Is it Slang or just a Big Bang?

The guy looks like a nerd, but with a sort of throw-back style to the 1960’s. Anyway, he is supposed to be the lecturer and he’s supposed to know a bit about the subject: slang. So, dear reader, we have taken the pains to copy his presentation--just in case you might want to get a sniff of what many consider questionable use of language...which sooner or later will enter as the "King’s" or the "Queen’s" or the "president’s" English. By the way, why do people suppose the king or the queen or  the president speak any better than, say, a philosopher or a bio-chemist in love with his neighor's wife?

                                        "Hello there Nerds and Geeks and Dorks!
                                         Welcome to getting a whang out of slang!

Sound like a class in science fiction? Maybe. But hold your horses! How dare you start a spiel on slang talking about subculture types hip to science, math, cybernetics, today’s eggheads, the natural inheritors of the bookworms and squares of antiquity! Well, evolution breds strange bedfellows, doesn’t it? And language accompanies what Darwin once described as the struggle of the fittest. People’s inventiveness puts new expressions into the nest, throws others out and redefines still others.
Geeks probably wear reading glasses, maybe have greasy hair and on the social life scale they make their mark. They are into high technology, art, science fiction, comic books and video games demanding high I.Q’s and have evolved in the wake of internet.

A similar species is the Nerd, more sharp in math and science but real loosers on the social scenario. Their left side brain preference and obsession with systems allows them to memorize tons of data, not realizing that the fictional aspect of reality is just a pretext. You may run across a Nerd running his Linux on his personal computer, unaware of the Easter parade right out the window.

If the nerds are on the top of the intellectual scale, the Dorks are a couple of steps below, sort of proto-geeks or nerds, lacking social skills. Their superiors consider them as smelly, awkward, embarrassing tagalongs.

All of this brings us to our subject. “The use of slang,” said Oliver Wendell Holmes, “is at once a sign and a cause of mental atrophy.” Yet slang has made its way into every household and become a puzzling yet essential part of the English language. The introduction of “questionable” figures of speech into “acceptable” speech reflects the dynamic and ingenious attempt of speakers to fit language to reality.

Many of these expressions contradict the rules of grammar, (he ain’t got nothin’) yet language inevitably builds upon the experience of those who speak it. Slang is a valid, meaningful and provocative communicational tool and a motor for the evolution of language itself.

Thank God language is not a science...or is it? One of the many stumbling blocks for learners of English is its ample collection of idioms, slang, jargon, street talk, dirty language and other not quite official means of communication. Indeed, it has become increasingly difficult to put each one of these forms of speech into solid and coherent categories. In any event, our intention here is but to take a first step into yet some of the mysteries underlying formal English expression.

For lack of a better definition, let us assume that “slang” consists of those expressions people invent to deal with the varied and unpredictable events of everyday existence. It encompasses those codified words and idioms used in best sellers, mass circulation magazines, television, the movies, songs...Not a few of them have to do with our senses and therefore are powerful image provokers. For example, we have a vast array of expressions involving food, cooking, gymnastics, numbers, names, colors, our bodies, birds and animals, the weather, health...cars and machines...The vast majority of these expressions are of Germanic origin, reflecting the historical background that has played such a vital role in the evolution of English. This was clearly present during Shakespeare’s days, for example. An entire book has been written on Shakespearian slang. (“Shakespeare’s Insults,” Wayne F. Hill and Cynthia J. Ôttchen, MainSail Press, Great Britain, 1991) Not so correct expressions were aimed at the “groundlings,” while more refined language was directed towards the upper classes. Side by side with expressions such as “he freaked out” we might also find expressions of Latin or Greek origin utilized by intellectuals or the upper classes, for example: “would you be of a mind to participation with me in a “compernoctation?” That is, would you like to spend the night together?
By the way, should we consider four letter words as slang? Not an easy question to answer. English speakers seem to have an obsession with body functions. , screw, shit, just to mention the most popular, have entered everyday speech whether we like it or not. you curiously enough is an insult while a in’ job refers to a very boring or senseless work activity. If the boss gets angry he might say: stop screwing around. Shit has clearly negative implications, more so according to the variety. For example: is a lie or an improvised answer, while chicken shit might mean a cowardly person or a very small amout of something. is something quite undesireable.

There are also a number of alterations affecting accepted grammar structures. For example, in a question the using the present or past continuous the helping verb is omitted: “Gonna have a blast at the big bash?” Or: “Been to the flicks?”

Likewise, and especially among the lower classes and less educated groups, there is a tendency to end words with vowels instead of consonants:

“Wow! Ten O’clock! Gotta split!”
“Ya gonna take the test?” “Dunno.”
“How didja do it?”
“Sorry...hafta go!” “Gotta go.”
“Get outta here!”
“Wachya doin’?”
“Wanna get lost?”
“Wudn¡a done that if I were you”
“Why’dy’a work so hard?”
“Are you going to quit? Dunno.”
“Gimmie dat book!”

