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Resuls of brief research project to determine whether teen-age slang can be understood by non-adolescents. Key features of slang. How slang words & expressions change meanings over the years.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Resuls of brief research project to determine whether teen-age slang can be understood by non-adolescents. Key features of slang. How slang words & expressions change meanings over the years.

Paper Introduction:
Slang is a term that refers to words and phrases that deviate dramatically from the style and uses of the standardized language. Because slang is an unconventional language that reverberates with irreverence and rebellion against mainstream perceptions, it has been appropriated by adolescents for many generations (“What is Slang,” pp. 1-2). In fact, teenagers have contributed significantly to slang by creating their own version, teenage slang, which prevents adults in their lives from understanding their communication with their adolescent counterparts. The focus of the research project in this paper is to determine whether teenage slang is a distinctive language that cannot be understood by non-adolescents. Furthermore, the specific features of the changes in teenage slang throughout the years

Text of the Paper:
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Teenage slang is an importantcontribution to language because the teen subculture not only revolvesaround the rebellion against the status quo, but also the creation of newperspectives (Staebler, p. In contrast, the slang expression for "dancing" has evolvedsignificantly over the years, starting with "cut a rag" in the 193 s and194 s, changing to "dirty dancing" in the 195 s and 196 s and becoming"freakin'" today. This factor undermines the validity ofthe first hypothesis. Similarly, the slang expression, "it's jamming," which means"something is good," according to adolescents today means "to leave thearea" for adolescents from the 196 s, as used in the sentence "I'm going tojam" ("196 s Slang," p. Only the slangword "cool" has passed from the 195 s to the present without altering itsmeaning. Slang is a term that refers to words and phrases that deviatedramatically from the style and uses of the standardized language. In style. 1-5).Furthermore, slang terms from the past have also entered into the standardlexicon today. According to him, the constantrepetition of the slang expressions in different contexts throughout thefilm offers strong contextual clues for determining their meanings. For example, themeanings of slang expressions such as "outta sight" (from the 197 s/198 s),"foxy lady," "threads" and "pig out" (from the 195 s/196 s) can bedetermined from the standard definitions of the words. Jenny was only able to provide the correctdefinitions for the following terms: "Cool," "fine," no stress" and "over."As with Peter, Jenny was successful in guessing the meanings of these slangwords based on their proximal meanings to the standardized lexicon.However, the word "cool" was also a slang term that was popular withadolescents in the 195 s. In iHigh.com[Online], 1-3. According to Peter who represented adolescents from the 197 s and198 s, the following slang expressions were frequently used during hisadolescent period: 1) "So over"-done with, 2) "It's history"-it's over, 3)"Fox"-sexy lady, 4) "Piece of cake"-easy, 5) "Scarfed down"-ate quickly, 6)"Party animal"-a person who enjoys parties, 7) "Airhead"-stupid, 8) "Let'sboogie"-get going, 9) "Couch potato"-a person who watches too muchtelevision, 1 ) "Outta sight"-fantastic or awesome and 11) "Square"-aderogatory term for a studious student. Available:http://cougartown.com/slang.html [2 1, March 16]. Furthermore, the specific features of the changes inteenage slang throughout the years will also be identified in order toilluminate common patterns and trends in the evolution of teenage slang.Therefore, the two hypotheses of this research project are: 1) Teenageslang consists of words and expressions that are not easily understood byadults who do not interact frequently with adolescents; and 2) Slang is adynamic "language" that has evolved significantly over the last century. (1997). In this research project, theword "square" that had positive connotations with its definition of"upright, honest" in the 193 s and 194 s was transformed into a derogatoryterm in the 197 s and 198 s. While thecurrent generation use slang terms such as "tight" and "phat," theadolescents in 197 s and 198 s would say "outta sight" and theircounterparts in the 195 s and 196 s would say "groovey." What is even more deceptive are the slang words and expressions thathave changed their meanings over the years. References 196 's slang. However, the adults need to train theirears to listen to the repetition of the terms in different contexts inorder to ascertain their meanings. First, the meanings of some of the teenage slang words have closeassociations with the standardized language. Derived from the slang word "fawney" rig that referred to a trickused by crooks in the old days to sell a fake gold ring, the word "phony"has been defined as "fake" or "counterfeit" in our standard