linguistically untouchable by writers of a generation or few generations ago. The expression “what on earth” seems to us an idiomatic expression and certainly will not be objected to in the speech of anyone today. But De Quincey condemned its use and was horrified at hearing it used by a government official. The word “row” in the sense of disturbance or commotion was considered slang in the eighteenth century and Todd (1818) described it as a very low expression, but to-day the word is used in this sense in the works of many reputed authors. So “to parry a thrust”, “o fence” (in an argument)”. “to cross swords with the opposing counsel”. “to bandy words”, “to wrestle with a problem”. “to trip one up” (in a discussion), “lo lose track of a subject”, “to run counter”, “to hit or miss the mark” are now all good English expressions, though most of them were formerly slang, and had passed through the intermediate stage of colloquialism before they gained admission to the legitimate vocabulary.

The once slangy words and expressions like bias (from bowling), fair play, foul play, hazard are all now firmly seated on the shelf of legitimate speech. Can any one now imagine that such indispensable words as “desire” and “salary” were once soldiers’ slang?

Some clipped words which were once slang now occupy a whole niche of legitimate vocabulary – exam for examination, auto for automobile, varsity for university, cab for cabriolet, van for wangward, fence for defence, miss for mistress, mob for mobile vulgus, per for apert, bus for omnibus (which was itself originally a slang term), pad for footpad, piano for pianoforte, kilo for kilogram, zoo for zoological garden, percent for per centum, pros and cons for pros and contras, sweets for sweetmeats, sport for disport etc.

To speak the truth, “there is no real difference in kind”, as Greenough and Kittredge say, “between the processes of slang and those of legitimate speech. Slang is only the rude luxuriance of the uncared for soil, knowing not the hand of the gardener.” The same desire for novelty as is constantly at work in slang is also constantly working in the figurative expressions and new coinages of legitimate speech.

Again like slang artistic literature, apart from the more conveyance of thought, seeks to stimulate the attention of the reader by clever novelty, and even sometimes to shock him into thought by grotesque or startling language. In this way, there come into existence a number of new words, most of which soon die, but some of which are sure to find their place in the general vocabulary. Phrase-composition is as active in slang as in legitimate speech. Thus carouse (shortened from the German gar aus ! ‘quite out‘), hoax (a shortening of hocus pocus), jeopardy (from French jeu parti) were all slang phrases, but are now included in the legitimate vocabulary.

Despite all these similarities between slang and legitimate speech, we cannot adopt all the products of slang without question. All human speech is intended for the cars of others, and as such, must possess a certain dignity and courtesy. Now most slang words have a taint of impropriety about it which makes it offensive. Again the very currency of slang hinges on its allusions to things which are not universally familiar or respectable with the result that slang comes to be regarded as vulgar and vague.

Furthermore, the accepted means of communication in any widespread Language like English has a certain constant and enduring nature. Though the language is ever in flux, yet the endurable and permanent elements far outbalance the changing elements so that in spite of all the changes that affect it, it remains always intelligible through a long period of time. Slang words, on the contrary, are evanescent, living through days, and not through Sears, and falling out of use even while one is speaking them. Hence slang sill-adapted to serve as a medium of intercourse and therefore is unsuitable for adoption into legitimate speech.” (Greenough and Kittredge).

Not only is slang characterized by ephemerality, but also it has no fixed meaning. Slang words are vague and ill defined, and their meanings grow more and more uncertain from day to day. The result is that the use of slang tends to level down all those nice differentiations in meaning, all those distinctions between word and word, which make for linguistic development. In slang everything is “fine” or “immense” or “stunning”, from an appetizing meal to a drama, from a mountain scenery to the cut of a friend’s trouser. Slang has been branded as the idle man’s dialect, and if the sign of cultivation is an enriched vocabulary, the constant employment of vague and uncertain slang for every shade of meaning reduces one’s thought to the ignorant level. When slang becomes definite and clear-cut in signification, it ceases to be slang, and finds it place in the legitimate vocabulary. “In fact, anything that is good in slang is almost sure to be picked up and adopted in legitimate speech.” (Greenough and Kittredge).

Slang Examples

In all languages slang is widely used by the native speaker. Here are a few examples of slang used in different English speaking countries:

21 Most Common British Slang

Sl. No.	British Slang/ English Slang	Meaning
1.	All right?	This is commonly used as a greeting that doesn’t always need a response
2.	Rubbish	criticize severely and reject as worthless
3.	Snog	A kiss in any form
4.	Pissed	This doesn’t mean angry or frustrated in the way Americans use it– rather, it means to be blind drunk
5.	Bird	A word used to describe a woman
6.	Fag	Another word for a cigarette
7.	Posh	Posh typically denotes English upper-class folks. It equates to the American word ‘fancy’.
8.	Taking the piss	it means one person is shocked at what another person is doing or saying.
9.	Wanker	Possibly the best single-worded British insult on the list, wanker fits closest by ‘jerk’ or ‘a-hole’
10.	Cheers	While most people associate this word with a toast, it can also mean a quick ‘thanks’ or ‘thank you‘.
11.	Bloody	a rude way of expressing great anger
12.	Fancy	This term is used as a verb to express desire or wanting. For example, you might ask “Do you fancy some dinner?”
13.	Mental	Absolutely crazy person
14.	Cheeky	to describe something lighthearted but a little bit rude
15.	Piece of cake	it’s easy to do
16.	Tickety-boo	someone wants to express everything is going exceptionally well
17.	Vibe	Refers to feelings, atmosphere, mood
18.	Shirty	one way to describe someone who is ill-tempered
19.	Hunky-dory	cool way of saying that something is just fine!
20.	Cheerio	used to say goodbye
21.	Ace	something that is awesome

22 Popular American Slang

Sl. No.	American Slang	Meaning
1.	Down to earth	Referring to someone who is humble, genuine, and easy to get along with
2.	G.O.A.T.	Not the cute animal, but the acronym for “Greatest of all Time”
3.	What’s good	It is often used to make friends say hello or to say how you are doing.
4.	Chill	to relax, Hey, chill out! Everything will be fine
5.	Shut up	stop talking, close your mouth
6.	Freaky	“strange” or “weird”
7.	Fire	awesome, excellent, crazy amazing
8.	What’s up?	what are you doing?
9.	Oh my God!	describe excitement or surprise
10.	My bad	My mistake
11.	No worries	That’s alright
12.	Cool	Fine
13.	Cheesy	silly
14.	It sucked	It was bad/poor quality
15.	Have a crush	Attracted to someone romantically
16.	Dump	To end a romantic relationship with someone
17.	Getting hitched/ Tying the knot	Get married
18.	Hang out	To spend time with others
19.	Freebie	Something that is free
20.	Wrap up	To finish something
21.	Netflix and chill	making out, sex
22.	See ya!	goodbye

11 Very Common Canadian Slang

Sl. No	Canadian Slang	Meaning
1.	Eh?	indicate that you don’t understand something, can’t believe something is true
2.	Canuck	An informal term for an individual from Canada
3.	Klick	kilometers
4.	Stag	pre-wedding bachelor
5.	Beauty	Used to say something is good or awesome
6.	Buddy	buddy is a way to talk about a person without using a name
7.	Dart	A cigarette
8.	Jesus Murphy	To avoid the guilt and shame of blasphemy yet retain the satisfaction of cursing
9.	True	used instead of OK
10.	What you sayin’?	It’s used when asking what someone is doing
11.	Keener	A person who is extremely eager or keen to please others, not in a good way

11 Most Used Aussie Slang

Sl. No.	Aussie Slang	Meaning
1.	Billy	Teapot
2.	mate	friend
3.	cake hole	mouth
4.	Ankle bitter	a small or young child
5.	bonzer	great, awesome, first-rate
6.	arvo	afternoon
7.	in the nuddy	naked
8.	pash	a passionate kiss
9.	dog’s breakfast	complete chaos, mess
10.	dinkum	unquestionably good or genuine
11.	Stuffed	Tired

8 Best Gen Z Slang

Gen Z or generation z refers to youth who were born after 1996. Gen Z uses specific slang words while communicating:

Sl. No.	Gen Z Slang	Meaning
1.	no cap	to cap about something means “to brag, exaggerate, or lie”
2.	OK boomer
3.	low-key/high-key	“quiet,” “restrained,” “moderate,” or “easygoing.”
4.	simp	an insult for men who are seen as being too submissive to women
5.	E-boy or E-girl	The one who uses the internet to express themselves.
6.	Salty	feeling jealous
7.	Finesse	to trick or manipulate someone or a situation in order to get what you want
8.	Bet	this slang term means “yes”

Top 5 Best Slang Dictionary

1. Urban Dictionary
2. Unsuck It
3. Wiktionary
4. Online Slang Dictionary
5. Double-Tongued Dictionary

There are good slang and bad slang. Good slang has a real meaning, while bad slang has no meaning, and is simply a succession of sounds. Good slang is often humorous, witty, picturesque. It is also refined in its associations. Now good slang words frequently elevate themselves to the rank of colloquialism, and thus in time gain admission to the legitimate speech, “Hit or miss”, “tooth and nail”, “by hook or crook”, “sink or swim” “rough-and-ready”, “higgledy-piggledy were all slang, but have now passed through the colloquial stage and are recognized idioms.

“Again, an expression that is unquestionable slang may be so apt and necessary in the discussion of a particular subject, and so often quoted by the best writers, that it loses its taint and becomes a part of our common stock of quotation.”

• I’ve managed to book the best seats at the theatre for us, this weekend!
• Wicked! Thank you. I’m really excited!

What do you think ‘wicked’ means?  No, it doesn’t mean ‘evil’ or ‘bad’.
Believe it or not, ‘wicked’ is actually a slang term that means ‘Brilliant!’ or ‘Awesome!’

Slang is a type of jargon that originates from various small groups of people. They tend to come about from conversation, and people naturally use words that have a meaning for them, then over time, these words alter and become slang.

It is probably one of the hardest aspects of the English language to learn, because there are so many variations in each small town, let alone in different English-speaking countries!

People use slang to sound less formal. Slang is mainly used because it relaxes the mouth, and allows people to speak in a more comfortable way. It is a lot easier to use slang than ‘perfect English’, which is probably why it’s so common!

This blog post will show you some of the most popular slang terms, but this doesn’t cover all of them! There are just too many! Hopefully the list below will cover some of the most common ones that you might hear!

1. UNREAL
Something that is unbelievably cool or brilliant

• I love this party, it’s just unreal!

2. PROPS
This means respect, recognition

• I know he failed the test, but you’ve got to give him props for trying.

3. KUDOS
Another word for respect, recognition

• Kudos for organising this party. It’s brilliant!

4. BOTTOM LINE
The main point

• The bottom line is we just don’t have enough money to make it work.

