Slang is one of the most interesting parts of any language. In America, every generation has its own slang. Merrium-Webster defines slang as words that are not considered part of the standard vocabulary of a language and that are used very informally in speech especially by a particular group of people (Merrium-Webster). American Standard English has many slang words and phrases that have developed over the last century.
Where does slang come from? Slang tends to originate in the subcultures of a society. Teenagers, occupational groups, minorities, residential groups, armed forces, religious groups, and any other subculture one can think of could form a slang word or phrase as long as it is used by the members of the group to communicate. When the members of the group use the slang terms in regular society, society notices and may adopt the slang expressions as their own. However, most slang terms are short lived, by the time the next generation comes around they fade away sometimes becoming nonexistent.
Let’s take a look at American slang in the early twentieth century. The slang term “23 Skidoo”, meaning “go away” or “get out of here”, was introduced into American society around 1905 (Chapman). “23 Skidoo” is thought to be the first national slang term (Chapman). This phrase functions as an adjectival phrase. In the 1920’s, people were interested in new ideas and modern music; therefore, it was later dubbed the age of the flapper. The slang term “flapper” is used to describe a woman, who wore fashionable clothing, had short hair, was interested in modern music, and new ideas (Chapman). Some of the other terms that were made popular from 1905-1929 were: “moxie” meaning vigor or determination in character, “cat’s paja...
... middle of paper ...
...n. Urban Dictionary: Freshest Street Slang Defined. Kansas City, MO: Andrews
McMeel Pub., 2012. Pub.
Prometheus Global Media LLC. “Billboard – Music Charts, Music News, Artist Photo Gallery
& Free Video.” Billboard. Prometheus Global Media LLC, n.d. Web. 10 April 2014.
Random House. “Hashtag.” Dictionary.com. Random House Dictionary, n.d. Web. 14 April
2014.
Sloane, Christina. “How to Dress Preppy 90s Style for Girls.” EHow. Demand Media, 13
October 2010. Web 12 April 2014.
Turner Broadcasting Systems. “Roe v. Wade Fast Facts.” CNN. Cable News Network, 04
November 2013. Web. 12 April 2014.
"Vintage Allies." 1930's Slang. Vintage Allies, 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
U.S. History Timeline. “America’s Best History – U.S. History Timeline 2000-2009.”
America’s Best History – U.S. History Timeline 2000-2009. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 April
2014.
Flappers in the 1920s where the girls and women that dressed less modestly. They also disobeyed the rules that most women and girls followed. They did what others would not ever think of doing in this time period.
Like most trends, it starts by an icon and others follow their lead. The trend of flappers was started by the famous 1920s icon, Zelda Fitzgerald. Zelda was the daughter of the richest man in the South and she could get away with whatever she wanted. Zelda loved to drink, smoke, spend nights with guys, speak her mind and break society’s unwritten rules on women. American women copied her by wearing short dresses, wore make-up, dancing nontraditional, layering beads over their dresses and partied, “desperate to be as cool” as Zelda (Fabulous “Zelda Fitzgerald: The First Flapper”). The beginning of the flapper era was expectable because most American men went off to war, leaving the women to work in factories, do industrial work, and work like men, so in order for women to relax and have fun, they went to parties and dressed the way they wanted. US History states that “Many held steady jobs in the changing American economy” including “clerking jobs that blossomed…increasing phone usage required more and more operators… women were needed on the sales floor to relate to the most precious customers — other women. But the flapper was not all work and no play. By night, flappers engaged in the active city nightlife. They frequented jazz clubs and vaudeville shows. Speakeasies were a common destination, as...
The constant changing of technology and social norms makes difficult for different generations to understand one another and fully relate to each other. Diction and slang change as years pass and what is socially acceptable may have been prohibited in the previous generations.
In the essay if Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What is? by James Baldwin and Mother Tongue by Amy Tan both shows idea of uses of slang and language in different context. In the essay if Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What is? Baldwin states that how language has changed and evolved overtime, Baldwin describes how black English were used as white English, in civil rights movement where blacks were treated as slaves and the used slang language to communicate so that the whites won’t understand. This slang was taken from black language and now everyone uses to make the communication short. In the essay Mother Tongue Tan explains that how language could affect people from different culture. Tan states that how Asian students in America struggle in English. Tan also states that her mother is smart but she couldn’t communicate in English. Tan thinks that’s a big disadvantage for her mother and people coming from different countries cannot show their talent because of their weakness in communication.
In the 1920s, a new woman was born. She smoked, drank, danced, and voted. She cut her hair, wore make-up, and went to petting parties. She was giddy and took risks. She was a flapper.
