2. SlanguageSlang is a perpetual whirlwind of creativity
among the young and avante garde. These
groups are constantly breaking new ground
with artistic expressions of their lives and the
life around them. Its impossible to be in a hip
nightclub, or at a cutting edge art gallery,
without the latest slang flying around like
confetti. Why do people use slang? There are
many answers as there are people who are
continually reinventing English as we speak
3. experts
One of the first signs of impending
adolescence is the desire to put space between
you and your parents’ generation, and the fastest
way to do that is through the art of language.
Teenagers develop their own idioms and
expressions that make adults scratch their
heads, trying to figure out what the slang means
(and if it’s something they should be upset
about.)
4. If you’re “all emo,” it’s like being a drama queen (a
slightly older expression.) Emo was a type of music that
seemed to rip at the souls of adolescent angst. It frequently
included wearing all black clothing, dying one’s hair pitch
black, and having a complexion so paper white that it
looked as if the teen had grown up in the basement.
The slang meaning
To be emo was to be
perpetually depressed, moody, and
emotional, and perpetually at odds
with society (even if it was nothing
more than a pose.)
5. If a teen has made a mistake, the phrase
“my bad” is frequently employed as a
cover. It means what it appears to mean:
“I was bad!”
The slang meaning
This is one of the phrases
parents, especially mothers,
might pick up on and use
themselves, to the everlasting
embarrassment of their children.
6. words and phrases
Not all slang words are uniquely developed. Some are created based on other words, or other slang words.
1. A Change in Meanings
Some words in slang develop from meaning one thing, to meaning
another:
• Ride - The word “ride” is of relatively recent origin. It was initially
meant to mean a car, as in, “here’s my ride” (even if it’s not the
teen’s car, any automobile that could carry him where he wanted
to go deserved the title of “ride.”)
The slang meaning: Apparently autos are in short supply, or
teenagers have discovered the shoe leather express. The word
“ride” has become more literal to this group: “How do you like my
ride?” no longer means, “do you like my car?” Now it refers to
7. If something is “tope,” it’s cool to
the teenage contingent. So what’s
a tope? It’s a combination of
“tight” and “dope,” both words
meaning something that’s beyond
cool.
The slang meaning: So if
you’re tope, you’re somewhere in
the stratosphere of utter coolness
8. Friend + Enemy
This term is a combination of
the words "friend" and
"enemy." It is a person who
appears on one hand to be
your friend but, at the same
time is antagonistic towards
you.
9. 2. Combinations of meaning
Other slang words are developed outside of the usual context of words and are just combinations of thoughts that create a new word
For examples:
Having your grandparents
join your vacation.
13. new wordsSome slang comes from a need to describe new
recreational or Internet activities including social
networking such as:
• Friend and Unfriend - Adding or removing someone
to a circle of communication such as in Facebook or
other social media networks.
• Follow and Unfollow - To add or remove someone to
the list of people whose posts you view on Twitter or
Instagram or other social media networks.