5. DISS
When a person disrespects someone else

• Stop dissing her behind her back. Show some respect!

6. DIG
To really like something

• Hey, I dig your new style. Where did you buy that T-shirt?

7. BOB’S YOUR UNCLE
This is a well-used phrase in the UK. It is added to the end of sentences, and means something like and that’s it!

• How did you make this cake? It’s delicious!
• Well, I just mixed in the batter thoroughly, poured it into a cake pan, baked it for 30 minutes and Bob’s your uncle!

8. BUDGE UP
When you ask someone to move and make space for you

•  I want to sit down too, could you budge up a little please?

9. ACE
This has two meanings, something that is awesome, really cool. Or to achieve something with perfection, really easily 

• Ace! I just got a promotion at work!
• Robert aced his physics exam!

10. ALL RIGHT?
This means ‘hello, how are you?’

• All right?
• Good thanks, you all right?

11. FULL OF BEANS
This means to have loads of energy

• All the children were full of beans at the party today. I couldn’t get any of them to sit still!

12. BLATANT
Something that is really obvious

• She’s blatantly very annoyed, everyone can see it apart from you.

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13. PEAR SHAPED
This means something has become a disaster

• I was trying to organise a surprise birthday party for her, but it’s all gone pear-shaped!

14. PIECE OF CAKE
When someone is boasting or they think something is extremely easy to do, they would use this

• What did you think of the exam? I thought it was really difficult.
• No, it was a piece of cake!

15. BLIMEY
This is an exclamation of surprise

• Blimey, look at all this mess here! I’d only left the house for an hour, and look what you’ve done!

16. BOTCH
There are two ways of using this expression ‘to botch something up’ or ‘to do a botch job’. They both mean that the work done was not of a high standard, or was clumsy workmanship

• The builder did a terrible job on the roof. He just botched it up, and it still leaks every time it rains!

17. CHEERS
Used when drinking with friends to salute or make a toast (raise your glasses and clink them together)

• Cheers everyone! Happy birthday to John!

18. SMASHING
This means something is terrific, brilliant

• I had a smashing time on holiday, it was so much fun!

19. SOD’S LAW
This is another name for Murphy’s Law – whatever can go wrong, will go wrong

• I wore my pretty new dress, because it was a sunny day, but as soon as I stepped out of the house, it started raining, and I got completely soaked!
• Sod’s Law!

20. CHIN WAG
This means having a nice, long chat with someone. You can probably tell why!

• I saw Mary after such a long time yesterday! We had a lovely chin wag together, like the good old days.

21. CHUFFED
Used when someone is really pleased about something

• My mum bought me a fantastic car when I passed my driving test. I was chuffed to bits!

22. CRAM
This means to study hard in a very short period of time

• I was so busy with my family before the exam, that I only had three days to cram in all the revision work!

23. NICE ONE
Can be used when someone does something particularly impressive

• I published my first book last year, and I’ve already started working on the sequel!
• Nice one! You’re doing really well.

24. CRIKEY
An exclamation of surprise

• I went shopping today! (comes in with lots of bags)
• Crikey! Have you spent all of our savings??!!

25. DEAR
Something that is expensive 

• I avoid going shopping into the town centre nowadays, everything is so dear!

26. FAFF
This is when someone procrastinates, or wastes time wondering around

• Come on we have to go now. Stop faffing around, we’re going to be late!

Check your Grammar ››

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27. DO
Another word for a party

• Are you going to Lizzie’s birthday do next week? 

28. FLOG
To sell something

• I managed to flog my car for a really good price!

29. FORTNIGHT
Two weeks. This comes from an abbreviation of ‘fourteen nights’

• I’ve been really ill for the past fortnight, and still haven’t recovered.

30. GOBSMACKED
This means amazed (your gob is your mouth, and if you smack your gob, it would be out of amazement!)

• I can’t believe I passed that exam! I thought I was going to fail, I’m completely gobsmacked!

31. SPLASH OUT
When you spend far too much money                                

• I wanted to give Sarah a special treat for her birthday, so I splashed out on a very romantic weekend away.

32. GRUB / NOSH
Both these words mean food                                                                                          

• I’m going to get some grub for myself from the local takeaway. Do you want anything?

33. BEE’S KNEES
Something or someone fabulous, spectacular

• You should see my new sound-system, it’s the bee’s knees!
• I don’t like Harvey very much, he thinks he’s the bee’s knees!

34. GUTTED
When someone is really upset or disappointed

• I’m so gutted I failed my driving test, again!

35. PEANUTS
When something is cheap, financially low

• I hate my job. I have to work such long hours, and I get paid peanuts.
• You should buy your clothes on-line. You can find some great designs for peanuts! 

36. HAGGLE
To argue over, and try to negotiate the price of something you want to buy

• The last time I went shopping with my mum, she was haggling for something that was already really cheap!
• I managed to haggle the price of this shirt down by 25%!

37. JOLLY
You might hear people use this in all sorts of ways, but basically it means ‘very’. So “jolly good” would mean ‘very good’

• Don’t worry, I will pay you back before the end of this month.
• I should jolly well think so!

38. THROW A SPANNER IN THE WORKS
This is an expression that means to wreck something

• I managed to keep the surprise a secret, right up until the day before my sister’s birthday, then he threw a spanner in the works by telling her!

39. KIP
A short sleep, forty winks, a nap, a power nap, or a snooze.

• Why don’t you try and have a kip before everyone gets here? You won’t have time to rest later.

40. WIND UP
This has a couple of meanings. If something you do is a ‘wind up’ it means you are making fun of someone – you could be called a wind-up merchant if you do this.

However, if you are ‘wound up’ it means you are annoyed.

• John really is a wind-up merchant, but the girl he was picking on was so gullible!
• I was just winding her up for fun, but she took offence to it and got really angry!

41. MATE
This means friend, chum, pal, or buddy.

• I’m going to the cinema with my mates tonight.

42. NOT MY CUP OF TEA
This is a common saying which means that something is not to your liking.

• I don’t really like this sort of music. It’s just not my cup of tea.

43. PORKIES
This means telling lies. It comes from cockney rhyming slang. Short for ‘porky pies’, meaning ‘pork pies’, which rhymes with lies!

• Don’t listen to her, she’s telling porkies!

44. ROW
This means an argument (rhymes with ‘cow’)

• My brother had a huge row with his girlfriend yesterday. He’s really upset!

45. DONKEY’S YEARS
If someone says ‘I haven’t seen you in donkey’s years’, it means they haven’t seen you for a very long time!

• Hi Sarah! What a surprise to see you here. I haven’t seen you in donkey’s years! How have you been?

46. EASY PEASY
A childish term for something very easy

• I could make that for you, if you like? It’s easy peasy!

47. SORTED
When someone asks you about a problem you have already fixed, you could say this.

You can also say “get it sorted”, when you are telling someone to get on with something they have to do.

• What’s happening about that roof leak then?
• Oh that’s sorted now. I found a really good builder to do the job.

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 48. STROP
If someone is sulking or being particularly miserable, you would say they are ‘being stroppy’, or ‘throwing a strop’

• Janet would you please cheer up? It’s your birthday, don’t be so stroppy!

49. CHEERIO
This is a friendly way of saying goodbye

• Right, I have to go now, see you soon. Cheerio!

50. WANGLE
This is used to say some people have all the luck

• I can’t believe he managed to wangle an upgrade on their airline seats, AND the honeymoon suite in their hotel!

51. BLINDING
If something is a blinding success, it means it was awesome, brilliant

• They had a blinding party after their wedding ceremony. Everyone had such a great time!

52. WONKY
If something is shaky or unstable, you might say it is wonky.

• I can’t eat my dinner at this table. It’s wonky and won’t stop wobbling!

53. ZONKED
If someone is zonked or ‘zonked out’ it means they are totally knackered, or exhausted

• He had a lot of fun at his birthday party earlier, but he’s completely zonked out now!

54. DODGY
If someone or something is a bit dodgy, it is not to be trusted.

• I saw a few dodgy-looking people standing around along that quiet street near our house, so just to be on the safe side, I notified the police.
• This food looks a bit dodgy, it might have passed its expiry date. I don’t think we should eat it.

55. LEG IT
This is a way of saying ‘run’ or ‘run for it’

• I went out on Halloween night, and someone jumped out from behind a bush to scare me. I was so frightened, that I just legged it all the way back home!

So there you go. Now you have a long list of slang words that you can familiarise yourself with, and try to remember! If you’re going to England or another English-speaking country, you might feel a bit more prepared to make conversation, if you’ve gone through this list!

Slang is vocabulary (words, phrases, and linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in verbal conversation but avoided in formal writing.^[1] It also sometimes refers to the language generally exclusive to the members of particular in-groups in order to establish group identity, exclude outsiders, or both. The word itself came about in the 18th century and has been defined in multiple ways since its conception.

Etymology of the word slang[edit]

In its earliest attested use (1756), the word slang referred to the vocabulary of «low» or «disreputable» people. By the early nineteenth century, it was no longer exclusively associated with disreputable people, but continued to be applied to usages below the level of standard educated speech.^[2] In Scots dialect it meant «talk, chat, gossip»,^[3] as used by Aberdeen poet William Scott in 1832: «The slang gaed on aboot their war’ly care.»
^[4] In northern English dialect it meant «impertinence, abusive language».^[5]

The origin of the word is uncertain, although it may be connected with thieves’ cant^{[citation needed]}. A Scandinavian origin has been proposed (compare, for example, Norwegian slengenavn, which means «nickname»), but based on «date and early associations» is discounted by the Oxford English Dictionary.^[2] Jonathon Green, however, agrees with the possibility of a Scandinavian origin, suggesting the same root as that of sling, which means «to throw», and noting that slang is thrown language – a quick and honest way to make your point.^[6][7]

Defining slang[edit]

Linguists have no simple and clear definition of slang, but agree that it is a constantly changing linguistic phenomenon present in every subculture worldwide. Some argue that slang exists because we must come up with ways to define new experiences that have surfaced with time and modernity.^[8] Attempting to remedy the lack of a clear definition, however, Bethany K. Dumas and Jonathan Lighter argue that an expression should be considered «true slang» if it meets at least two of the following criteria:^[8]

Michael Adams remarks that «[Slang] is liminal language… it is often impossible to tell, even in context, which interests and motives it serves… slang is on the edge.»^[9] Slang dictionaries, collecting thousands of slang entries, offer a broad, empirical window into the motivating forces behind slang.^[10]

While many forms of lexicon may be considered low-register or «sub-standard», slang remains distinct from colloquial and jargon terms because of its specific social contexts. While viewed as inappropriate in formal usage, colloquial terms are typically considered acceptable in speech across a wide range of contexts, while slang tends to be perceived as infelicitous in many common communicative situations. Jargon refers to language used by personnel in a particular field, or language used to represent specific terms within a field to those with a particular interest. Although jargon and slang can both be used to exclude non-group members from the conversation, the purpose of jargon is said to be optimizing conversation using terms that imply technical understanding.^[11] On the other hand, slang tends to emphasize social and contextual understanding.