The “th” which language teachers struggle so hard to teach foreign students of English, very often becomes a variation of the “D.” Although this is perhaps more strickly speaking a phonetic characteristic, it complicates comprehension. “How didja do it?” Likewise, the “o” becomes and “a.” “I’m sorry. Shouldn’a done that..” “He’s sorta strange.” She parked in fronna the house.”
Perhaps you got straight “A’s” in English but find this typical piece of street talk pure Greek:
“I couldn’t cut it with what’s-’er-face, ‘cause she got all bent outta shape and read me the riot act jus’ ‘cause I showed ten minutes late. Man did I get ticked off! I betcha never met anyone as freaky as this broad. She bugs me at times but what a hot bod!”

An important source of slang is youth, especially university students. Something which is excellent can be great, sweet, a killer, bad, cool, awesome, far out, groovie; a socially inept person is a dweeb, a geek, a turkey; a drunk is wasted, trashed, tipsey, soused; relax is to chill or veg out; kiss passionately to make out, grub, or hook up; have a good time is to jam or swing.

Should slang be taught in the classroom? If so, how? It is comprehensible that most teachers of English as a foreign language oppose teaching slang. Nevertheless, it is as much a reality as internet, the cell phone and the blackberry. For those daring enough to take it on, we suggest the following activities.

(The following dialogues may sound excessively aggressive. They are intended only to illustrate slang vocabulary and do not pretend to reflect real life situations.)

I. Role play. Divide the class up into groups and provide each with dialogues on situations which include a heavy dose of slang expressions. The problem is not just the meaning, but also the pronunciation and the attitude of the speakers. Slang is accompanied by more clearly pronounced body gestures and the consonants—so carefully cultivated in formal English—become softer and more vowel oriented.

II. Movies and books. You might want to work with movies, recordings or popular literature to understand the context under which slang expressions are used. You can then do retelling, trying to incorporate slang when you emply direct speech.

III. Internet. There is ample information available on the web and searching for background information on slang expressions may enrich the student’s understanding of the subject.
IV. Comparative study. It is revealing to compare slang to standard informal and formal English structures and to indicate under what circumstances each may be used. For example, a university professor may speak one way in front of his class but quite differently after a few drinks at a bar.

I. SLANG AND STUFF: at school

George: Man what a drag!
Mary: Yea, that egghead teach thinks he’s hot stuff.
George: Gets under my skin.
Mary: Pisses me off!
Jim: Knock it off, will you?
George: Shut your trap lardo!
Jim: Oh Wow! It’s Mr. Pea brain on a brainstorm!
Mary: Hey guys! Get a load of that! The teach’s making a pass at Susan.
Jim: Why not? She’s got a hot bod.
Mary: Might try hustling’m or he’ll up and flunk you!
George: Oh yea! Don’t give a hoot. Got me?
Mary: Who gives a damn anyway?
Jim: About what?
Mary: About this whole scene.
Jim: What are you getting at?
George: Let’s ditch.
Mary: Yea, let’s split before all Hell breaks loose.
Jim: None of you got any guts.
George: So what fat-so? You ain’t got no grey matter upstairs!
Jim: off, will you!
Mary: We’re splitting but if you mouth off you’re a dead pigeon!
George: Scram! Get ya n’ ass outta here!
Jim: He’s gonna blow in any minute now.
Mary: Cool it you guys.
George: Cool ain’t got nothin’ to do with it.
Mary: Give the poor whimp a break. Can’t you see he’s all googgle eyes for the prof.?
Jim: Get off my back, will you all?
Mary: What a gook you are!
George: I wager he’s a gonif.
Jim: A what?
George: A homo. You’ve gone ape shit about the prof.
Jim: Your’re full of it!
Mary: You know what you are Jimmie? Your’re a drip, a slimmy grunge, a gung-
ho grotty, a pinhead, and just for the record your’re a would be groupie, an
apple polishing grunge, a , a pock faced maricon…a nerd!
Jim: How poetic you nasty snot picker!
George: Here comes the honcho! Its now or never!
Teacher: What’s going on here? Up to monkey business again? Well shape up or ship out. This is a school, not a slap-happy hide out for good-for-nothing bums and slimies.


