美国俚语的特征分析

邯郸学院外国语学院

School of Foreign Languages of Handan College 论文题目：美国俚语的特征分析

Title：An Analysis of Characteristics of American Slang

An Analysis of Characteristics of American Slang

Abstract:With the development of the society, slang is widely used by more and more people, especially in America, slang can be found favorable in the Americans’ eyes. Slang has gradually become popular among English speakers, since it appeared in English language in the 16th century. It is very popular in the English-speaking countries nowadays. Rich and colorful slang is an important component in English. However, it is difficult for people to understand. Therefore, it is necessary for us to study it. To have a glimpse into the nature of English slang is helpful to understand. This thesis expounds the characteristics of English slang. It concludes that slang is playing a more and more important role in the society of English-speaking.

Key words:slang characteristics American

Introduction

Slang is a rather special parole. It is neither the word that beyond the regular role of grammatical usage, nor rural dialect. Although it is quite different from acrolect which used on the formal occasion, people quite like to use it in daily speech. That is to say, slang can be defined to common colloquial language, and slang is usually used as colloquial words and phrase. In other words, slang is Nonstandard-English. It is brimming with youth vigor. It is rather a spoken language than a written one. Unlike standard language, it does not from its own grammar rules. Mainly employed by sub-cultural groups, slang is highly colloquial, informal and essentially not respectable. Most of slang is more forceful, emotional or humorous forms than standard words. Slang is very informal and commonly used in speech. Between people from same social group or who work together, not considered suitable for formal contexts and often not in used for long. Slang has become an indispensable part of modern English. With the popularity of slang, we should know how to use slang and master its characteristics. This paper intends to make a tentative study on the characteristics of slang in America.

1. Highly Colloquial

Slang is highly colloquial, non-standard informal language. Being the quintessence of

colloquial speech, slang is always related to convenience rather than to scientific laws, grammatical rules and philosophical ideas. It does not belong to the register of language used in formal records, epics, poetry, religious prose and other varieties of literature. As it originates from colloquial speech, so it flourishes best in colloquial speech.

Slang, as a whole, is mainly employed in everyday, oral communications between friends and acquaintances or just within some special groups. On informal, private occasions, slang is the favorite means for oral communication. On some friendly occasion, when you talk in very formal way, maybe it will give others a feeling that you are talking with them in a commanding tone. Such feeling will broaden the distance between you and your friend. However, when you add some proper slang in your talking, you can have the talking atmosphere more friendlily.

For example, a person wants to get his friend’s agreement eagerly. If the friend can understand the speakers’ feeling and his eagerness, he may say the following sentences: “I will drink that sentence.” It means “I definitely agree with you.” or “I will to accept advice.” Not only can the friend have his companion relaxed, but also express his agreeable attitude.

2. Transience of slang’s life

Slang is generally transient. Generally speaking, slang spreads very quickly yet it is unstable and temporary. That is to say, slang is the most unstable element of English and its life expectancy is generally short. Usually a popular slang of last year may no longer be heard this year or some slang once used by one generation may sound Greek to the next. The use of slang is closely related to the circumstances in which it is used. Once the circumstances changed, the slang relevant to it disappears too. However, not all the slang words die soon after its birth. Some linger on decade after decade, century after century, never becoming respectable or dying out. Take the word “booze”for example; it was used as slang in the Middle Ages, yet now it is still ranked among slang in some dictionaries. The word “dough” , a slang word for money, is just as hardly possible to become a standard word as it ever was, though no more respectable.Many old words have been cut off and a large amount of new words are added to slang. People’s attitudes toward slang vary from person to person. Some think that slang cannot be used on the formal occasion, for the illiterate people speak it only and the slang terms are so coarse. However, others hold the opposite idea. They think that slang play an important role in English language, because of its fresh, lifelike, humor and adequate expressions.