While colloquialisms and jargon may seem like slang because they reference a particular group, they do not necessarily fit the same definition, because they do not represent a particular effort to replace the general lexicon of a standard language. Colloquialisms are considered more acceptable and more expected in standard usage than slang is, and jargon is often created to talk about aspects of a particular field that are not accounted for in the general lexicon.^[12] However, this differentiation is not consistently applied by linguists; the terms «slang» and «jargon» are sometimes treated as synonymous,^[13] and the scope of «jargon» is at times extended to mean all forms of socially-restricted language.^[14]

It is often difficult to differentiate slang from colloquialisms and even high-register lexicon, because slang generally becomes accepted into common vocabulary over time. Words such as «spurious» and «strenuous» were once perceived as slang, though they are now considered general, even high-register words. The literature on slang even discusses mainstream acknowledgment of a slang term as changing its status as true slang, because it has been accepted by the media and is thus no longer the special insider speech of a particular group. For example, Black American Music uses a lot of slang based on nationality and origin. The use of slang is a combinations of slurring and slurping words as a result. Nevertheless, a general test for whether a word is a slang word or not is whether it would be acceptable in an academic or legal setting, as both are arenas in which standard lexicon is considered necessary and/or whether the term has been entered in the Oxford English Dictionary, which some scholars claim changes its status as slang.^[12]

Examples of slang (cross-linguistic)[edit]

Formation of slang[edit]

It is often difficult to collect etymologies for slang terms, largely because slang is a phenomenon of speech, rather than written language and etymologies which are typically traced via corpus.

Eric Partridge, cited as the first to report on the phenomenon of slang in a systematic and linguistic way, postulated that a term would likely be in circulation for a decade before it would be written down.^[15] Nevertheless, it seems that slang generally forms via deviation from a standard form. This «spawning» of slang occurs in much the same way that any general semantic change might occur. The difference here is that the slang term’s new meaning takes on a specific social significance having to do with the group the term indexes.

Coleman also suggests that slang is differentiated within more general semantic change in that it typically has to do with a certain degree of «playfulness». The development of slang is considered to be a largely «spontaneous, lively, and creative» speech process.^[15]

Still, while a great deal of slang takes off, even becoming accepted into the standard lexicon, much slang dies out, sometimes only referencing a group. An example of this is the term «groovy» which is a relic of 1960s and 70s American hippie slang. Nevertheless, for a slang term to become a slang term, people must use it, at some point in time, as a way to flout standard language.^[12] Additionally, slang terms may be borrowed between groups, such as the term «gig» which was originally coined by jazz musicians in the 1930s and then borrowed into the same hippie slang of the 1960s.^[12] ‘The word «groovy» has remained a part of subculture lexicon since its popularization. It is still in common use today by a significant population. The word «gig» to refer to a performance very likely originated well before the 1930s, and remained a common term throughout the 1940s and 1950s before becoming vaguely associated with the hippie slang of the 1960s. The word «gig» is now a widely accepted synonym for a concert, recital, or performance of any type.

Generally, slang terms undergo the same processes of semantic change that words in the regular lexicon do.^[15]

Slang often forms from words with previously differing meanings, one example is the often used and popular slang word «lit», which was created by a generation labeled «Generation Z». The word itself used to be associated with something being on fire or being «lit» up until 1988 when it was first used in writing to indicate a person who was drunk^[16] in the book «Warbirds: Diary of an Unknown Aviator». Since this time «lit» has gained popularity through Rap songs such as ASAP Rocky’s «Get Lit» in 2011. As the popularity of the word has increased so too has the number of different meanings associated with the word. Now «lit» describes a person who is drunk and/or high, as well as an event that is especially awesome and «hype».

Words and phrases from popular Hollywood films and television series frequently become slang.^[17]

[edit]

Indexicality[edit]

Slang is usually associated with a particular social group and plays a role in constructing identity. While slang outlines social space, attitudes about slang partly construct group identity and identify individuals as members of groups. Therefore, using the slang of a particular group associates an individual with that group. Michael Silverstein’s orders of indexicality can be employed to assign a slang term as a second-order index to that particular group. Using a slang term, however, can also give an individual the qualities associated with the term’s group of origin, whether or not the individual is trying to identify as a member of the group. This allocation of qualities based on abstract group association is known as third-order indexicality.

As outlined in Elisa Mattiello’s book «An Introduction to English Slang»,^[18] a slang term can assume several levels of meaning and can be used for many reasons connected with identity. For example, male adolescents use the terms «foxy» and «shagadelic» to «show their belonging to a band, to stress their virility or their age, to reinforce connection with their peer group and to exclude outsiders, to show off, etc.» These two examples use both traditional and untraditional methods of word formation to create words with more meaning and expressiveness than the more direct and traditional words «sexy» and «beautiful»:

• The slang term «foxy» is arguably not even a case of word formation since this process (denominal adjective with -y suffix from «fox») already occurred in the formation of this word with its standard English meanings of «foxlike, crafty, cunning». Instead, the traditional word’s meaning is extended^[19] to «attractive, desirable, pretty, sexy» with the following added implications according to Mattiello:

From the semantic point of view, slangy foxy is more loaded than neutral sexy in terms of information provided. That is, for young people foxy means having the quality of: (1) attracting interest, attention, affection, (2) causing desire, (3) excellent or admirable in appearance, and (4) sexually provocative, exciting, etc., whereas sexy only refers to the quality indicated in point (4).

• «shagadelic» is a combination of a slang term with a slang suffix and therefore is considered an «extra-grammatical» creation.

Matiello stresses that those agents who identify themselves as «young men» have «genuinely coined» these terms and choose to use them over «canonical» terms —like beautiful or sexy—because of the indexicalized social identifications the former convey.

First and second order indexicality[edit]

In terms of first and second order indexicality, the usage of speaker-oriented terms by male adolescents indicated their membership to their age group, to reinforce connection to their peer group, and to exclude outsiders.^[18]

Higher-order indexicality[edit]

In terms of higher order indexicality, anyone using these terms may desire to appear fresher, undoubtedly more playful, faddish, and colourful than someone who employs the standard English term «beautiful». This appearance relies heavily on the hearer’s third-order understanding of the term’s associated social nuances and presupposed use-cases.^[18]

Subculture associations[edit]

Often, distinct subcultures will create slang that members will use in order to associate themselves with the group, or to delineate outsiders.

Slang terms are often known only within a clique or ingroup. For example, Leet («Leetspeak» or «1337») was originally popular only among certain internet subcultures such as software crackers and online video gamers. During the 1990s, and into the early 21st century, however, Leet became increasingly commonplace on the internet, and it has spread outside internet-based communication and into spoken languages.^[20] Other types of slang include SMS language used on mobile phones, and «chatspeak», (e.g., «LOL», an acronym meaning «laughing out loud» or «laugh out loud» or ROFL, «rolling on the floor laughing»), which are widely used in instant messaging on the internet.^[21]

As subcultures are often forms of counterculture, which is understood to oppose the norm, it follows that slang has come to be associated with counterculture.

Social media and internet slang[edit]

Slang is often adopted from social media as a sign of social awareness and shared knowledge of popular culture. This type known as internet slang has become prevalent since the early 2000s along with the rise in popularity of social networking services, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This has spawned new vocabularies associated with each new social media venue, such as the use of the term «friending» on Facebook, which is a verbification of «friend» used to describe the process of adding a new person to one’s group of friends on the website, despite the existence of an analogous term «befriend». This term is much older than Facebook, but has only recently entered the popular lexicon.^[22] Other examples of slang in social media demonstrate a proclivity toward shortened words or acronyms. These are especially associated with services such as Twitter, which (as of November 2017) has a 280-character limit for each message and therefore requires a relatively brief mode of expression.^[23] This includes the use of hashtags which explicitly state the main content of a message or image, such as #food or #photography.^[24]

Debates about slang[edit]

Some critics believe that when slang becomes more commonplace it effectively eradicates the «proper» use of a certain language. However, academic (descriptive) linguists believe that language is not static but ever-changing and that slang terms are valid words within a language’s lexicon. While prescriptivists study and promote the socially preferable or «correct» ways to speak, according to a language’s normative grammar and syntactical words, descriptivists focus on studying language to further understand the subconscious rules of how individuals speak, which makes slang important in understanding such rules. Noam Chomsky, a founder of anthropological linguistic thought, challenged structural and prescriptive grammar and began to study sounds and morphemes functionally, as well as their changes within a language over time.^[25]

In popular culture[edit]

The 1941 film, Ball of Fire, portrays a professor played by Gary Cooper who is researching and writing an encyclopedia article about slang.^[26]

See also[edit]

• A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew
• Slang dictionary
• Urban Dictionary

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant, Albert Barrère and Charles Godfrey Leland (1889 edition, full text, at Wikimedia Commons).
• The Online Slang Dictionary – American and English terms, features other statistical information.
• Bradley, Henry (1911). «Slang» . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). pp. 207–210.
• SlangLang – Popular slang words with their meaning, origin and spread

Slang is a set of highly informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker’s dialect or language. Slang is often highly regional, specific to a particular territory or subculture. Slang words and expressions can spread outside their original arena, and some may even lose their slang status and become accepted as a standard language. Often, the widespread adoption of a slang term by mainstream culture will cause the subculture it originated in to create a new, less recognized term.

The origins of slang are usually found in the desire of those members of a particular group, or subculture, to communicate freely and intelligibly with each other from their common base of shared experience, interests, attitudes, and identity. This is, however, coupled with the desire to differentiate themselves either from another group, or from the larger society as a whole. Thus, slang involves the unconventional, even the taboo, (to differentiate the speaker from the norms of society) and often hostility and vulgar epithets for authorities or rivals (to differentiate from the «others» who are not members of the same group). Slang, therefore, has both positive and negative aspects. When it facilitates easier and familiar communication among those with a common base it functions to improve harmonious communication; when it draws distinctions, particularly hostile ones, building barriers between groups of people, it enhances the problems in human relationships that have been experienced throughout history.

Definition

According to Bethany K. Dumas and Jonathan Lighter,^[1] an expression should be considered «true slang» if it meets at least two of the following criteria:

• It lowers, if temporarily, «the dignity of formal or serious speech or writing»; in other words, it is likely to be seen in such contexts as a «glaring misuse of register» (where a «register» is a subset of a language used for a particular purpose or in a particular social setting).
• Its use implies that the user is familiar with whatever is referred to, or with a group of people that are familiar with it and use the term.
• «It is a taboo term in ordinary discourse with people of a higher social status or greater responsibility.»
• It replaces «a well known conventional synonym.» This is done primarily to avoid «the discomfort caused by the conventional item [or by] further elaboration.»