II: Slang: at school again

Mary: What a cranky eggheaded prof you are!
Teacher: Think you’re hot stuff, do you? Well, I have my stock phrases too.
Jim: Don’t sweat it prof. They’re just trying to winnow out of the exam.
George: Exam? Are you nuts?
Mary: Nobody can pull the wool over our eyes.
Teacher: Maybe not but get your pens and paper ready.
George: Nix it!
Mary: Cut it out!
George: The old fart ain’t gonna get away with it.
Teacher: The exam is on English, not four letter words.
Jim: I have a niggling feeling that you guys are in for shit.
Mary: Get lost you little fairy!
George: Go gawk at Mary’s knockers. Maybe that’ll wipe the cobwebs out of your
sexual identity crisis!
Teacher: Stop shilly-shallying or I’ll flunk the whole lot of you!
George: Wasn’t this supposed to be a class on slang you snickery minded leach!
Teacher: Stop ragging and get out your pens and pencils.
Mary: George is a smart ass. Thinks he’s got it made in the shade.
Jim: If you ask me he’s just got a one track mind.
George: If you got rubbed the wrong way, it’s your own fault.
Jim: I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that this whole discussion is going nowhere.
Mary: We were suckered into it.
George: Badgered into it.
Teacher: I’m all wiped out. Let’s call it a day. Forget the exam.
Mary: Now your’re talkin’
George: How ‘bout takin’ a spin around town.
Teacher: Okey-dokey. But remember tomorrow we take on Shakespeare’s insults.
Mary: Shakespeare? Did he use bad language?
Teacher: Yea, if I were William I’d call you all nothing but dull and muddy–mottled rascals, foul bawd-born Cony-catching rascals. Oh! Don’t forget the test tomorrow on the Tempest! Class is over.
(The teacher leaves)
Mary: Hey guys. That test sounds like a slide.
Jim: Quite cheezy, if you ask me.
George: What-cha expect if the dude’s a granola.
Mary: With those specs he looks more like a Nerd.
George: Or a Geek.
Jim: A real smart cookie
Mary: A Nerd, a Geek, a Dork...who knows? Just hope he ain’t no tough cookie.
Jim: Don’t sweat it. The guy is a nuttuy as a fruitcake.
George: All we hafta do is .
Mary: You’re n’ right about that!


III. SLANG AND STUFF: at the party

David: How ya hangin’ Alice.
Alice: I’m in the pink.
David: What cha think ‘bout the big bash?
Alice: Yea. It’s gonna be huge.
Bob: Way out, cool man, cool. I’m all revved up for it.
Susan: O.K. We’re off!
Bob: Why not scarf out on some chow before we go.
Susan: You mean there ain’t gonna be no grub?
Bob: Lot’s of booze but no grub.
Susan: That ticks me off. Hell-of-a bash with no grub!
David: Come on dudes! Let’s make a bee line for the door. I’m history!
Alice: Hey guys! What if it’s a drag?
Bob: Yea, you said it! Hate to blow it big time
David: Well...if it’s a looser we can booze it up and heave to.
Susan: Strike me off. I’m in no mood to get loaded.
Alice: You loaded! That’d be a scream!
Susan: Are you kiddin’?
Bob: I’ve got a set of skins. Hop in. Let’s check it out.
Alice: Got a screw loose?
Bob: No way. I’m on the level. Been invited so why not?(At the party)
David: Man…you call this a big bash? Let’s split.
Bob: It ain’t so bad. Take a look at that chick. Struts her stuff like a hen in love.
David: Doesn’t turn me on.
Bob: Got a great bod but if you ask me she’s butt ugly.
Alice: Get off it you male chauvinist S.O.B.!
David: Cool it!
Alice: Yuck! You guys make me heave.
Bob: Forget it! Let’s zero in on the booze.
David: Got something better. Let’s get outta here and take in a flick.
Alice: Sounds like a blast.
Bob: Count me out. I’m all wiped out.
David: Oh get off it!
Alice: Yea. This place is too highfalutin for us.
David: Ain’t exactly a humdinger...
Alice: What a bunch of newts!
Bob: Besides, all the flicks in town are bombs.
Alice: So let’s grab a bit at a burger joint and then go to my pad.
David: Ain’t got a cent. My pockets are dry.
Bob: Don’t have a cow. It’s on me.
Alice: The last time I ate that slop, I almost lost it.
David: O.K. then. Let’s hit the road.

V. Slanging with colors, body parts, fruits, numbers

John: See that Jock over there? He’s bananas.
Jane: That’s weird. He’s top banana at my office.
John: You don’t say! Looks like a bean brain to me.
Jane: Oh come on! He’s as cool as a cucumber, a real Nerd.
John: Perhaps a bit fruity.
Jane: By no means. He’s straight.
John: Really? Must be your pumpkin!
Jane: Get off my back!
Albert: (Interrupting) Hey! I’ve got a bone to pick with you guys.
John: What is it?
Jane: Get it off your chest.
Albert: Are you all ears?
Jane: Fire!
Albert: The boss says you’ve been flapping your gums instead of working and who
gets the axe? I do.
Jane: So now you’ve come to bite our heads off.
Albert: Of course because heads are going to roll.
John: Is that why you look green around the gills?
Albert: It’s just I feel like I’m behind the eight ball.
Jane: So you’re taking it out on us, giving us the third degree.
Albert: Right! Can’t you clam up just for a day, a week, forever?
Jane: What’s eating you?
Albert: I ain’t no spring chicken. I need this job.
John: Maybe you ain’t a spring chicken but you sound a bit hen pecked, if you ask
me.
Albert: That’s the last straw!
Jane: Holy cow! You’re the one who’s gone bananas!
Albert: Don’t be pig headed. You guys are young. Give me a break.
John: It’s a deal. We’ll toe the line but on one condition.
Albert: What’s that?
John: ust get outta our face!
Albert: Gotta cha.
Jane: We’ll stop mouthing off...and now let’s celebrate!
Albert: Celebrate what?
Jane: Dunno. Maybe we’ll all be in the gravy and maybe the boss isn’t bananas and maybe this whole chat has been too gross for words!
Albert: And maybe you guys give me a pain in the ass.
Jane: Jesus H. Christ!
John: The dude up and freaked out!