lexicon today.However, adolescents in the 195 s have usurped the term "phony" to describesuperficial teenagers who are trying to increase their popularity bywearing stylish clothes or acting in an artificial way. Therefore,teenage slang cannot be considered a mysterious and secret language thatcannot be deciphered by adults. The above discussion about the historical evolution of slang termsand expressions shows that there is a thin boundary that separates slangwords from standard language. The following examples will illuminatethe interesting development of slang. The slang terms for describing something great have alsodiffered between the different generations of adolescents. Villasuso, K. (2 ). Available: http://ling.kgwu.tu-berlin.de/lexicography/data/slang 2.html [2 1, March 16]. Thus, even adults who areunfamiliar with the words can guess the meanings of these words correctly.However, these words that have familiar meanings can set the adults forfailure when they attempt to derive the meanings of other slang words. Although the first part of this study has identified key features ofslang, it has provided a static conception of slang. In reality, slang is afluid and dynamic lexicon that has evolved over the years in deceptiveways. The originaldefinition of the word "bogus" was "counterfeit money" in the 183 s.However, with the passage of time, the noun version of "bogus" has beenturned into an adjective in the standard lexicon to mean "fake orcounterfeit." The adolescents today have extended this meaning to refer tosomething that is "unpleasant or bad" as in "This class is bogus!"(Lighter, 1998, pp. Staebler, J. Beyond being a set of words with designated meanings, the use oflanguage in the process of communication is only meaningful when thelanguage is animated by the speakers. 2). 7). Speak for yourself: The 411 on slang. 1 ). Therefore, one can conclude from this research project that slangterms and expressions have evolved tremendously over the years.Nonetheless, there are similarities that can be traced between theexpressions of the different generations. While some slang terms such as "cool" have maintained their originalmeanings as they are passed from one generation to the next, other termshave altered their meanings substantially. 1-2). The research project has also emphasized thisfact by demonstrating how the meanings of certain slang words andexpressions can be deduced from the standardized meanings. Although slang is often marginalized as a deviant language ofsubgroups such as adolescents, it should be considered an integral part ofAmerican culture. Furthermore, Peter was able to guessthe meanings of some of the slang words and expressions from the standarddefinitions of the words: "Fine," "no stress," "tired," and "over." In contrast, the list presented considerably more difficulties for thetwo female participants. Second, the media has become an important tool for overcoming thebarriers of communication between adults and teenagers. Lisa, the 7 -year-old participant, had considerably more difficultieswith the list than the other adult participants. Although they haveretained the concept, the adolescents today have replaced the use of theword "phony" with the word "poser." Similarly, the teenagers have alsotaken over the word "bogus" and given their own meaning. Although the term "dude" has a neutral connotation,meaning a male, in the present, it had a negative definition in the 196 s.The word "dude" was defined as a "geek" or a "mama's boy" ("196 s Slang,"p. Becauseslang is an unconventional language that reverberates with irreverence andrebellion against mainstream perceptions, it has been appropriated byadolescents for many generations ("What is Slang," pp. Therefore, there is a thin boundary that separates slangwords from standardized language. In Miami Montage [Online], 1-9.Available: www.miami.edu/com/workshop/1997/page6.htm [2 1, March 16]. (1998, February). Available: www.ihigh.com/slang_part_one.html [2 1, March16]. The power andeffectiveness of these slang terms and expressions is testified by how theyhave managed to linger throughout the years and become accepted as part ofthe standard communication. In addition, the researcher also asked these participantsfor slang words and expressions that were popular during their adolescence.Based on these lists, this author would determine their similarities anddifferences in order to analyze the evolution of the slang words andexpressions from the 193 s to the present. In The Atlantic Monthly[Online], 1-5. The researcher then showed this list to Peter,a 3 -year-old man, Jenny, a 5 -year-old woman and Lisa, a 7 -year-old womanand asked them to define the words or expression on the list. This list of 2 slang words or expressions was shown to three adultparticipants. 