It is important to make a distinction between slang and jargon. Jargon is the technical vocabulary of a particular profession. Similarly to slang, those outside of the profession may not understand the terms or meaning of jargon. Unlike slang, however, jargon is not intended to exclude non-members of the group, and is concerned mainly with the technical peculiarities and specifics of a given field. Additionally, jargon does not fit the definition of slang, as it meets only a single criterion.

Origins of slang

During the Middle Ages, there was very little standardized language. Different dialects and pronunciations often represented one of the first concepts of «slang,» although dialects are specifically not slang. During the sixteenth century, English Criminal Cant evolved. A specific set of language that was created for use by criminals and cheats, English Criminal Cant was not originally considered slang (since it was a specifically developed «language»), but by the eighteenth century it had evolved into slang.

Around the mid-1600s, slang began to appear in popular plays, like that of Richard Brome, and also in poems and songs. By the eighteenth century, English slang was influenced by the cultural differences in America, and slang usage began to expand. Slang was often associated with either criminals or foreigners during this time, and often dealt with human anatomy or taboo topics like sexuality. It was not until the 1920s that society began to adopt a more liberal attitude towards slang. Slang became popular with fiction writers and society at large. The development of English slang was assisted by a number of events, such as the American Civil War and the abolitionist movement.^[2]

Types of Slang

One use of slang is to circumvent social taboos, as mainstream language tends to shy away from evoking certain realities. For this reason, slang vocabularies are particularly rich in certain domains, such as sexuality, violence, crime, and drugs. Argot (French and Spanish for «slang»), also known as cant, is slang used particularly by thieves and other criminals, to prevent outsiders from understanding their conversations.

Slang very often involves the creation of novel meanings for existing words. It is very common for such novel meanings to diverge significantly from the standard meaning. Thus, «cool» and «hot» can both mean «very good or impressive.»

Alternatively, slang can grow out of mere familiarity with the things described. For example, wine connoisseurs may refer to Cabernet Sauvignon as «Cab Sav,» Chardonnay as «Chard» and so on.^[3] Not only does using the abbreviated names for different wines expend less superfluous effort, but it also serves as a shared code among connoisseurs and evokes a sense of the speaker’s familiarity with wine.

Even within a single language community, slang tends to vary widely across social, ethnic, economic, and geographic strata. Slang sometimes grows more and more common until a term can become regarded as mainstream, acceptable language (for example, the Spanish word caballo or the English «movie»). Other times, the terms fall into disuse. Numerous slang terms pass into informal mainstream speech, and sometimes into formal speech, though this may involve a change in meaning or usage.

Cockney rhyming slang

Cockney rhyming slang is a form of English slang which originated in the East End of London, and has been popularized by film, music, and literature. Anthony Burgess used rhyming slang as a part of the fictitious «Nadsat» dialect in his classic book A Clockwork Orange.

Traditional Cockney rhyming slang works by taking two words that are related through a short phrase and using the first word to stand for a word that rhymes with the second. For instance, «boat» means «face» as «boat race» rhymes with face. Similarly, «plates» means «feet» («plates of meat»), and bread means «money» (bread and honey).

The origins of rhyming slang are disputed. It remains a matter of speculation as to whether rhyming slang evolved as a linguistic accident or whether it was developed intentionally to confuse non-locals. If deliberate, it might have simply been used to maintain a sense of community, or in the marketplace for vendors to talk amongst themselves without customers knowing what they were saying, or by criminals (similar to thieves’ cant) to confuse the police.

The proliferation of rhyming slang has meant many of its traditional expressions have passed into common language, and the creation of new ones (often ironically) is no longer restricted to Cockneys. Some substitutions have become relatively widespread in Britain, such as «have a butcher’s» (which means to have a look, from «butcher’s hook»), and these are often now used without awareness of their origins. Many English speakers are unaware that the term «use your loaf» is derived from «loaf of bread» meaning head. The extent of the use of rhyming slang is often exaggerated; only a very few phrases are in everyday use. Many examples are only used by people who are discussing rhyming slang, or by people who are being ironic or are making up a term on the spot for a joke, often at the expense of the tourist. In addition, since the original purpose was to encode or disguise speech from the comprehension of bystanders, terms that become too well-known still have a tendency to lose actual currency fairly quickly, putting whatever usage the slang enjoys into a constant flux.

Below are just a few of the most common examples of Cockney rhyming slang.

• Apples = apples and pears = stairs
• Barnet = Barnet Fair = hair
• Brass = Brass Flute = Prostitute
• Dog = dog and bone = telephone
• Jam = Jam jar = Car
• China = China plate = mate
• Frog = frog and toad = road
• Rosie = Rosie Lee = tea

Internet slang

The Internet has created an entire subculture of users, who have developed an extensive library of slang. Many internet slang terms originated with the purpose of saving keystrokes, and often appear in lower case. For example, «you» becomes «u» and «are» becomes «r.» Web forums are often credited with helping popularize and spread forms of internet slang. Online gaming is often responsible for the development and popularization of internet slang.

Within the Internet community, there are numerous subcultures with their own specific set of slang. Leet speak originated with hackers, and later became popular with the online gaming community. Leet (sometimes written as 1337 or l33t) uses various combinations of alphanumerics to replace letters of words. «E» is commonly replaced by «3,» and «S» by «5.» Leet commonly has its own sets of colloquialisms and jokes, and exists in a number of languages in addition to English, such as Greek, Russian, and Chinese. Excessive use of leet is often used to ridicule or satirize new members of an internet community, who are often referred to as n00bs (newbies or newcomers).

One of the most popular types of internet slang is the use of acronyms. For example, well-known acronyms include «LOL,» which stands for «laughing out loud.» «IMHO» for «in my humble opinion,» and «TTYL» meaning «talk to you later.» Instant messaging and texting over mobile phones have popularized a large amount of acronyms and abbreviations, as they are both quicker and easier to type than the full version. Numbers are sometimes incorporated into internet and text messaging slang. «L8r» uses the phonetic sound of «eight» to create the word «later.» Similarly, «h8» means «hate.»

«Emoticons» (smileys) are another popular form of internet slang. Emoticons are a form of ASCII art in which a short sequence of typed characters are used to resemble a facial expression and convey an emotion. They are viewed sideways, where a clockwise rotation of ninety degrees would orient them vertically. The most basic emoticon is :), where the colon represents the eyes and the parenthesis the mouth, forming a rough approximation of a «happy face.» Other common emoticons or «smileys» are «sad face»  and «shocked» 8-O. A great many variants of emoticons exist, such as 8D, =), =D, =>), >=D,:p, |=[, >8), >XD, and so forth. There is another variation of «smileys» resembling a wink by combining a semicolon and a parenthesis, such as ;), ;] or ;}. The differing use of parentheses can give the emoticon a slightly different slant; for example ;} can represent an evil or otherwise malicious wink.

The other major style of emoticon, which does not require the viewer to tilt their head, evolved in East Asia. In the basic smiling manga emoticon, ^_^, the carets representing the eyes, and the underscore a mouth. Notably, this «smiley» has a straight mouth and smiling eyes, suggesting a cultural difference in reading emotions.^[4] Other popular east Asian emoticons use Japanese characters.

Slang in popular culture

Many subcultures have numerous slang phrases unique to that specific subculture. Prison inmates have their own slang, as do musicians. Slang often originates within a group as a way to communicate without including outsiders, and thus is often found within groups of teenagers. The use of slang not only gives a group the ability to exclude outsiders, but serves as a means of bonding the group together through a shared vocabulary. Each culture generally has its own set of slang vocabulary, which can vary from region to region. In a large city, slang can even vary substantially from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Slang is often used in film and fiction. The proper use of slang can add a sense of realism to a work of fiction, as well as evoke a specific time period or point in history. Conversely, improper or forced use of slang can be the subject of ridicule. For example, teachers or other authority figures who attempt to use teenage slang are often made fun of by the teenagers they are trying to connect with.

It is important to note that while slang is often employed in creative works, it is rarely acceptable in formal and scholarly works. The use of slang in a formal or scholarly setting can instantly discredit the value of what a person has to say. (The major exception to this is, obviously, formal and scholarly studies on slang itself.)

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Ayto, John. The Oxford Dictionary of Rhyming Slang. Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 978-0198607519
• Cohen, Gerald L. and Barry Popik (eds.) Studies in Slang. Part VI. Peter Lang Publishing, 1999. ISBN 978-0820443775
• Croft, William. Explaining Language Change: An Evolutionary Approach. Pearson ESL, 2001. ISBN 978-0582356771
• Franklyn, Julian. A Dictionary of Rhyming Slang. London: Routledge, 1992. ISBN 978-0415046022
• Green, Jonathon. Cassell’s Rhyming Slang. London: Cassell, 2000. ISBN 978-0304355136
• Lillo, Antonio. «Bees, Nelsons and Sterling Denominations: A Brief Look at Cockney Slang and Coinage.» Journal of English Linguistics 28(2) (2000): 145-172.
• Lillo, Antonio. «From Alsatian Dog to Wooden Shoe: Linguistic Xenophobia in Rhyming Slang.» English Studies 82 (4)(2001): 336-348.
• Lillo, Antonio. «A Wee Keek at Scottish Rhyming Slang.» Scottish Language 23 (2004): 93-115.
• __________. «Exploring Rhyming Slang in Ireland.» English World-Wide 25(2) (2004): 273-285.

Slang Words! Slang words are defined as the words and phrases used informally in any language. Following is a list of 100 English slang words that are commonly used today. Most of them are American slang words and phrases.

Slang Words | Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV9ewwMyceA

Slang Words | Slang Dictionary

List of  100 English slang words and phrases with their meanings and examples:

• Eye-popping – fantastic, astonishing

The New York Times had an eye-popping article this morning.

• Chicken –  a coward

You’re a chicken, Tom!

• Con – Swindle

He tried to con me out of $20.

• Couch potato – people who watching T.V all day

You are such a couch potato on weekends.

• Ball – a good time

We had a ball at the party last night.

• Bazillion – uncountable number/ a very big number

We gets a bazillion followers everyday on Facebook fan page.

• Croak – to die

She married a millionaire just about to croak.

• Neat – excellent

Your house is always so neat – how do you manage it with three children?

• Nuts – crazy, mad

She’s beautiful. I’m nuts about her.

• Big guns – powerful, influenced people

Jed wanted to impress a Harvard professor and some other big guns.

• Dynamite – great, awesome

That teenager singer is really dynamite!

• Earful – scolding / reprimanding

I bet Sue gave you an earful when you got home.

