The ‘step’ mother language
 Slang fills a necessary niche in all languages, occupying a middle
ground between the standard and informal words accepted by the general
public and the special words and expressions known only to comparatively
small social subgroups. It can serve as a bridge or a barrier, either
helping both old and new words that have been used as “insiders’ “ terms
by a specific group of people to enter the language of the general
public or, on the other hand, preventing them from doing so.
Thus, for many words, slang is a testing ground that finally proves
them to be generally useful, appealing, and acceptable enough to become
standard or informal. For many other words, slang is a testing ground
that shows them to be too restricted in use, not as appealing as
standard synonyms, or unnecessary, frivolous, faddish, or unacceptable
for standard or informal speech.
Slang tends to originate in subcultures within a society.
Occupational groups (for example, loggers, police, medical
professionals, and computer specialists) are prominent originators of
both jargon and slang; other groups creating slang include the armed
forces, teenagers, racial minorities, ghetto residents, labor unions,
citizens-band radiobroadcasters, sports groups, drug addicts, criminals,
and even religious denominations.
Slang expressions often embody attitudes and values of group members.
They may thus contribute to a sense of group identity and may convey to
the listener information about the speaker’s background. Before an apt
expression becomes slang, however, it must be widely adopted by members
of the subculture. At this point slang and jargon overlap greatly. If
the subculture has enough contact with the mainstream culture, its
figures of speech become slang expressions known to the whole society.
A slang expression may suddenly become widely used and as quickly
date. It may become accepted as standard speech, either in its original
slang meaning (bus, from omnibus) or with an altered, possibly tamed
meaning (jazz, which originally had sexual connotations).
Some expressions have persisted for centuries as slang (booze for
alcoholic beverage). In the 20th century, mass media and rapid travel
have speeded up both the circulation and the demise of slang terms.
Television and novels have turned criminal cant into slang (five
grand for $5000). Changing social circumstances may stimulate the spread
of slang. Drug-related expressions (such as pot and marijuana) were
virtually a secret jargon in the 1940s; in the 1960s they were adopted
by rebellious youth; and in the 1970s and ’80s they were widely known.
Slang emanates from conflicts in values, sometimes superficial, often
fundamental. When an individual applies language in a new way to express
hostility, ridicule, or contempt, often with sharp wit, he may be
creating slang, but the new expression will perish unless it is picked
up by others.
If the speaker is a member of a group that finds that his creation
projects the emotional reaction of its members toward an idea, person,
or social institution, the expression will gain currency according to
the unanimity of attitude within the group.
A new slang term is usually widely used in a subculture before it
appears in the dominant culture.
Thus some Sinhalese slang--e.g., “Amdon,” (Adamant) “Apathaya”
(apatheia) -- expresses the attitudes, not always derogatory, of one
group or class toward the values of another. Slang sometimes stems from
within the group, satirizing or burlesquing its own values, behaviour,
and attitudes; e.g., Bajaar eka (Bazaar), aathal eka (entertainment).
Slang, then, is produced largely by social forces rather than by an
individual speaker or writer who, single-handedly creates and
establishes a word in the language. Slang holds a strong cluster of a
formation of a language yet never considered important. |
