Slang: The Pop Culture of Language

Slang is vital, sardonic and direct.  What makes it so compelling and fun to use is that is somewhat less respectable than ordinary language.  A virtual back street peddler of “hot” goods that is continually restocking it’s “lingo”.

Most slang “blows into town” one day and will “split” for the “boonies” or the “boneyard” the next, leaving everyone “high and dry”.  However, some slang terms actually end up going “establishment” and “make the scene” permanently – only thing is, then it’s no longer slang.

Most slang lasts about as long as a used paper plate.  For instance, “way out” is definitely “out in the cold” right along with “groovy”.  Although “cool” still hasn’t actually gone “stone cold”. Slang has even invaded Wall Street with it’s scruffy insolence by making it’s appearance when the market is “k.o.’d”, “crashed” and leaving it “zonked”.

Of course the “rule of thumb” here is that slang that gets taken up usually ends up getting used up.  This of course leaves one “caught wearing knickers” when they think they are the “cat’s pajamas”.  That would really be the “pits”..How “Gross”!

Etymologists, people who study the origins of words, have a hard time “tagging” slang.  In fact the word “slang” is even considered slang.  It is thought to have come from the Norwegian word “Slenja”, as in “slenja-namm” which means nickname.  Or perhaps it came from “slenja-kjefton” which means “sling the jaw” (or abuse).

Slang is what can be called the beggars’ or thieves’ language.  For instance, “sham”, “banter”, “bamboozle”, “doggerel”, “Cockney”and “Yankee” all come from uncertain origins but they are nice to have around.  In fact “nice” used to be a slang term, too.

Slang words have even been known to change meanings as they are being used.  A “riot” in the 1950’s was a “gas” (a funny person or event), but “gas”, meaning empty tank has been around since 1847.  “Soul” was slang for a deep kiss in the 1950’s, but by the 1970’s it became an icon for style and sensitivity of African Americans.

“Bust” once referred to a womanly form, but changed meaning in the 1930’s by also meaning a “police raid” or “arrest”.  A “heavy” used to be a villain in the 1940’s, but came to mean very depressing in the 1970’s.  “Funky” used to mean smelly, but in the 1940’s, Louis Armstrong referred to jazz music halls as “funky butt halls”, making it stand more for the “earthy” and emotional qualities of jazz musicians.

Historically, slang has always had it’s “roots” in subcultures who have “coined” such words just for the fun of it.  Take for instance, “hootenanny”, “copacitic” and “pizzazz”.  Sometimes slang words were used where no other word existed before – such as “rubberneck”, “overkill”, “mainline” and “yesman”.

So, to “wrap this up”, let me just say that slang is still alive, doing well, and continually providing new terms such as “surfing the web” and “snail mail”…”lol”.  Until next time, “catch you on the flip-flop”.

Other articles by Bren Parks include:

• And I Quote: Writers on Writing
• Foreign and American Brand Name Flops
• Slogans, Quotes and Political Statements Gone Awry
• Press Cover Ups: The White House
• Famous Last Words
• More Famous Last Words