• Bitch – complain/ gossip about something

Whenever the girls get together, they always find something to bitch about.

• Bonkers – mad/ insane

The man must be bonkers to take such a risk.

• Break – chance/ opportunity

Never give a sucker an even break.

• Bummed – sad or disappointed

I was really bummed out that there were no tickets left.

• Cheesy – cheap, outdated

We went to some cheesy bar in Baltimore.

• Cruising – going at a high speed

We fly at a cruising speed of 500 mph.

• Cushy – comfortably easy

It’s a cushy life for the rich.

• Deck – hit some on the face

Do that again and I’ll deck you.

• Deep pockets – having a lot of money

They’re looking for someone with deep pockets to pay for the research.

• Dinosaur – something or someone is very old

The Health Service has become a dinosaur. It needs radical reform if it is to survive.

• Airhead – a foolish/ dumb person

Boy, that salesman was the biggest airhead I’ve ever seen.

• Eyeball – look at, look over.

Challenge him, eyeball him, intimidate him.

• Fender-bender – a minor accident/collision between two vehicles

Another time I missed a date because I got into a fender-bender on the way there.

• Idiot box – the television

Phil has been staring at the idiot box all afternoon.

• Icky – unpleasant or annoying

What is this icky old stuff?

• Jam – trouble

How are we going to get ourselves out of this jam?

Slang dictionary | Infographic  

• Hang out -spend time together in a place frequently

We often used to hang out in supermarkets.

• All-nighter – study all night

I pulled an all-nighter last night.

• Ditch – leave, abandon something

Let’s ditch school today.

• Flicks – films/ movies

What’s on at the flicks this week?

• Freebie – something that is free

All the journalists were given a freebie lunch.

• Gig – work, job

I had got totally pissed and had to do a gig that night.

• Guts – courage or boldness

Barbara hasn’t got the guts to leave her mother.

• Go bananas – go crazy

Love is making you go bananas!

• Goof off – Wasting time, not doing anything in particular

He’s been goofing off at school.

• Grand – thousand dollars

He lives in a grand house.

• Heave – vomit

The smell of the fish made me/my stomach heave.

• Hot – attractive

You look so hot in that dress!

• Hustle – leave hurriedly

I love the hustle and bustle of the marketplace.

• Glitch – defect or problem

This minor glitch has turned into a big problem for the airline.

• Jock – someone who plays a sport

She is a jock from a family of jocks, articulate only in that special, odd way that coaches are articulate.

• John – toilet

I need to meet John, r-i-g-h-t n-o-w!

• Junkie – a drug addict

His son was a junkie, the kid OD’d a year ago.

• Grub – food

Get yourself some grub and come and sit down.

• Loli – young female with a childlike appearance

This might sound weird, but I am a loli lover!

• Peanuts – very little money

He gets paid peanuts for doing that job.

• Rocking – great, awesome

He had a rocking performance!

• Shades – sunglasses

She was dressed in muted shades of blue.

• Sucks – awful or unacceptable

Life sucks, but worth fighting for.

• Meltdown – the completely breaking down

The stock market crash might lead to financial meltdown.

• Mickey mouse – something that does not make sense

It’s only a Mickey Mouse job.

• Oddball – weird, unusual person

The new boss is a bit of an oddball.

• Pissed off – extremely annoyed

I’m pissed off with the way they’ve treated me.

• Quarterback – lead or initiative

The Carolina Panthers were playing with a backup quarterback.

• Beemer – a BMW car

He’s got a new beemer, what a rich man!

• Quick buck – Easy getting money

I need to make a quick buck without much effort.

• K – A thousand of a currency

It costs 10k.

• Kick back – relax

Kick back, make yourself at home.

• Raw – new and inexperienced

Raw meat must be kept separate from cooked meat.

• Razz – annoy

The pupils are razzing the teacher.

• Umpteen – incalculable

We’ve been there umpteen times and she still can’t remember the way.

• Whiz – Be talented at something

Apparently, he is a whiz at thank – you notes!

• Wimp – a cowardly person

Don’t be such a wimp.

• Up – Feeling cheerful or in good spirits

She feels up and down all day.

• UwU – a reaction to something cute

Bf: I love you bae  Gf: Aww Ily UwU

• Vibes – atmosphere or feelings

I have good vibes about this contract.

• Wheels – a car

I’ve got a new wheels on my birthday.

Slang Words | Image

Slang dictionary | Image 1

Slang dictionary | Image 2

Slang dictionary | Image 3

Slang definition: Slang involves the use of words or phrases that are considered informal language

Slang is words or phrases that are informal language, and it is typically seen used in speech more often than writing. It can be specific to a particular group of people or context; therefore, the meanings of the words may not be apparent to all people.

Examples of Slang

The slang term “hang loose” refers to giving someone the advice to calm down and relax.

Modern Examples of Slang

Here are a few examples of more modern slang:

• The term “lit” refers to something that is amazing.
  • Did you see her new car? It was lit.
• The phrase “on fleek” refers to something that has reached perfection.
  • My hair was on fleek this morning.
• The term “crib” refers to someone’s living quarters such as a home or apartment.
  • Hey, you want to spend time with my friends and me at my crib?

The Function of Slang in Literature

Slang allows for the creative changing of language by people. While some slang terms will eventually fade out of use, it allows for the people of a generation to create a unique way of communicating with one another.

It should be noted that slang is more appropriately used in verbal or informal conversation; therefore, in literature, slang is used sparingly and is typically reserved for dialogue in order to show a character’s subculture or personality.

Examples of Slang in Literature

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the slang used reveals the time period in which the story is being told. An example of 1920s slang can be found in the line,

• “He saw me looking with admiration at his car. ‘It’s pretty, isn’t it, old sport?’ He jumped off to give me a better view.”
  • “Old sport” is a slang term used between upper class gentlemen as a term of endearment.

In Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange, he develops his own slang called Nadsat that reflects the dystopian society in which the story is being told. In fact, many people use a glossary in order to decode the words as they read in order to make sense of the novel. In the beginning of the novel, Alex beginnings telling the reader about the society in which they live in and the milk bar that he and his friends frequently visit, “There were three devotchkas sitting at the counter all together, but there were four of us malchicks.”

• Devotchkas = girls
• Malchicks = boys

Summary

Define slang: In summation, slang is a term that refers to informal language that is specific to a particular context or group of people. Slang may be used in literature in order to establish the setting or personality of characters involved in the story.

Final Example:

In many young adult novels, slang is used to show that the characters are part of the teenaged subculture.

In Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the protagonist, Charlie, narrates the story and even stops to explain some of the slang used by the teens in his school.

He first uses this to establish his unpopular status in school, “I keep quiet most of the time, and only one kid named Sean really seemed to notice me. He waited for me after gym class and said really immature things like how he was going to give me a ‘swirlie,’ which is where someone sticks your head in the toilet and flushes to make your hair swirl around”. In this example, the slang term is “swirlie,” and he stops to explain to the reader what this term means.

Contents

• 1 What is Slang?
• 2 Examples of Slang
• 3 Modern Examples of Slang
• 4 The Function of Slang in Literature
• 5 Examples of Slang in Literature
• 6 Summary

Сленг, сокращения, идиомы

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Сленг (от англ. slang) — терминологическое поле, набор особых слов или новых значений уже существующих слов, употребляемых в различных человеческих группах (профессиональных, социальных, возрастных и иных).
В отличие от просторечных выражений сленг активно используют в своей речи и образованные люди, представители определённой возрастной или профессиональной группы. Часто этим как раз и подчёркивается принадлежность к определённой группе людей. Общеизвестный пример — молодёжный сленг.

У лингвистов нет простого и четкого определения сленга, но они согласны с тем, что это постоянно меняющееся языковое явление, присутствующее в каждой субкультуре мира. В английской лексикографии термин «сленг» получил широкое распространение приблизительно в начале XIX века. 

Понятие «сленг» смешивается с такими понятиями, как «диалектизм», «жаргонизм», «вульгаризм», «разговорная речь», «просторечие». Сленг отличается от разговорных и жаргонных терминов из-за его специфического социального контекста. В отличие от просторечных выражений, сленг активно используют в своей речи и образованные люди, представители определённой возрастной или профессиональной группы. Часто этим как раз и подчёркивается принадлежность к определённой группе людей.

Хотя разговорные выражения и жаргонизм могут показаться сленгом, потому что они относятся к определенной группе, они не обязательно соответствуют одному и тому же определению, поскольку не представляют собой особой попытки заменить общий лексикон стандартного языка. Разговорные выражения считаются более приемлемыми и более ожидаемыми в стандартном использовании, чем сленг, а жаргон часто создается для обсуждения аспектов конкретной области, которые не учитываются в общем лексиконе. 

Однако эта дифференциация не всегда применяется лингвистами; термины «сленг» и «жаргон» иногда рассматриваются как синонимы, а сфера применения «жаргона» иногда расширяется.

Часто бывает трудно отличить сленг от разговорной лексики и даже лексики литературного уровня, потому что сленг со временем обычно становится общепринятым и включается в словари.

Многие слова и обороты, начавшие своё существование как сленговые, в настоящее время прочно вошли в литературный язык (например, в русском языке: «шпаргалка», «шумиха» и пр.)

Тем не менее, общий тест на то, является ли слово сленговым или нет, заключается в том, будет ли оно приемлемым в академической или юридической среде, поскольку и то, и другое является сферой, в которой стандартный лексикон считается необходимым, и / или был ли термин введен в Оксфордский словарь английского языка в случае английского сленга. 

Идиома (от греческого idios — «собственный», «свойственный») — лингвистический термин, обозначающий выражение (оборот речи), употребляющееся как единое целое; фразеологическое сращение.
Характерным для идиомы является то, что значение ее не равно значению ее составных элементов: значение выражения «спустя рукава» не связано со значениями отдельных слов «спустить» и «рукава».
Выделяется несколько типов идиом – лексическая (сочетание слов: сделать ноги – убежать, орать во всю ивановскую – громко кричать), морфологическая (слово, части которого утратили смысловую функцию: чернила от чёрный, бельё от белый) и синтаксическая (конструкция, значение которой определяется только в целом: Ну и народу! Проси хоть не проси). Идиомы возникают при частом употреблении сочетания, из-за утраты связей между компонентами. Обычно идиомы имеют слитное значение и в целом реализуют общую тенденцию языка к образованию простых знаков на основе составных.
Как правило, идиомы очень сложно перевести сохранив их смысл, если только не использовать различные слова заменители. Для понимания таких оборотов необходимо знать особенности языка, литературы и культуры конкретной страны.

