A study on usages of slang in english language

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY CODE: 29 FACULTY OF ENGLISH GRADUATION THESIS B.A DEGREE IN ENGLISH STUDIES A STUDY ON USAGES OF SLANG IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE Supervisor: MA Pham Thi Bich Diep Student: Dang Vu Tuan Phong Date of birth: 12/26/1994 Course: 1271A05 (2012-2016) HANOI, 2016 DECLARATION Title: “A study on usages of slang in English language” I certify that no part of the above report has been copied or reproduced by me from any other’s work without acknowledgement and that the report is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor Hanoi, 15th April, 2016 Student Supervisor Dang Vu Tuan Phong MA Pham Thi Bich Diep ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Ms Pham Thi Bich Diep, for being the person to instruct and help me achieve the result of this research at this point I would also like to express my thanks to my parents, as well as all my friends and teachers at Faculty of English for their support, encouragement and concern that has helped me come this far Thank you to you all Hanoi, 15th April, 2016 Dang Vu Tuan Phong TABLE OF CONTENTS PART A: INTRODUCTION……………………………………01 Rationale……………………………………………………………01 Aims and purposes of the study………………………………… 02 Scope of the study………………………………………………… 02 Research questions…………………………………………………02 Methods of the study……………………………………………….03 Design of the study…………………………………………………03 PART B: DEVELOPMENT…………………………………….04 CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………… 04 1.1 Definition of slang………………………………………………04 1.2 History of slang…………………………………………………08 1.3 Classification of slang………………………………………… 10 CHAPTER 2: FINDINGS, INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS….17 2.1 Slang in language and culture………………………………….17 2.1.1 Slang in British culture…………………………………… 20 2.1.2 Slang in American culture………………………………… 24 2.2 Influences of slang on the English language………………… 28 CHAPTER 3: APPLICATIONS, CONTRIBUTIONS, SOLUTIONS 31 3.1 English slang in different aspects of life……………………….31 3.1.1 Slang in daily life…………………………………………….31 3.1.2 Slang in workplace………………………………………… 33 3.1.3 Slang in music……………………………………………… 34 3.2 How to improve in learning and using slang effectively…… 35 PART C: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION…… 38 REFERENCES………………………………………………… 39 Graduation Paper PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale Over the course of more than 1,400 years, English has continued to develop over time as a tool of communication for billions of people all over the world, quickly becoming the most used language of our planet It is precisely because of this that we need to understand the importance of studying English Having knowledge of the language will be very helpful in more ways than one, whether it is in the path of your career or the people you will meet and interact with However, the road to success in studying English is very challenging and requires a good amount of one’s time and diligence, particularly knowledge and practices In practice specifically, it is very easy to make several mistakes in conversations with foreigners and the main reason for that are usually because of the lack of knowledge we have towards their life and culture Another factor can be our limited knowledge on their slangs, which are used frequently in their daily lives Just like how we have slangs in Vietnamese, it is only natural that slangs also exist in other languages They are used in almost every field of work and other forms of communication Therefore, it is necessary to understand the uses of slang in the English language, which is why I have chosen this as my thesis topic Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper Aims and purposes of the study This study aims to help learners understand more about the characteristics and usages of slang in English in order to become more fluently in English conversations, while at the same time obtain knowledge about the British and American culture Scope of the study The study focuses on the general information on slang and the different uses and applications of slang in the English language, particularly in specific fields and situations in daily lives Research questions - What is slang and the history of English slang? - Why people use slang? - What are the applications of English slang in different fields and aspects? - What are the factors that have influences on English slang’s usage and development? Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper Methods of the study The study emphasizes the method of collecting information about slang in English including research documents, dictionaries, the Internet, information collected from surrounding people and surveys, along with my personal knowledge and experiences Design of the study This thesis is split into three parts: - Part A: Background of the research - Part B: Analysis of the thesis topic, which is mainly the characteristics and usages of slang in the English language - Part C: Conclusion of the thesis as well as recommendation to help improve the uses of slang in English language and at the same time, continues to develop it further Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Definition of slang It is becoming more common for people – especially adults – to have a grasp on words or expressions that transgress generally accepted norms of formality, or to be precise, what are not normally considered as “good language” As such, the way slang is defined can be varied from one person to another Michael Adams (Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1988) 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." The "New Oxford English Dictionary" defines slang as follows: a) the special vocabulary used by any set of persons of a low or disreputable character; language of a low and vulgar type; b) the cant or jargon of a certain class or period; c) language of a highly colloquial type considered as below the level of standard educated speech, and consisting either of new words or of current