Slang versus jargon

SLANG VERSUS JARGON

 Slang and Jargon together are parts of a colloquial
vocabulary of English language. They both are very
confusing processes in everyday vocabulary usage.
 So, first of all we will apply to a dictionary
explanation in a way to understand the difference
between these, too similar words.

SLANG (1)
Slang in Oxford dictionary is:
1) (n)a type of language consisting of words and
phrases that are regarded as very informal, are
more common in speech than writing, and are
typically restricted to a particular context or group of
people. For example in army slang ’’ the grass’’ is
slang for marijuana.
2) Words and expressions that are informal and not
standard English. Different social groups often use
a special vocabulary. Sometimes this is fairly
widespread and well understood. Some slang is
confined to small tightly knit groups who can use it
to exclude outsiders. Slang is also often sexual or
scatological.

SLANG (2)
 In other words Slang is the use of informal words
and expressions that are not considered standard
in the speaker's language or dialect but are
considered acceptable in certain social settings.
And it is created by someone or a group of people
have as shared expressions.. Slang expressions
may act as euphemisms and may be used as a
means of identifying with one's peers.
 They may be new words or old ones used with a
new meaning. The desire to say old things in a new
way leads to slang. When something becomes very
common in our daily life, we are likely to make up
new words for it. Slang is a part of every profession,
trade, sport, school, and social group.

SLANG (3)
 Sometimes slang is used in a way that seems to be
cruel or unkind, as when a person is called a jerk.
Most slang is limited to certain areas.
 But some words, such as “okay,” are carried
around the world by newspapers, radio, television,
motion pictures, and tourists.
 Slang is popular because it is catchy and timely.
Most slang has a very short life. It meets a
momentary need or expresses a temporary opinion.
 Yet some words now considered standard began
as slang. These include words such as taxi,
flapjack, hoax, bogus, skyscraper, and fan (from
fanatic).

SLANG (4)
 Slang often involves the creation of new meanings
for existing words. It is common for such novel
meanings to diverge significantly from the standard
meaning. Thus, "cool" and "hot" can both mean
"very good," "impressive," or "good-looking".
 Slang terms are often known only within a clique or
ingroup. For example, Leet ("Leetspeak" or "1337")
was originally popular only among certain Internet
subcultures, such as crackers and online video
gamers.

SLANG(5)
 During the 1990s, and into the early 21st
century, however, Leet became increasingly more
commonplace on the Internet, and it has spread
outside Internet-based communication and into
spoken languages.
 Other types of slang include SMS language used
on mobile phones, and "chatspeak,"
(e.g., "LOL", an acronym meaning "laughing out
loud" or "laugh out loud" or ROFL, "rolling on the
floor laughing"), which used to be widely used in
instant messaging on the Internet in the early
2000s.

SLANG (6)
 Slang is invented the same way formal language is.
Its basis is usually metaphor. A metaphor is a word
or phrase that ordinarily means one thing but is
used for another thing to suggest a likeness
between the two.
 Money, for example, is called
bacon, loot, dough, bucks, and bread.
 One’s home is referred to as a
pad, shack, dump, diggings, or hole in the wall.
 Failure is referred to as blowing it, hitting a foul
ball, flunking, or running into a stone wall.
 To be discharged from a job is to be
sacked, bounced, fired, or axed.

SLANG(7)
 People often object to slang. They feel it is impolite
or weakens a person’s vocabulary. Yet slang can
enliven speech and writing when used
appropriately.
 A command over language involves the power to
make up new expressions or use old expressions
for new purposes.

SLANG (8)
 We can find out a big list of slang.
 For example in American slang there are:

 Ace-with meaning very good(He's an ace reporter)

 Bad- means intense(Wow, that was really a bad
movie.)
 Beemer-means B.M.W car(He just bought a new
beemer to drive to work in.)
 Blow-means leave(I am going to blow out of here
now)
 Fox-attractive person(His older sister is a fox) e.t.c

SLANG(9)
 Also in British English there are:
 Adam and Eva –means to belive(Ido not Adam and
Eva in it.);
 afty -means Afternoon. (Are you going to watch the
game this afty?);
 Article-means an objectionable person (Come
on, go and tidy your bedroom you lazy article);
 antwacky -means old fashioned. Possibly from
antique(y) or antiquated. (Oh no way! I'm not
wearing those shoes, they're so antwacky.);

JARGON
 What about a Jargon?
 In a Oxford dictionary it is defined as :

 (1)the language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar
to a particular trade, profession, or group: medical
jargon.
 (2)unintelligible or meaningless talk or writing;
gibberish.
 (3)any talk or writing that one does not understand.