▨ Дополняющие материалы: — Популярные английские сокращения и аббревиатуры

200+ популярных выражений английского сленга

В таблице приведены наиболее употребительные слова и выражения английского сленга. Современный английский сленг с переводом

1	Abs	stomach muscles	кубики (на животе (пресс)
2	Ace	туз, главный козырь или веский довод, а также ас, мастер своего дела	нечто потрясающее, действительно крутое, а также безупречное исполнение какого-либо действия (на высший балл, то есть на оценку «a»)
3	Aight	все в порядке	сокращение от слов all right.
4	Ain’t	is/are/am not	по сути, это просто сокращенный глагол «to be» с отрицанием (am/is/are not =ain’t)
5	All right?	Используется в качестве приветствия	Как дела? Как оно? Как жизнь?
6	All-ears	to listen attentively	весь внимание
7	Amigo	friend (from Spanish)	друг
8	Antifreeze	alcohol	алкоголь, бухло
9	Argy–bargy	Используется в основном для того, чтобы показать нелепость происходящего.	дурацкий спор или стычка
10	Awesome	Положительное значение, эмоция восхищения и восторга	офигенный, классный, потрясный
11	B.O.	body odor	телесный запах
12	Bae	Это смесь двух выражений – «Baby»(«Детка») и «Before anyone else» («Впереди всех остальных»)	любимый (любимая), детка
13	Bail	to leave	слиться, уйти
14	Ball	a testicle	яйцо (гениталии)
15	Baltic		очень ветреная погода
16	Bang to rights	равносильно «dead to rights».	взять с поличным, прижать к стенке, взять за жабры, поймать на месте преступления.
17	Bants	[bænts]. сокращенная версия «banter»	означает добродушно подшучивать, стебаться с друзьями или просто знакомыми, обмениваться приколами
18	Barf	to vomit	блевать
19	Barmy	придурошный	Так говорят о человеке, который странно себя ведет («чудила»). Также можно употребить в отношении чего-то глупого и странного, дурацкого поступка,
20	Bazillion	an infinite number of something	куча, навалом
21	Beans	money	тубрики, деньги
22	Bee’s knees		нечто удивительное, выходящее за рамки привычного
23	Biggie	something important	нечто важное
24	Binge-watch	«Binge» + «Watch»	просмотр большого количества эпизодов сериала без перерыва
25	Blatant		нечто явное, очевидное
26	Blimey	по одной из версий, искаженное «Blind me!» (Чтоб я ослеп!)	восклицание удивления, изумления
27	Blinding		великолепный, потрясающий
28	Blow	to spend or waste money	угрохать, спустить
29	Bollocks		чушь, ерунда
30	Bonkers		сумасшедший
31	Booty	a butt	задница
32	Booze	alcohol	выпивка, алкоголь, бухло
33	Botch	to botch something up или  to do a botch job	топорная работ, работа спустя рукава
34	Bottom line	нижняя (итоговая) линия	суть, самое главное
35	Bounce	На сленге так говорится о факте ухода.	уходить, свалить
36	Brass Monkey	дословно переводится как «медная обезьяна».	жуткий холод
37	Broad	girl, woman	бабёнка, телка
38	Buck	dollar	американский доллар.
39	Budge up	просьба подвинутся	подвигать(ся), сдвигать(ся)
40	Bug	to agitate, disturb	доканывать, капать на мозги
41	Bugger all		ничего вообще, «нифига»
42	Butter face	Страшненькая	звучит как but her face .., используется  обычно когда говорят о девушке, хорошо сложенной, но с некрасивым лицом
43	Cash	money	наличные деньги
44	Cheerio	Пока! До свидания!	дружеское «до свидания»
45	Cheesy	cheap, tacky	дешёвый, убогий, безвкусный, вульгарный
46	Chick	girl, woman	тёлка, девушка, цыпочка
47	Chill out	to relax	расслабиться
48	Chill		расслабление, релакс
49	Chin wag	«Chin» – «подбородок», «Wag» – «кивать»; то есть, беседа, при которой собеседники кивают друг другу в знак понимания	долгая, приятная беседа
50	Chippy		место, где продают fish&chips

51	Chuffed	To chuff — 1) пыхтеть; 2) ободрять, воодушевлять	быть чем-то очень довольным
52	Cock Up		обозначает ошибку, большей провал («налажать»)
53	Cool	good; excellent	клёво, круто
54	Cop	police officer	полицейский
55	Corker		что–то или кто–то круче, чем остальные, «молоток»
56	Couch potato	a lazy individual	лежебока, увалень
57	Crack up	По-русски мы бы сказали «лопнуть со смеху».	заставить кого-то сильно смеяться
58	Cram	to study very hard	зубрить, заучивать наизусть
60	Crap	Негативный оттенок, пренебрежение, презрение	Чушь, ерунда
61	Crash	come uninvited	вломиться куда-л.
62	Crash (at)	to sleep some place	ночевать (у)
63	Creep	a weird person; an eerie person	придурок, отморозок
64	Cuppa		чашка чая
65	Dear	дорого (о стоимости)	3то слово можно перевести не только как «дорогая» (сердцу, например), но и использовать, говоря о чем-то слишком дорогом.
66	Dig	копать	ловить кайф, тащиться
67	Diss		высказываться в чей-то адрес неуважительно, пренебрежительно
68	DIY	Аббревиатура от популярной фразы «Do It Yourself»	т.е. в буквальном переводе «сделай сам», а используется в широком контексте от домашнего ремонта до поделок.
69	Do you fancy …?	Синонимы: Like, wan	Хочешь… ?
70	Dodgy	Синонимы: Unreliable, suspicious, likely to break	Сомнительный, с подвохом, ненадежный, подозрительный, не заслуживающий доверия
71	Doofer	штуковина, штука	объект без названия, такая штука, штуковина, это самое. Обычно употребляется, когда не можешь вспомнить слово
72	Down to earth	practical realistic	прозаический, прагматичный
73	Drive up the wall	annoy, irritate	бесить, выносить мозг
74	Dude	Довольно старое слово, но актуально и по сей день. Наряду с dude американская молодежь часто использует слова bro, homie и другие.	чувак
75	Dump (smb.)	to break up	бортануть, бросить
76	Dunno	don’t know	я не знаю
77	Earworm	Дословно – «червяк в ухе»	Песня, «застрявшая» в голове
78	Easy peasy		Проще простого
79	Epic fail	complete disaster	Провал, большая неудача, полный абзац
80	Ex	former mate	бывший, бывшая
81	Faff	от лат. pro — «на», crastinus — «завтра»	Тянуть резину, откладывать дела на потом
82	Fail	Слово перекочевало в русский язык как фейл.	неудача
83	Fam		Семья
84	Feel blue	to feel sad	хандрить; унывать
85	Fishy	questionable	сомнительный; неправдоподобный
86	Flog		сбывать, продавать что-либо
87	For real	Обычно задается как вопрос:, типа — в натуре?	удивление
88	Fortnight	two weeks	2 недели
89	Fortnight	Дословно – «14 ночей»	Две недели
90	Full of beans	полный бобов	энергичный, заводной
91	Geek	a nerd, a dork	ботан
92	Give a ring	call	позвонить
93	Go dutch	each person paying his own expenses	заплатить за себя
94	Goat	Это не «коза», это аббревиатура от «Greatest of all times»	Величайший из всех времен
95	Gobsmacked	«Gob» – «рот», «smack» – «ударять»; то есть, человек хлопает себя рукой по рту от сильнейшего удивления	Крайне удивленный, ошарашенный
96	Gonna	going to	собираться
97	Gotta	have got to, have to	должен
98	Gross	Американский аналог британского minging.	мерзкий, противный, неприятный
99	Grub / nosh		оба слова обозначают еду на скорую руку, перекус
100	Gutted	от глагола «to gut» — потрошить	когда кто-то сильно расстроен или опустошен, разочарован

101	Haggle		сбивать цену, торговаться (особенно по мелочам)
102	Hampsteads		зубы
103	Hang out	to spend time aimlessly	зависать, тусить
104	Hang-over	headache caused by drinking excess alcohol	похмелье
105	Hard cheese		Сложная ситуация
106	Hit on	to ask out, flirt	клеиться, подъезжать, подкатывать
107	Hit the books	to study	засесть за учебу
108	Hit the road	leave	уходить, проваливать
109	Hit the sack	go to sleep	давить на «массу», задрыхнуть
110	Hold your horses	to calm oneself, to relax, to stop	подожди, не суетись
111	Holla	дать знать о чем-то	Обычно употребляется американцами как высказывание намерения сделать что-то. Еще можно использовать как неформальное приветствие (Holla!) или в значении «позвонить»:
112	Homie	брат по духу	Так американцы говорят о «своих ребятах», корешах и братанах.
113	Hoover	Синоним: Vacuum cleaner	Пылесос
114	How come … ?	Синоним: How did it happen that … ? Why … ?	Как так получилось, что …
115	Hyped	exited	в предвкушении
116	In no time	very soon	быстро, в два счёта
117	Jack up	raise, increase	повышаться; расти
118	Jerk	болван	Так американцы говорят о глупом, раздражающем человеке.
119	John hancock	your signature	собственноручная подпись
120	Jolly	Очень	это слово используют в самых разных ситуациях, но обычно оно означает «очень» («jolly good» — «очень хорошо»).
121	Jones	craving, burning desire	очень сильная потребность, желание чего-либо
122	Just plain	clearly; simply	попросту
123	Kip	Также глагол, обозначающий «вздремнуть ненадолго».	короткий сон
124	Knackered	Синоним: Tired	Измотан, очень устал, без сил
125	Knees up	Вечеринка	весёлая неформальная вечеринка; попойка
126	Knock	to criticize someone or something	критиковать; осуждать
127	Knock it off	to stop doing something that annoys	кончай базарить!
128	Knockout	a very attractive person, usually female	красавчик; красотка
129	Kudos	от греческого kydos («признание»	браво, респект
130	Lame	Используется как прилагательное для описания чего-то совсем не крутого и стремного.	отстойный
131	Lighten up	to be less serious about something	уймись, остынь
132	Lit	Новое слово, чтобы выразить что-то ошеломительное, гораздо сильнее по эмоциональной окраске, чем просто cool или crazy.	что-то очень крутое
133	Lookalike	«Look» + «Alike»	Двойник, человек, очень похожий на другого
134	Looker	good looking person	красотка, красавец
135	Lost The Plot.	“потерял сюжет”	говорится при описании действий человека, ведущего себя иррационально/неразумно и возмутительно (слететь с катушек)
136	Mate		приятель, друг, напарник, товарищ, сосед по комнате
137	Meh		Неинтересный, ничего из себя не представляющий, никакой
138	Miffed		расстроенный или обиженный; оскорбленный; вне себя
139	Minger	урод, мерзость	Британцы используют это слово, чтобы назвать что-то противное или неприятное. От него происходит и прилагательное minging.
140	Mingle	Talk informally with different people	Пообщаться с несколькими людьми, смешиваться с толпой
141	Minted		быть в достатке, т.е. при деньгах
142	Nada	nothing, none (from Spanish)	ничего
143	Nailed it!	Синоним: Got something exactly right, completed successfully.	Попал в точку! Отлично получилось! Часто используется с оттенком сарказма.
144	Nats	crazy	сумасшедший
145	Nice one	Nice — хороший, милый	так можно сказать, когда кто-то делает что-то особо впечатляющее
146	No worries	Показывает уверенность в себе	Без проблем, легко
147	Nuts	То же самое, что и crazy.	сумасшедший
148	Old lady	wife	жена
149	Old man	father	старик (отец)
150	Oops!	Oh, exclamation of a mistake	ой!; ух!; ох! Блин!