words employed in some special sense Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper As it is seen from these quotations slang is represented both as a special vocabulary and as a special language However, it is generally agreed upon that slang is nonstandard vocabulary used with informality among a group of specific people in society They are words that you will not find in the dictionary They are expressive and usually ironic, sometimes to the point of being obscene or even offensive They are mostly used to create unique names and terms in frequent topics of discourse It is different from jargon as jargon refers to language used in a particular field, or language used to represent specific terms within a field to those with a particular interest It can be said that jargon are more for the purposed of providing specific terms with technical understanding while slang are used for more social and contextual understanding One thing can be said about most, if not all languages that are applied in modern civilization is that there can be a variety of ways to express the same thing, depending on where you are, who you are talking to, and how you feel It can be said for certain that you not talk or address your teacher the same way you your close friend, nor you use accept the help from an outsider with the same expressions that you your siblings Slang words cannot be distinguished from other words by sound or meaning In fact, most slang words are homonyms of standard words, spelled and pronounced just like their standard counterparts, as for example slang words for money such as beans, brass, dibs, dough, chinc, oof, wards; the slang synonyms for word head are attic, brain-pan, hat peg, nut, upper storey; drunk- boozy, cock-eyed, high, soaked, tight, and pot (marijuana) Of course, these words are alike in their ordinary standard use and in their slang use Each word sounds just Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper In the past, there was a time when homosexuality was considered a taboo and the LGBT community had to endured extreme discrimination from society A large number of sexually related words enter the dictionary, providing perhaps the most dramatic example of backstage behavior moving front stage Many of these are older terms from the gay society or from what used to be called "vulgar slang." H Max published a short book including gays language in the late 80s Here are some examples: Word Meaning Auntie older, often effeminate, gossipy gay bathsheba gay who frequents gay bathhouses bent gay as opposed to straight bull dyke mannish lesbian as opposed to baby butch or dinky dyke to camp to act effeminate, bitchy chicken underage boy closet queen gay who hides his homosexuality come out to admit one's homosexuality as opposed to in the closet Angel food homosexual male pilot currently serving in the Air Force In sisters two effeminate gay men who have an intimate but non-sexual relationship, usually best friends queer Originally pejorative for gay, now 26 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper reclaimed by some gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons as a self-affirming umbrella term Rock is also one of the main cultural factor in America that influenced a generation both physically and emotionally To the hippies, rock was not just sound, it was part and parcel of a way of life, and its ethical dimensions were therefore substantial • Gig - a show, a concert • Roadie - a worker who sets up the equipment for every show and strips it all down again after the show • Groupie - a groupie is a girl who shows up at all rock shows, sometimes only for one group, and is willing to anything to meet the group members • Encore - once a show appears to be finished, the audience can keep cheering and clapping and, very often, a group will come back and perform another few songs • Set - usually means the songs that are played • Riff - a few notes strung together, a recognizable but short part of a rock song, the opening notes of a song that everyone recognizes, for instance • Backbeat - Beats two and four of a four-beat pattern, the accenting of which creates rock's basic rhythm • Boogie-woogie - A rhythmic piano style that uses repeating bass patterns • Heavy metal – Rock music that is very loud 27 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper 2.2 Influences of slang on the English language Slang has become a regular figure of speech to be used in everyday life It is not an exaggeration to say that our way of communicating has taken a dramatic change due to those slang words Everyday a new slang word is created and brought into use, dozens of slang dictionaries on the internet are required to update their word list However, to be more specific, slang has had a considerable amount of effects on the English language, both positive and negative: a) Positive Needless to say, slang has contributed greatly to our daily lives and, subsequently, the English language itself It erases the stiffness from a conversation between two people, creates an informal yet relaxing atmosphere between them Languages are constantly changing and growing to fit with the society, and slang is one of the main contributing factors to those changes English itself is a complex mixture of Greek, Latin, German, and French As society changed through war and other politics, the English language grew and developed Slang expressions work in the same way; as society changes and develops, new slang expressions are born, like "hang out," and old slang expressions are dropped, like "hep cat." 28 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper Today, chatting on the internet or through text message are very common, and in some cases it can be said that we need to that to form and strengthen relationships It is, of course, doesn’t need to be said that whether you use a computer or a cell phone, you would have to use your hand to type in the words you want to convey instead of using your voice, which can be incredibly timeconsuming Therefore the solution that we thought of was how to shorten those