 (4)language that is characterized by uncommon or
pretentious vocabulary and convoluted syntax and
is often vague in meaning.

JARGON (1)
 Jargon is a term that is used to describe a set of
words that have a specific meaning in a specific
context.
 Jargon, the terminology of a
science, technology, art, profession, trade, or craft.
The term has also come to mean the “officialese” of
government.
 (Jargon is originally an Old French word meaning
“warbling of birds.”)

JARGON (2)
 The philosophe Condillac observed in 1782 that:
"Every science requires a special language because
every science has its own ideas."
As a rationalist member of the Enlightenment he
continued:
"It seems that one ought to begin by composing this
language, but people begin by speaking and
writing, and the language remains to be
composed.’’

JARGON (3)
 In earlier times, the term jargon would refer to trade
languages used by people who spoke different
native tongues to communicate.
 In other words, the term covers the language used
by people who work in a particular area or who
have a common interest.
 Much like slang, it can develop as a kind of
shorthand, to express ideas that are frequently
discussed between members of a group, though it
can also be developed deliberately using chosen
terms.
 A standard term may be given a more precise or
unique usage among practitioners of a field.

JARGON(4)
 In Britain, government jargon is called
“Whitehallese”;
 in the United States, “Federal prose” or
“gobbledygook” (from the gobbling noise of the
turkey cock).
 Jargon may be defined as a cod within a code, that
is special meanings of words that are imposed on
the recognized code-the dictionary meaning of the
words.
 The word grease means-money;a tiger hunter-is a
gambler;a lexer is a student preparing for a law
course;

JARGON(5)
Examples of Medical Jargon:
 Agonal - Term to signify a major, negative change in
a patient’s condition
 BP - Medical shorthand for blood pressure

 FX - Medical jargon meaning bone fracture

 JT - A joint

 NPO - A patient should not take anything by mouth

 IM - Intramuscular

 K - The elemental symbol for potassium

JARGON(6)
Examples of Business Jargon:
 Bang for the buck - A term that means, to get the
most for your money
 Due diligence - Putting effort into research before
making a business decision
 Sweat equity - Getting a stake in the business
instead of pay
 The 9-to-5 - Business jargon meaning a standard
work day
 Chief cook and bottle-washer - A person who holds
many responsibilities

JARGON(7)
Examples of Police Jargon:
 Suspect - A person whom the police think may have
committed a crime
 10-4 - Radio jargon meaning Okay or I understand

 Code Eight - Term that means officer needs help
immediately
 Code Eleven - A code that means the individual is
at the scene of the crime
 FTP - The failure of an individual to pay a fine

 Assumed room temperature: An individual has died

JARGON(8)
Examples of Military Jargon:
 TD - Temporary duty

 AWOL - Absent without leave

 SQDN - A squadron

 SAM - Surface-to-Air missile

 PCS - A permanent change of station

 LES - Leave and earning statemen

JARGON(9)
Examples of Political Jargon:
 Left wing - Political jargon for liberal, progressive
viewpoint
 Right wing - Jargon meaning a conservative
viewpoint
 Getting on a soapbox - Making a speech in public

 POTUS - President of the United States

 SCOTUS - Supreme Court of the United States

JARGON (10)
Examples of Internet Jargon:
 BTW - By the way
 CYA - See you around
 FAQ - Frequently asked questions
 HTH - Hope this helps
 MOTD - Message of the day
 YMMV - Your mileage may vary
 IIRC - If I remember correctly
 IANAL - I am not a lawyer
 LOL - Laugh out loud
 BFF - Best friends forever
 TTYL - Talk to you later

SLANG VERSUS JARGON (END)
 In conclusion we can say that slang is used to
escape the dull familiarity of standard words, it
suggest to escape from the established routine of
everyday life. Also people use slang in order to
sound modern and up-to-date.
 But unfortunately jargon which is created to
promote secrecy and keep outsiders in the dark it
lost it’s special quality because it belongs to all
social groups and it is easily understood by most of
people.

END

 So it is hard to draw a line between slang and
jargon because when jargons becomes common it
has passed on a higher step on a ladder of word
groups and becomes slang or colloquial. That is
why a lot of words can be confused.

Slang versus jargon

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