151	Pass the buck	give the responsibility to someone else	свалить ответственность
152	Peanuts		Очень низкая цена или зарплата
153	Pear shaped		Неправильно, наперекосяк, не по плану
154	Petty		Человек, склонный делать из мухи слона, раздувать проблему
155	Piece of cake	о деле, которое представляется говорящему легко исполнимым — как съесть кусок торта (пирога)	проще некуда, ерунда!
156	Pig out	to eat too much	обжираться
157	Piss off	make someone angry (American)	раздражать, злить, бесить
158	Plonk	дешевое вино	Обычное столовое вино, портвейн, одно из самых дешевых в своей категории.
159	Porkies		Ложь, неправда
160	Pre sci		Предварительный экзамен
161	Props	proper recognition , proper respect	выражение уважения, признания
162	Quid	Синоним: Pound sterling	Обозначение фунта, когда называют цену
163	Raincheck	Словосочетание пошло от возможности обменять билет на спортивный матч в случае дождя.	просьба перенести что-то на другое время
164	Ret		Сигарета
165	Ride shotgun	to sit next to the driver	ездить на переднем сидении
166	Row	ссора	Глагол можно перевести как «поссориться» или «повздорить».
167	Rumpy–pumpy		секс, «шуры–муры», «шпили–вили».
168	Salty	Американцы называют кого-то «соленым» на сленге, когда хотят сказать, что человек обижен или «дуется».	обиженный на что-то, злой
169	Sauce		Уверенный в себе, успешный человек
170	Savage		Брутальный, крутой
171	Screw up	to mess up	накосячить, облажаться
172	Scrummy	термин, используемый для описания чего-то очень вкусного, от которого слюнки текут	что-то очень вкусное
173	Shattered / Knackered		Невероятно уставший, измотанный, без сил
174	Shoot the breeze	to chat	болтать ни о чем
175	Shorty	a very attractive female	красотка
176	Sick	awesome	клево
177	Skint	быть на мели	на мели, без гроша
178	Skive (off)	говорится, когда кто-то попытался симулировать болезнь, чтобы не пойти на работу/учебу (сачкануть)	отлынивать
179	Slay		Приятно удивить, впечатлить
180	Smashing		разящий, сокрушительный, потрясающий
181	Sod’s Law	Произошло от разговорного sod, что означает «бедолага».	закон подлости
182	Sorted	так говорят о решенной проблеме (sorted problem).	Решить проблему — «to get it sorted».
183	Spaced out	disoriented	рас-сосредоточенный
184	Spill the beans	reveal, tell	слить информацию
185	Splash out	дословно — «выплеснуть(ся)	потратить слишком много денег
186	Stan		Фанат, буквально помешанный на своем кумире
187	Staycation	«Stay» + «Vacation»	Отпуск, проведенный в родном городе
188	Stroppy		Бука, злюка
189	Stuffed		Наевшийся до отвала
190	Suck	Употребляется как глагол. Что-то вроде «я плох в этом».	отстой
191	Suh! / Hey! / Yo!		Привет!
192	Swag		Стильный, модный, клевый
193	Sweet	good; excellent	Здорово, отлично, клевая
194	Take a raincheck	to do something another time	откладывать на будущее, переносить
195	Take for granted	fail to properly appreciate	воспринимать как должное, не ценить
196	Taking the piss	Синоним: Tease, mock, make fun of someone.	Дразнить, подшучивать.  Не перепутайте  с “take a piss”, что переводится буквально =)
197	The joint	prison	тюряга
198	Tight	close to someone	дружеский; близкий
199	Tmi	too much information	Слишком много информации
200	To be amped	excited; enthusiastic	мега-активный, гиперактивный
201	To be beat	to be very tired or exhausted	умотаться
202	To be busted	to be caught in the act of wrongdoing	хватать с поличным
203	To be hooked on	to be addicted to	подсесть на
204	To be in	to be included in something	участвовать в чем-л.
205	To be ripped	to look very muscular and built	большой, мускулистый человек
206	To be ripped off	get a bad deal or have money stolen	ободрать
207	To give the cold shoulder	a show of deliberate indifference	демонстративно избегать
208	To have a blast	to have a great time	оттянуться, оторваться
209	To have a crush on	to be attracted to somebody	запасть на к.л.
210	To kick the bucket	to die	сыграть в ящик
211	To mess something up	to ruin something	провалить, налажать
212	To spot	to see something or find something	видеть, обнаруживать, засечь
213	Tosh		означает чепуху, вздор, чушь лажу или просто дичь
214	Tough	strong, determined	крутой
215	Trash	to damage or wreck	испоганить что-л
216	Trash		Нечто неприятное, плохое, отстой
217	Turn-off	Something repulsive	отбить охоту; отталкивать
218	Twenty four seven	Non-stop, around the clock	круглосуточно
219	Unreal	нереальный	нечто удивительное, потрясающее, впечатляющее.
220	Uptight	tense; nervous	скованный, зажатый
221	Wack	crazy person	псих, ненормальный
222	Wag off		попусту тратить время, прогулять, валять дурака
223	Wangle		Хитрить, обводить вокруг пальца
224	Warts and all		«как есть»; несмотря на недостатки
225	Weird	От этого слова происходит также weirdo  существительное, которое можно перевести как «чудак».	странный
226	What’s up?	how are you?   bonjour	Как дела? Что новенького?
227	Wheels	a car or a bicycle	тачка, машина
228	Wicked	Изначально это слово переводится как «злой», но британцы часто используют его для описания чего-то очень крутого.	что-то потрясающее
229	Wierdo	strange person	чокнутый ненормальный
230	Wimp	a weak person	рохля, нюня, баба
231	Wind up	В прямом переводе слово означает «заводиться», но на сленге  приколоться над кем-то, то есть намеренно говорить неправду ради шутки.	приколоться над кем-то, подшутить
232	Wonky	так говорят о чем-то неустойчивом	Неустойчивый, шатающийся, изменчивый
233	Wrap smth up	to settle the final details	завершить; закончить
234	Wtf	what the fuck? (used as an expression of incredulity or annoyance)	что за хрень
235	You are telling me	I know exactly what you mean	полностью согласен!
236	You bet	Of course, surely	ясное дело!
237	You can say that again	I agree with you completely	разумеется! ещё бы
238	Yummy	Так говорят о чем-то очень аппетитном и нереально вкусном.	вкусный
239	Zam		Экзамен
240	Zonked	utterly exhausted	истощённый; изнурённый. В отпаде

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Ulan Ainura
Mutanova Bibinur
Alieva Liana

students EP «Translation Studies» of  the Turan University

Abstract: This article raises the topic of the history of the emergence of slang in the English language, gives a general definition of slang. Its main types, their origin, definition are listed. The key concepts that are used in the translation of English slang into Russian are established.

Relevance: Slang is one of the integral parts of the English vocabulary. In modern English, it is very diverse, as it develops, expands and actively erases the boundaries of the language. Slang is intended for everyone who wants to follow the news and interact more actively with the outside world, with other people, and therefore speak one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.

The purpose of the work is to consider the features of the modern English language, the study of various types of slang and factors affecting its development. Aspects of slang are highlighted. The importance of slang in the modern world is substantiated.

Object of research: slang as an integral part of modern English education.

Subject of research: words, phrases and phrases often used for the emotional designation of subjects related to the educational process, profession and interests.

Keywords: slang, jargon, argot, professional slang, youth slang.

Most linguists and lexicographers recognize that the origin of the word slang is «uncertain» or «unknown». A notable exception is Walter William Skeet, a lexicographer who argued that slang («vulgar language») is of Scandinavian origin and is derived from the Icelandic slyngva («to throw»), which can be compared to the Norwegian verb slengja («to bind»). Jaw») and the Norwegian noun slengjeord («slang word»), used for offensive words. The lexicographer was opposed by one of the Swedish slang researchers Anna-Brita Stenstrom in her article «From slang to slang: a description based on a teenage conversation» gives an example of a Swedish dictionary, «Bonniers Stora Lexicon», in which it is claimed that Swedish verbal slang comes from English slang, and its origin is unknown. The first mention of the word «slang» dates back to 1756 in the OED (Oxford English Dictionary), according to which the original source is «not obvious». Consequently, the word «slang» appeared in English earlier than in the languages of the Scandinavian countries.

Another point of view on the appearance of the word «slang» suggests that it is not an English word; it is a Gypsy term for their secret language. Some other philologists consider it a derivative of French.

But the phenomenon of slang appeared before it got the name «slang». According to Swift, slang is as old as speech, and traces of it can be found as far back as we can go. Old English slang was rougher and more dependent on outright vulgarity than our modern slang. The slang of those days was usually called the «flash» language, which represented both hypocrisy and slang. It is important to emphasize that the term «slang» was first used by Francis Grose in 1785. He defined it as «kant or vulgar language». In the 18th century, slang was considered a misuse of the English language and was considered forbidden. Currently, slang is not associated with 2vulgar language». It takes its shape and is influenced by different cultures and technological innovations that have left many slang extremes in society from street slang to African-American slang. Moreover, slang tends to arise in subcultures of society.

The vocabulary of slang is changing rapidly: what is new and exciting for one generation, old-fashioned for the next. Old slang often either becomes obsolete or becomes generally accepted. into the literary language, losing its eccentric coloring.

Slang has been developing for centuries, moving from one social group to another. As in other languages, slang words help people communicate easier and faster. At the same time, it allows you to become part of a certain social circle in which people encode their communication with certain slang terms. As a result, slang brings a new sound to the language, helping people stand out from the crowd.

In most countries, the emergence of new slang terms is mainly caused by the fact that the younger generation creates a lot of slang abbreviations for SMS in social networks, online chats and on their YouTube channels.

Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not in standard English, but which are acceptable in certain social situations. In our daily life, we can see the use of slang in books, magazines and television films, because slang is closely related to the national culture. The translation of English slang requires the translator to pay attention to the correspondence of language and culture.

