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... oll through any high school or college courtyard during lunchtime will put you at ground zero of the transitional slang phenomenon. You can expect to be hit with words like wassup and da bomb, or quite possibly the locals might invite you back to their hindu. But there is no need to be frightened. You are not in enemy territory, and the language is usually quite easy to pick up on. Slang terms and words are typically developed in one of three ways.
The first way is the transformation of standard vocabulary. This can happen through blending (combining two words into one), by way of folk etymology (changing a word to make it more understandable or familiar), or occasionally from antonomasia (to take a name from a persons name or a place). Sometimes this language alteration comes about as a form of laziness, such as dropping several sounds or syllables (called clipping or derivation). For example, on most campuses the phrase (or question) all right has transformed and blended into the single word alight.
Another term that has undergone this type of transition is www, altered to the single-word dub dub for easier pronunciation. Just saying double-u- double-u-double-u is an awkward dance of the speaking organs, therefore alteration is necessary to develop a user-friendly version of the term. Of course, many phrases are developed this same way, by shortening an entire sentence into a simple two or three word phrase, meant as a catch-all for similar circumstances. Its all good is a common way of telling someone that everything is OK, and theres no need to worry.
The second trigger in the development of s language is the incorporation of hidden meaning. This can be a form of a private joke between the users of the language. For instance, calling a girl a Shasta is an unflattering term, yet anyone unfamiliar with it would have no clue what the meaning is. In reality, it refers to the cheap quality of the soda brand Shasta, suggesting that a girl is not the highest quality or first pick for a one-night-stand, but due to the lack of more suitable choices, she will have to do. This term is considerably funny, until it refers to you. The third way that slang develops is through transformation of a single word or phrase into a different meaning, changing the meaning rather than the form of the word.
Bad has become good; bones are now money; sweet is no longer just a taste or personality type, but has also become an adjective for something fun or great. How these definitions evolve is anyones guess, but they are easily popularized through TV shows like South Park, and pop-culture personalities, such as Eminem. Over a long period of time Standard English will frequently change from one definition to another as well, reflecting the changes that society makes. Sometimes the change in a slang words definition will not be totally off base, still resembling the initial meaning to a certain degree. The word jet can signify a quick exit, similar to the speed of a jet, and bumming something from someone else (spare change, for example), is similar to what a bum would do on the streets. Slang, particularly transitional slang, is notable for its liveliness, humor, emphasis, brevity, novelty, and exaggeration.
However, slang is not just limited to the campus scene. Most slang is faddish and ephemeral, but some words are retained for long periods and eventually become part of the standard language (e. g. , phony, blizzard, movie) (Learning Network). Much of our current expressions were unheard of over 100 years ago, and many of the new slang terms circulating on high school and college campuses may some day become common speech. The web site The Learning Network lists the following examples of the words that have evolved into our lingo over the past century: of madness loony, nuts, psycho; of crime heist, gat, hit, heat, grifter; of women babe, chick, squeeze, skirt; of men dude, hombre, hunk; of drunkenness sloshed, plastered, stewed, looped, trashed, smashed; of drugs horse, high, stoned, tripping; of caressing neck, fool around, make out; of states of mind uptight, wired, mellow, laid back; the verb to go scram, split, scoot, tip, jet; miscellaneous phrases you push his buttons, get it together, chill, she does her number, he does his thing, what's her story, I'm not into that.
Slanging is a practice that is very old, ever changing with the growth of those seeking to understand their own identity. It is a fascinating language to study because it reflects so much of the sociology of those who are using it. Regardless of where a person lives, his or her economic status, upbringing or value system, chances are every vocabulary includes at least a handful of slang terms that occasionally come out in speech for a more dramatic effect. If we take a moment to reflect on the slang of our own generations, we will be able to trace the transition from dependant to independent, and alienation to inclusion in the community. This is a language worth celebrating, first for its ability to empower those seeking to use it, and finally for its amazing capacity for gathering a diverse population into a common goal: self-discovery. As teenagers and young adults explore and develop this unusual language, they make paths for future generations to expand upon and make new additions that reflect their own times.
Eventually a persons speech will tone down to better reflect the society he or she has grown into, but always, somewhere deep inside, a sense of identity and individuality will remain strong as long as the language of youth lives on.
Empire, Sam. Gang-Slang. < web >> (September 15, 2001). Drum right, Erin. Personal Interview.
October 23, 2001 Sanders, Judi. College Slang Page. California State University Pomona. < web >> (September 15, 2001). Slang from The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright 1994, 2000, on Infoplease. com. 2000 Learning Network. < web >> (September 24, 2001). Wizard.
Wizards Gay Slang Dictionary. April 18, 2001. Copyright 1989 1994 1998 2001 < web >> (September 16, 2001).
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Research essay sample on Slang A Transitional Language