words by using those slang terms Other than that, slang on the internet can also be used with the purpose of being humorous, etc In schools and colleges, teachers (preferably male) also use slang sometimes The majority of students normally would expect their teachers from a previous generation to not have the knowledge about the terms they use By using slang terms in a lesson, teachers can take the opportunity to grab their students’ attention to what they have to say, not only because the youngsters would be surprised, it is also because it will create a feeling of freshness between teachers and students And it is important for students to take interest in their teachers themselves for better education purposes b) Negative One negative effect of the use of slang is that sometimes members of society become unable to differentiate between when slang should be used and when formal language should be used, allowing slang to infiltrate what should be scholarly, formal language Recent news reports reveal that students these days are becoming so familiar with using slang, such as "IDK (I don't know), SMH (shaking my head), and BTW (by the way)," in their everyday communications 29 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper through social media and texting, that slang terms are now making their way into students' papers Slang has been accused of ruining the English language as various words are steadily being replaced with simpler versions Adjectives such as ‘fantastic’ and ‘disastrous’ are rarely heard and when they are, the speaker is often referred to as ‘posh’ Even words like ‘yes’ are being lost in the masses of abbreviated terms, it is much more common to hear ‘yeah’ as an answer to a question It is the concept of this that many are worried about Often the people using these words will not adjust their vocabulary according to the situation, so may give a bad impression and lead the rest of the younger generation to be wrongly stereotyped as ‘stupid’ and perhaps ‘dumb’, all from simply adding ‘innit’ to the end of their sentence All in all, the effects of slang on the English language and society is continuing to be a controversial matter that needs to be looked into carefully Slang can be very useful in our lives and help enrich the language, however it is crucial that we know how to use them without getting lost of our formal, proper English 30 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper CHAPTER 3: APPLICATIONS, CONTRIBUTIONS, SOLUTIONS 3.1 English slang in different aspects of life 3.1.1 Slang in daily life Word Meaning Unreal Unbelievably cool or brilliant Props Respect/recognition Bottom line The main point Diss Disrespect someone Dig Really like something Ace Something really good, or to achieve something with perfection Airhead Stupid person Beat Tired Blatant Obvious Piece of cake Very easy Goofy Silly Chicken Coward Hype Overly excited Cheesy Cheap, repetitive or outdated Bullshit Made-up lies 31 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper Zonked out Exhausted Wonky Unstable Dodgy Not trustworthy Not my cup of tea Not to my liking Having a ball Having a fun time Buddy Close friend Hooker Prostitute Kick back Relax and enjoy You bet You are welcome 24/7 Always available An arm and a leg Something very expensive At the end of the rope To stuck in a bad situation with no options Goody two-shoes Too obedient and good-natured to a fault Blow off steam To release stress or anger Peace out Goodbye (friendly way) Have eyes for Find something attractive Out like a light Fall asleep very quickly Tag along Follow someone 32 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper 3.1.2 Slang in workplace Word Meaning To axe someone To fire someone Back to the drawing board To start all over again Back to the salt mines Get back to work Deadwood Good for nothing Bust my ass off To work hard Bump up To raise/increase Walk someone through something To guide or direct someone Above-board Honest and open Address (v) Do, tackle, complete Air it out Discuss openly ALAP As late as possible Alpha geek Head of the IT department Appetite Level of interest Bake-off Comparison of two products Baked-in Included Bankroll To finance Bell A phone call Blessed Approved and supported Career suicide An action that will ruin your career Chime in Have a point to make 33 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper 3.1.3 Slang in music Word Meaning Air guitar Mime playing the guitar Bust To rap Compo Composition Cover A song played by another person instead of the original artist Beat box To create rhythmic sounds with mouth Ear-candy Pleasant music Funky Having strong dance-rhythm Indie Rock music not released by major music label Sax Saxophone DNB Drum and bass Hook A very catchy melody Jam session A spontaneous musical performance Lip syncing Moving the lips to synchronize with a prerecorded song R&B Rhythm and Blues A cappella Singing without instrumental Crossovers Records in one market which succeeded in another market 34 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper 3.2 How to improve in learning and using slang effectively Slang is an important part of the English language Learning how to utilize it effectively can be tricky, but will also yield desirable results in conversing with other English speakers It is not unusual to see a lot of Vietnamese students who perform very well in written tests at schools and colleges, however when it comes to communicating with native English speakers, they will, more often than not, unable to follow or miss the point that the foreigner is trying to convey The same can be spoken for the ones who the job of translation Personally, I have seen numerous English-language movies with translated subtitles and I can say that there were a lot of cases where the translations, while not wrong, are too stiffs And mistakes were mostly at the part where the in-movie characters were using some slang terms There were instances where our translators understood the “You have no idea” line with a literal meaning in Vietnamese “Bạn ý kiến đâu” This is a serious