2-3). Therefore, Jenny was able to provide the correctmeaning for this term because she has been using the word "cool" since heradolescence. Because of its frequent changes, the use of slang produces an evenmore lively and creative process of communication than standard language.The invention of new slang terms and expressions by different generationsof adolescents is a reflection of the cultural changes that have occurredover the years (Smith, 2 , p. The focus of the research project in this paper is to determinewhether teenage slang is a distinctive language that cannot be understoodby non-adolescents. In his analysis of the historical evolution of slang terms, Lighter(1998) who edited the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slangdocuments the swift changes in meanings in slang terms and expressions andhow they are replaced by other terms by different generations (pp. [Online], 1-21. In Fortune City [Online], 1-2.Available: www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/westgate/556/slang.com [2 1,March 16]. Inaddition, slang terms such as "cool" from the past generation ofadolescents have been passed onto the current generation. Lighter, J.E. Forexample, the slang expressions "kick it," "chill out," or "tight" do nothave meanings that are close to the standardized language. What is slang? According to the group of adolescents who were interviewed, thefollowing slang words or expressions are popular among members of their agegroup: 1) "Cool"-in or great, 2) "Dis"-to disrespect or insult, 3) "Fine"-good, attractive and excellent, 4) "Kick it"-to relax, 5) "Hella"-very or alot, 6) "Dude"-a male or a term that replaces his name, 7) "Tight"-verygood, nice or great, 8) "Chill" or "Chill out"-relax or calm down, 9)"Phat"-good, great, or attractive, 1 ) "Trip"-overreact, 11)"Wack/wacked/whack"-bad, unfair, or crazy, 12) "Playa"-someone who isdating many people at the same time, 13) "Drop knowledge"-shareinformation, 14) "No stress"-don't worry, 15) "Tired"-overused, 16) "Yo"-what's up, 17) "Over"-washed up or done with, 18) "Duh"-stupid, 19) "Let'srock 'n roll"-get going and 2 ) "Freakin'"-slow dancing or dirty dancing. 1). 2). Available: www.theatlantic.com/issues/98feb/wordimp.htm[2 1, March 16]. Jenny who represents adolescents from 195 s and 196 s provided thefollowing list of slang terms and expressions: 1) "Hit the sack"-sleep, 2)"Pad"-apartment, 3) "Crib"-apartment or house, 4) "Foxy lady"-good-lookingand sexy woman, 5) "Split"-leave, 6) "Pig"-cops, 7) "Pig out"-eat too much,8) "Cool"-great, 9) "Groovey"-great or in, 1 ) "Hip"-in or cool, 11)"Threads"-clothes, 12) "Passion pit"-drive-in theater and 13) "Dirtydancing"-slow dancing. In this research project, a group of adolescents were asked togenerate a list of slang words or expressions that were commonly used bymembers of their age group. Other researchers and writers have alsohighlighted the dramatic changes in the meanings of slang terms with thepassage of time. Peter was able todefine most of the expressions of the list because he learned about themfrom television sit-coms and films. In fact,teenagers have contributed significantly to slang by creating their ownversion, teenage slang, which prevents adults in their lives fromunderstanding their communication with their adolescent counterparts. In addition, this research study also highlights severalimportant factors that should be taken into consideration about teenageslang. Another common word, "bummer," which is usedby teenagers today when they are bored, used to mean "a lazy man"(Villasuso, 1997, p. The dynamic interaction between thespeakers infuses life into essentially lifeless words ("What is Slang," p.14). With regards to adolescents from the 193 s and 194 s, Lisa offeredthe following list: 1) "Hep"-in, 2) "Croak"-die, 3) "Copper"-policeman, 4)"Doll," "Babe," "Dame," "Chick," "Broad," and "Tomato"-woman, 5) "Looker"-attractive, 6) "Cut a rag"-dance, 7) "Square"-honest, upright. She could only derive themeanings of the slang words based on their association with thestandardized English language. More significantly, thedefinitions of slang terms and expressions can be deduced from the standardmeanings. None of theadult participants have had frequent contacts with the adolescents in thelast two years. Smith, M. Therefore, she only offered correct meaningsfor these words: "Fine," "tired," and "over." Based on these results, it is evident that the older the adults, theharder it is for them to understanding the slang words and expressions ofadolescents today. [Online], 1-23. Peter, the 3 -year-old participant, was able to identify mostof the expressions. She could not providecorrect meanings for most of the expressions. From the analysis of the lists of slang words and expressions, it isevident that they have evolved significantly over the years. Getting real. The fact that many Americans still use slang terms fromyesteryears indicates that they possess a quality that resonates withpeople across generations. Therefore, in the second part ofthe research project, the researcher asked the adult participants toproduce a list of slang terms and expressions that were popular duringtheir adolescence. He failed to provide the correct meanings for thefollowing words: "Dis," "kick it," "phat," "wack," "playa" "and "freakin'."Although he does not interact regularly with adolescents, Peter stated thathe has been exposed to the slang words and expressions through the media,both television programs and films. The slang of sex. Therefore,adults run the high risk of misinterpreting the adolescents' communication.

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