Definition Essay On Slang

The old idiom, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” has been used for decades, and although a good sentiment, can be disproven by any person with an basic understanding of their feelings. The power of the words one hears can greatly affect their self esteem and confidence. The fact that words hurt is an issue everyone faces, but some words hold too much power, power that can be used in not so ideal ways. Slurs, or words that are used to oppress minority groups, are used too casually in the modern world, with grave consequences on the minorities they are used against. The word faggot, a term used to describe gay men, has become popular in modern America between school boys as a way to either mock their peers or intentionally hurt an actual queer person. This word in particular moves farther away from offensive and can be categorized as oppressive due to its both psychological and social ramifications. The use of the word faggot is an act of oppression when one looks at both the social and psychological effects the word has on both the user and the recipient of the slur.

The 1960’s were filled with the most popular gangs called the Greasers and the Socs who used slang as a code. Greasers were kids who were financially troubled and lived in a shady part of town scattered across the East side. Unlike the Greasers, the Socs were the more fortunate kids who could do as they please due to their incomparable wealth compared to Greasers. Some examples of the slang they used as code were Chickies which meant the fuzz or cops and Down Kiddie which was code for girlfriends of the gang. Debs who are the girlfriends of the Although they did not have advanced technology such as iphones, samsungs, and ipads back in the 1960’s, there were several activities teenagers engaged in for entertainment purposes. For instance, teenagers

Millennials are known for coming up with slang words, that they frequently use, eventually get tired

As the human race gets older we change the meanings of words to accomplish a deep need to feel superior to other groups of people. This "tragedy looms larger than farce in the United States [and other countries] today" (Kozol). Sometimes people will use a respected name but give it the context of an insult, others use terms of endearment to promote or demote someone, and still others use derogatory names.

Sometimes it may be appropriate to use slang with your peers but in normal working with colleagues or service users you should avoid using any language that can be misunderstood or misinterpreted or that might cause offence.

Currently, the student population at Morgan State University age ranges from 18-24. It was important to look at age and the culture of society to show the high usage of slang/jargon on campus. It was noticeable the differences of slang in the North and South in regards to how they say certain words. A student from Philadelphia was asked how she would know someone is from her state without he/she mentioning by the person’s use of “jawn” or “drawlin.” The term “jawn” is universally used to talked about someone or something; “Did you see the new Jordans that came out… them jawns nice”. The word “drawlin” is used to describe someone who is doing too much. In New York, they use “wildin’” to describe someone who is doing too much. Moreover, slang in the North is more similar based on their context and

Slang: a type of language that consists of words that are regarded as informal, and is most common in speech, and is typically restricted to a particular context or group of people. Nearly everyday, even without noticing it, most people use slang in their speech on a daily basis. How people speak can be interpreted very differently to listeners depending on their background. Many areas have their own type of speech that usually, only people who come from that background will understand. After reading Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston and making an FJAVE dictionary and examples, it is easy to see that speech holds so much power, especially when the people communicating are born around the same time period or if they live in the same area.

Over the years, the slang used by teens in America has changed drastically, from simple words used to describe the appearance of another to phrases to describe being intoxicated. While comparing the words and phrases used in the 1920’s to those commonly used today, I found that there are many with the same definitions, all of which tend to be related to girls, alcohol, and making fun of others.

These are some of the questions that come up when I saw the Ted Talk “What makes a word ‘real’?” by Anne Curzan. Due to new generations, society have been using words or phrases that many elders would find it as degrading the English language. As new generations come, older generations would disapprove on how the English language is being used.

Most of us talk and all of us have heard or been exposed to slang or “black talk” on social media, at school, the mall or any social event. According to Leslie Savan “Black Slang can’t describe black language, because clearly most black language is composed of Standard English” (439). Meaning that not all black

On October 8, 2015 a survey was conducted in the North Paseo building room 1.114 by Writing Composition 1 classes. The purpose of the survey was to identify slang words which students want to ban the use of due to overuse or misuse. It was conducted under supervision of Professor Darren Meritz. The survey subjects and surveyors were Professor Meritz’s Writing Composition 1 classes, consisting of 65 students in total. After a brief survey the surveyors found ten words that most participants wanted to ban. A few of these words are used to describe women.

There is also a type of language spoken in America that is widely discussed and often imitated throughout the world. It is American Slang. Depending on who you ask, some will say that slang is a result of English that was broken by slaves transported to America. Some will say that slang is a result of adolescents in America being rebellious towards their elders. Either way, there is a new form of slang added to each generation. As time passes, that slang becomes common and an acceptable (grammatically) part of the English language. In the 1930’s jazz musician Lester Young popularized the word “cool” and acknowledged it as a description for his music. During those times, any young person who used that word

“Ugh, she so ratchet,” a common phrase when hitting the club or scrolling through any social media site. No, they’re not referring to the mechanical tool or the beloved Transformers character, their inferring to the new slang term that has established itself within a generation’s vocabulary. But how exactly does an everyday term such as ratchet become so twisted to the point where it’s new meaning no longer resembles it’s old one? As it once was mainly known as a mechanical tool used to repair clocks and roller coasters, it now has a entirely different definition. Although words may have an established meaning, as time goes by, that meaning may change,

Also sometimes I use slang words when speaking with my friends. The slang words I use are usually words I pick up from friends. I use these words when I am speaking so I feel closer to them and l accepted, as I speak like one of them. I would never use slang in front of my parents because of the way I fear they may see me. In culture using slang words gives the impression that you are unintelligent and uneducated.

The communication skills are not as strong today because of the influence of hip-hop. Hip-hop music is known for containing a great deal of slang. A slang word is a word that many people associate with poor grammar and questionable diction. What most of us do not realize is how much slang is used in day-to-day life. It is simply considered a part of normal and accepted language. It has a negative effect on our young black males because they tend to learn slang before starting kindergarten, which contributes to the illiteracy of black people. The same people, who learn slang before learning proper English, begin incorporating slang into communications with other people, essentially deflecting from improving society’s view about black people. Hip-hop music uses a variety of slang terms that change as hip-hop evolves and changes. Much of its lexicon is drawn from African-American vernacular English. Hip-hop slang gives ordinary words new meanings. Harlem rapper Lamont Coleman (stage name Big L) released a song on his posthumous album "The Big Picture" entitled "Ebonics". In this song, Big L goes through various hip-hop slang terms and gives their proper meanings.