Language is a tool for people to communicate with each other, it has no class nature. But this does not mean that people use the same language in different classes. Languages used in different classes have different symbols and colors; they may reflect the speaker’s social background, status, artistic culture and industry experience. In English, slang is a colorful word. But now people can use slang in conversation to make their language bright, humorous and different from others. Especially young people are trying to use new slang in their conversations. Meanwhile, slang can help the conversation be light and friendly. Therefore, slang is widely used in our daily life. As a widely used language, slang has its own definition, features and ways of translation.

In sociolinguistic literature, the linguistic community is usually considered as the source cell of sociolinguistic analysis; the term «slang» refers to the following linguistic phenomena:

1. Vocabulary characterized by greater metaphoricity, brightness and fragility than ordinary language.

2. Speech and writing are characterized by the use of vulgar and socially taboo vocabulary.

3. Social and professional jargon.

Interestingly, 55% of students use English slang in oral and written speech. This shows how fast the world around us is developing. Slang, being an integral part of the language and developing with it, is used in various social groups.

Slang itself is a variation of the «secret language» and synonymous with words such as jargon or argot.

Slang names traditionally go back to the groups that use them. It is unlikely to be possible to name all the types, but the main types are as follows:

1. An abbreviation is an abbreviation or addition of two or more words, which as a result acquire a short form. Abbreviations also refer to slang and are actively used in messages in order to save time.

The most common and popular abbreviations worldwide: LOL – laughing out loud; BTW – by the way; ZZZ – sleeping; BFF — best friends forever; YOLO – you only live once; DM – direct message; Collab – collaboration.

There are also the simplest abbreviations, where one letter or number is a word: 2 – too; 4 – for; B – be; U – you; Y – why.

2. Youth slang is one of the most relevant types of slang. Youth slang is used exclusively among young people, most often among teenagers, that is, the age category from 12 to 25 years. Youth slang is always changing and developing, the appearance of new slangs does not make it difficult for young people to immediately use them in all areas of their lives. This type of slang is the complete opposite of the official business style of speech, and also differs from other types of slang in its emotional expressiveness, rudeness and straightforwardness. In addition, there are a lot of divisions among this type of slang, that is, there are certain words that are characteristic of different social groups, cultural trends and age categories. So, it is possible to distinguish school and student slang and slang of gamers etc.

Earlier, the older generation believed that teenage slang was one of the types of manifestations of rebellion, but at the moment everything has changed dramatically. In the 21st century, the era of advanced technologies and social networks, the entire younger generation actively uses slang expressions. Slang has become so commonplace a part of colloquial speech that people who claim that they are not used do not notice that it is present in their speech. Why is the younger generation so actively using slang? The answer is very simple, to become a part of the youth environment, not to differ and keep up with peers, to understand conversations that are closely related to slang.

The reasons for the formation of new slang expressions are:

1. modern music and films of different genres;

2. passion for foreign culture and languages;

3. social networks and games;

4. the need of young people to have their own «special» language in order to express themselves vividly, emotionally;

5. low level of culture and upbringing in the family;

Divisions in youth slang:

— School slang. It is used by school students aged from 12 to 18 years, respectively. Most often it is harmless in nature, has no negative coloring. School slang, of course, includes words related to school subjects, teachers, classrooms, homework and school friends. Here are some examples of school slang:

Basic – is an adjective that describes something typical and ordinary; To kill, kari –to make fun of;  Zero cool – cool! very good, super; Homey, homers – homework; bear — school teacher; chicken — coward;

— Student slang. It is used and understood by students of universities and colleges. Unlike school slang, student slang differs in that slang lingers here for many years. There are also divisions within student slang, that is, it is the use of slang in a particular faculty and specialty. Some slang words are used in their speech not only by students, but also by teachers. Below are examples of student slang:

Grazing – grab a bite; Put a sock in it! – Shut up! bro – short for brother; wench, gooey – girlfriend; nоре – no; neat – cool; What’s up? – How are you? make a play for – flirt; fаb – fabulous; Faffing – wasting your time.

— Gaming slang. The most popular form of leisure for young people now are video games, Over the past 20 years with the development of video games, a unique gaming slang has appeared and founded, which serves to exchange information among players. It got to the point that the slang phrases of gamers began to penetrate into ordinary speech, because a whole generation grew up on them. Game slang has brevity, accuracy, emotionality and, most importantly, has the goal of transmitting, for example, a large amount of information with a couple of slang phrases, which helps players in a tense gameplay. There are also 2 types of gamers’ slang, this is oral and written slang, oral is used during online games when communicating with other players, written slang is used in chats, slang is very short, most often abbreviations. Examples of gaming slang:

N00b – newbie, newbie. In all new beginnings or professions, there are beginners, but novice gamers call N00b, written with two zeros together with the letters o. They most often use this slang either neutrally or as an insult.

Cheater – from the word cheat, to deceive. Players who use hacked games, use deceptive techniques during the game, for example, to hit without aiming, to have an unlimited supply of money in the game, all this applies to cheaters.

NPC – characters in games that are not under the control of the player, they are just extras, they can be anyone, both people and monsters, animals. Slang is also used outside the game, NPCs call those who do not think with their own heads, always adhere to someone else’s opinion.

3. Professional slang is a set of vocabulary that is used in a particular profession, it is used not only during discussions of work, conferences, meetings, but also in ordinary colloquial speech. The reason for the appearance of professional slang was the simplification of communication at work. Professional slang, as well as student slang, may differ depending on what field or companies you work in and also has slang that everyone uses and understands. For example, the slang of IT specialists. Terms from this area have become so popular and memorable that, as with gaming slang, they have entered everyday speech.

Why is it worth studying professional slang? First of all, this is a good opportunity to replenish your vocabulary, professional slang will also help you join a new team, and the third reason is the opportunity to understand slang in films and TV series with a plot tied to professions, for example, you can even better understand the replicas of the characters from the series  «Grey’s Anatomy», the plot of which completely revolves around medicine.

Examples of slang expressions of different specialties:

Appy – an appendicitis, or an appendix; circle the drain – to be close to death; frequent flyer – a patient who spends a lot of time at hospital, is frequently admitted; slasher – a surgeon; chinwag – a word describing a good conversation; spaghetti code – is any poorly and clumsily designed program; mung – make changes to the file; MISPER – missing person; house mouse — a law enforcement officer engaged in office work.

The most common professional slang that employees use for informal communication: IDK – I don’t know; BRB – Be right back; EOD – End of the day; net – internet; nosh – short lunch.

If we talk about the distinctive features of professional slang, then you can see that it has a part of phonetics. English-speaking professional slang units are difficult to translate into Russian. Lexical units that are reformed by Russian slang from English and American slang do not have much difficulty in the translation process. Example: carpet – carpet. When translating slang from English into Russian, translators use a metaphor. In the process of translating reduced vocabulary, you need to use the same translations as for literary translation. Difficulties can be caused by lexical units that are not listed in dictionaries, reference books, etc.

Types of slang translations. Lexical and grammatical translation transformations (calculus, generalization, modulation, etc. When translating slang, it is important to preserve expressions. Knowledge of the correct use of slang in a literary text is of great importance for the translator as a whole. The main problem that translators face when translating slang is that there are no semantic equivalents. In general, a translator should know the types of slang and be able to use them in any field, as well as a simultaneous interpreter and in writing. There are also types of slang that cannot be translated, this is another difficulty of the translator. After all, slang in all spheres are different. In our modern world, we are obliged to get acquainted with various types and translations of slang, and even more so to know how they are translated in order to use them correctly. British and American slang are completely different, but the translation may be the same.

America (USA) is famous for both abbreviations and slang. But for the most part they speak slang and translate slang professionally. Let’s look at examples: Ace – drop off, kudos- respect, Dis – stop, Dig –dragging, piece of cake – just spit and there are a lot of slang. But again, returning to them, we can say that their translation is not direct, and by translating them you can very quickly and easily replenish your vocabulary.

Examples of slang: Fam – family, Stan – fan, Meh – uninteresting, Botch – work at random, Bae – favorite, baby, Budge up – move up, Do – party, Jolly – very, Wonky – unstable, Easy – peasy – easy, Soph- sophomore, Ret- cigarette, Zam – exam.

It is interesting that slang differs from literature in that slang is an abbreviated form of a word, and when translated, it is generally abbreviated and quickly pronounced just as easily. All languages have slang, but they are translated differently, but words not slang have a completely different translation. Professional translation shows the word and how it is written very well, because for translators plus a professional, the main thing is to look at how it looks and how it is written. We are considering the fact how modern slang is, because there are slangs that went away several centuries ago, but still have the same translation, or the translation has changed. Professional translation is very complex, but at the same time easy in writing, and it can also be noted that all translations have their own structure. How slangs are arranged and pronounced in the text and how they are perceived and translated.

It also happens that we cannot translate this or that slang, but we can see it in use, like a movie. In films, for example, they speak quickly and sometimes you can’t figure out who said what, and slang comes to the rescue, and slang can be transferred quickly and correctly. Examples include video games, books, cartoons, all sorts of different stories, articles, and the like. We call the modem a lot, and there are a lot of examples to this. You can take another example of cartoons. Their children are very interesting to watch, they stick to them and do not come off. But there you can hear a lot and a lot of slang, namely youth, but their translation will sound the same, but the main thing is to be clear and legible, this concerns the translator. Well, we can say that slangs in professional translation are of great importance, without them it would be difficult and difficult for translators to translate. The main thing is that the translation should be competent, structural, and youth-oriented at the expense of slang. The purpose of slang translations is to show how this slang is written and how it sounds correctly, how it can be pronounced or abbreviated and how it is borrowed correctly. After all, there are many words borrowed from other languages, as well as literature and slang. The main thing is to show what this slang means, to write a definition for slang and how to write the translation completely.  Russian has a lot of slang, but they are translated into English in a completely different way and sound different, but it is translated from English into Russian in the same way. But some slang words are written as they sound and are translated the same way. Professional translation gives us a chance to show how to work with slang correctly, and how to translate and use them correctly in speech, namely in colloquial speech. If the speech is fast, then of course you can not understand what kind of slang and how it is written and translated, but if the speech is intelligible, then it will be easier.

In conclusion, it should be noted that currently slang includes both specific and general meanings. It usually consists of new words and new or expanded meanings. Finding completely fresh, energetic, colorful, sharp or humorous expressions. When translating vocabulary in general and slang, various Internet resources, dictionaries, watching various kinds of movies, etc. should be used. Accurate knowledge of lexical and semantic features is the main specificity of slang translation. This phenomenon is unique and contradictory in itself. To be aware of all new words, you need to communicate regularly with native speakers and preferably in an informal setting. Slang has had a great influence on traditional English. It is thanks to him that the language has become more modern and extraordinary, because in the context of aristocratic English slang it looks bright, expressive and informal.

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