William Lutz in “the world of doublespeak” states that jargon is the specialized language of a trade, profession, or similar group, such as that used by doctors, lawyers, engineers, or educators” (391). Also to someone not associated with a specific group and their language jargon will not make sense. It is often used by individuals who wish to sound more intelligent or important. As mentioned in “the world of doublespeak” by Lutz that “jargon as doublespeak often makes the simple sound complex” (391). For example, when the news says intruders instead of bad people or execution instead of killing or when lawyers use the term “involuntary conversion” of property when discussing the loss or destruction of property that is considered using jargon. Lutz finds mainly doctors, lawyers and high educators that are responsible for the spread of jargon
In the 1920's the term flapper referred to a "new breed" of women. They wore short skirts and dresses which were straight and very loose. The arms were left bare and the waistline was dropped to the hips. By 1927 the length of the skirts had rose just below the knee which when they danced would be shown. The chests appeared to look very small and women would tape themselves to look even smaller. Bras were also sold to make them appear very small. Their hairstyles were cut very short and were known as a bob, another popular style that was later introduced was the "Eaton" or "Shingle". These styles had slicked the hair back and covered the ears with curls. Women started wearing "kiss proof" lipstick in shades of red, their eyes were ringed a dark black color, and their skin was powered to look very pale. One of the big things with the flappers were that they smoked cigarettes through long holders and drank alcohol openly in public now. They also started dating freely and danced all night long very provocatively. Jazz music was rising in population and the flappers brought it out even more. Not all women changed into becoming a flapper, yet the little numbers impacted the 1920's in a huge way.
The "Roaring Twenties" were a turbulent time in American history. The United States had just returned from the carnage of World War I and was ready to revolutionize their ideas, morals, and most importantly, their presidents. The presidential election of 1920 was a particularly integral election due to the introduction of the right of women to vote and America's social & political unrest. Warren G. Harding, a Republican, defeated Democrat James M. Cox, on a platform that urged Americans to "return to normalcy". Normalcy was a play on words of normality by Harding, which meant to conform to the norm. But the question that stood on many historians was: Why did Americans actually vote to "return to normalcy"? The simple answer was that the nation was ready to recover from their wartime anxiety and wanted a country without financial or political stress and Harding was the president that promised that to them.
Slang is the key reason words take on new meaning. A teenage girl may say a guy is hot! This does not mean he is sweating, it means he is good looking. This is an example of slang. People familiar with slang will understand this meaning, while those unfamiliar will not. As our culture changes so does our slang and words take on new meanings. Let’s take a closer look at the word burn. Some of the definitions may surprise you.
Flappers first started off in the late 1910's and carried through the 1920’s. “Flappers” first appeared in Great Britain after World War I (WWI). The word flapper described young girls, still not a woman yet (Flappers in the Roaring Twenties). Flappers changed the roles of women through their dramatic change in clothing, hair and makeup, the way they behaved or attitude, and how they took independence.
“Flappers” a “new breed” of young western women that made their appearance during the liberal period known as the Roaring Twenties which lasted from 1920 until 1929 after the first world war. The new woman pushed the boundaries of gender identity and defied the old Victorian-American conception of sexuality and other roles of men and women in society. Flappers today are most well known for their appearance; the short hair, short skirts, heavy makeup, cigarettes and jazz, however, the era of the flappers symbolized a movement of freedom from social and sexual oppression.
African American Slang has had many other names: Ebonics, Jive, Black English, and more. The Oxford English Dictionary defines slang (in reference to language) in three different ways: 1) the special vocabulary used by any set of persons of a low or disreputable character; language of a low and vulgar type 2) the special vocabulary or phraseology of a particular calling or profession; the cant or jargon of a certain class or period 3) 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. Whatever one’s perspective on slang, it is a natural and inevitable part of language. In this paper I will discuss examples of current slang being used that some people may not understand.
Culture is a part of everyone's life, whether we choose to express it in our everyday lives or to just be aware of its presence. A major part of one's culture is a defining language. The topic of assimilation versus multiculturalism directly relates to culture in America, and even more specifically to the power of language in American culture. Since language is the basis of communication I think that all immigrants must assimilate to a certain degree by speaking English, while preserving their heritage if they choose to do so.
What establishes a noble, valuable, enjoyable life? Many philosophers tried their own beliefs to these ancient and most persistent of philosophical question. Most of Philosophers have agreed that the best possible life is a life where the ideas of “virtue” and “happiness” are fulfilled. Nevertheless expected differences in terms, many great minds theorized that the road to a joyful, flourishing, happy life is paved with virtues. For example, Aristotle believed that anyone keen to live a virtuous life will reach happiness (Aristotle 1992). Also according to Roman Cicero, the bonds between virtue and happiness are very strong, that a virtuous person could still be happy even if he is tortured (McMahon 2006). In addition, Rosalind Hursthouse contended that owning virtue does not essentially result in happiness, as luck plays an irrefutable part in human’s life; however it is the best bet for a good life (Hursthouse 1999). Exactly the same like taking on a healthy routine is the best way for being healthy, although it does not assurance perfect health. In my opinion, there is a strong connection between virtue and happiness, yet there are some exceptions.
The movie industry has its own set of unique jargon that both the actors, directors, and crew members need to learn in order to understand the trade and make the production run smoothly. Everyone on the set has a specific role to play, whether it be the lead actor to someone holding the boom during filming, and each group has developed their own language in order to make their lives easier. This lingo originally established in Hollywood allowed for cast and crew to assign each other different tasks in preparation for the next stage of production, while not mixing up any of main scene for filming at hand. The language itself has remained predominantly inside of the movie industry, but a few terms have managed to become infused into mainstream