problem that Vietnamese students are encountering right now It is in need that we must take action to improve this situation right now In order to get used to the usage of slang of English speakers, you need to take into account many factors and try to put up the questions of: Why they use this slang term? For what purpose would using this slang help in conversations? When and how exactly we use this term? etc To be able to grasp the importance and usage of slang, first you need to understand these questions Once you came up with the right answers to these questions, you need to put your knowledge and ability into practice To get used to the habit of using slang 35 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper from foreigners, you have to apply those slangs into your actual conversation situations Try to practice whenever you have the chance, you can try with one of your friend or classmate who have about the same amount of knowledge as you, or you can directly communicate with native English-speakers, ask them for advice as well as trying to understand the way they talk Actual practice is crucial, but you should not in any way neglect your study The reason being that practice will not always be possible and might considerably take up your time On top of that there would be no point to practice if you not truly understand what the other party said Therefore independent study should not be neglected You can look for information about slang in books and on the internet Results can also produced from interacting with social media like using Facebook or Twitter, watching/reading the news in English, watching English-language movies with English subtitles or even listening to English songs In short, the more you can interact and study about English slang, the better chance you can have in improving your slang usage You also need to pay attention that while slang can be helpful in communications, at the end of the day, it is still an informal language You have to consider in what context and to whom are you using your slang to communicate with One misstep and you could end up leaving a bad impression towards native English speakers If you use slang, you have to define it in context and use it frequently enough in your text for it to seem a natural part of the telling of your story It should sound right coming out of the mouths of your characters This requires consistency and a good ear If you’re going to use real 36 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper slang from a particular community—the hip hop culture, for example—you better get it right or you will lose credibility with your readers If you can master using slang, it will become one of your strongest tool in conversing with foreigners At one point, you can even create your own slang, mix in a few evergreens like “cool” or “hot” that most readers will immediately recognize as slang, and your imaginary slang will take on a life of its own Again, consistency and context are key Who knows, your made-up slang may become the real slang of tomorrow 37 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper PART C: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 1) Conclusion It is a fact that slang has come into existence for a very long time and it has gradually become a part of our language, especially the English language It has become a figure of speech for us to express our ideas in a convenient way, whether it is to ease conversations, to be humorous or to insult others It is important that we need to understand about the origin, as well as the usage of slang in language and culture Up until this day, there are still many debates and controversial topics about slang and its role in our modern day 2) Recommendation Students in Vietnam are still very limited when it comes to the understanding of slang It has become a difficulty in communicating between Vietnamese and native English speakers Therefore we have to keep on improving our knowledge as well as our ability of using slang through research and practices English teachers can also help guiding their students to study and practice in the correct ways 38 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper References English Materials Bernstein, Jonathan (2006) Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang Canongate U.S Partridge, Eric (2002) A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English Routledge Barker B (2003) Adventure of Slangman Los Angeles Times USA Michael Adams (2009) Slang: The People's Poetry Oxford University Press Lisa J Green (2002) African American English: A Linguistic Introduction Cambridge University Press Ayto John (2000) The Oxford Dictionary of Slang Oxford University Press Ellis, Yvette (2002) What is slang? Contemporary France Online Vietnamese Materials Nguyễn Trung Tánh (2002) Street Talk-1: How to Speak & Understand American Slang NXB TP.Hồ Chí Minh Sources from the Internet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slang 39 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) Graduation Paper 10.http://www.scribd.com/doc/30906442/Influence-of-Slang-Language-onEnglish#scribd 11.http://onlineslangdictionary.com/word-list/0-a/ 12.http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-use-not-abuse-jargon-slang-and-idioms/ 13.http://www.urbandictionary.com/ 14.http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/music/burnette/mus570d/terms.htm 15.http://www.englishdaily626.com/slang.php 40 Dang Vu Tuan Phong – 1271A05 (2012-2016) ... mainly the characteristics and usages of slang in the English language - Part C: Conclusion of the thesis as well as recommendation to help improve the uses of slang in English language and at... quotations slang is represented both as a special vocabulary and as a special language However, it is generally agreed upon that slang is nonstandard vocabulary used with informality among a group... and money, head and attic, pot and marijuana are the same, so it cannot be said that the connotations of slang words are any more colorful or racy than the meanings of standard words Slang is