VISION Vol 9. No.

9 Januari – Juni 2016 ISSN : 2086-4213

SLANG LANGUAGE
By. Rafika Dewi Nasution, S.Pd., M.Hum.

Abstract
This article is describe an explanation about Sociolinguistics slang is part of linguistics study,
the definitions of slang, history of slang, types of slang, characteristic of slang , and kinds of
slang.

Sociolinguistis are feeling. The same message maybe

expressed very differently to different

Sociolinguistics is the study or
people. We use different styles in different
analysis of language in relation to society.
context in which it is used, solidarity
Downes (1998) said that sociolinguistic is
between speaker and hearer, and people’s
the branch of linguistics which studies just
relative social status.
those properties of languages and

languages which require reference to

social, including contextual, factors in

Language Variation
their explanation. From Downes
Language is a tool of
explanation, the simple meaning of
communication used to interact and
Sociolinguistic is a study of relationship
communicative with each other. Languge
between language and society, it examines
cannot develop in empty space and there is
the way people use language in different
no society alive without language. Because
social context and people signal aspects of
language and society are related each other
their social identity. Holmes (2000) added
and it cannot be understood without each
that the way people talk is influenced by
other. Saragih (2010) says language is
the social context in which they are
fulfills human beings needs in that
talking. It matters who can hear us and
language functions for them to exchange,
where we are talking, as well as how we
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to represent and to organize their An Argot is a language primarily

experience as members of the society. So, developed to disgue conversation,

by using the language, people can also originally because of criminal enter

express the feeling and show the prise, thought the term is also used

characteristics, even the personal identity. loosely to refer to informal jargon.

Example sentence including argot,

There are many ways to use
IN the argot of wall street
language, and the way to use language is a
“breaking glass” means a bank
variety. This variation is showed by
going broke.
linguistics differences in terms of sounds
2. Cant
and structure. There are diferences
Cant is somewhat synonymous
between the speech of men and women,
with argot and jargon and refers to
diferent social classes, and differences
the vocabulary of in group that
between age groups.
uses it to deceive or exclude

nonusers. Example Beurla

Kinds of Language Reagaird, a Gaelic-based cant used

by Highland Travelers community

Nichol (2013) says, a variety of terms
in Scotland.
ditinguish the kinds of language and
3. Colloquial language
vocabularies that exist outside the
Colloquial language is anything not
mainstream of standard, formal language.
employed in formal writing or
The following are words and phrases that
conversation, including terms that
denote specific ideas of language usage :
might fall under one nor more of
1. Argot most of the other categories in the

list is a colloquialism. Some

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examples of colloquial languge can A dialect is a way of speaking

include words such as “y’ll” or based on geographical or social

“gonna”, phrases such as “old as factors. Example of dialect :

the hills” and “graveyard dead”, or

Jim : “We’s safe, Huck, we’s safe!
even an entire aphorism “there’s
Jump up and crack yo’ heels. Dat’s
more than one way to skin a cat”
de good ole Cairo at las’, I jis
4. Creole
knows it”.
A creole is a more sophisticated
Huck : “I’ll take the canoe and go
development of a pidgin, derived
see, Jim. It mightn’t be, you
from two or more parent languages
know”.
and used by people all ages as a

native language. Examples from 6. Jargon

Africa include Sango, a creole Jargaon is a body of words and

based on the Ngbandi language and phrases that apply to specific

spoken in the central African activity or profession, such as a

Republik, Kinubi, based on the particular art form or athletic or

Arabic language and spoken in recreational endeavor, or a medical

Uganda ; and kikongo-kituba and or a scientific subject.

lingala, which are based on 7. Lingo

kikongo-kimayanga and Bobangi, This term vaguely refers to the

respectively, and are spoken in speech of a particular community

both the Democratic Republic of or group and is therefore loosely

the Congo and the Republic of the synonymous with many of the

Congo other words in this list. The

5. Dialect example of Lingo : Hospital lingo,

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“banana bag” : an intravenous French phrase la riviere “the river”

solution containing a liquid but has been identified by folk

multivitamin that colors then fluid etymology with laver.

a bright yellow, used in 10. Pidgin

undernourished or alcoholic A simplified language arising from

patients. the efforts ofbpeoplenspeaking

8. Lingua Franca different languages to

A lingua franca is a language often communicate is a pidgin. Example

adopted as a common tongue to : Melanesian pidgin bagerap

enable communication between (destry, ruin) from vulgar English

speakers of separate languages. In bugger up.

certain countries the lingua franca 11. Slang

is also used as the national A vocabulary of terms employed in

language ; eg. Urdu is the lingua a specific subculture is slang. The

franca of Pakistan, as well as the example of slang is the word fuck,

national language. shit and damn.

9. Patois 12. Vernacular

Patois refers loosely to a A vernacular is a native language

nonstandard language such as a or dialect, as opposed to another

creole, a dialect, or a pidgin, with a tongue also in use, such as Spanish,

connotation of the speakers’ social French, or Italian and their dialects

inferiority tonthose who speak the as compared on their mother

standard language. For example language, Latin. New England

lavier “river, stream” which is a Vernacular : bubbler (Drinking

syncopated variant of the standard

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fountain), packie (liquor store), The speaker uses slang in order to

wicked (really, as in wocked cool). achieve social dynamics with the people to

whom he/she is speaking and slang

outlines social spaces, and attitudes

Slang Language
toweards slang helps identify (Adams,
Slang is something that everybody
2009 ; 57). It means that when you use
can recognize but nobody can define. The
slang, you expoxe your ideas, your feeling,
literal meaning of slang is a type of
your attitude as how you want tp perceive
language consisting of words and phrases
the people taht talk to you and how you
that are regarded as very informal, are
want those people to perceive you, to infer
more common in speech than writing, and
what you mean. Adams believe that slang
are typically restricted to a particularly
can just as well be playful and a joking
popular among teenagers and college
way of rebelling against standard language
students in general. Akamajian (1998) also
to mark the difference between eg. Parents
added that slang has some salient features,
and children (in-crowd versus out crowd),
first slang is part of casual informal styles
but the children do not necessarily have
of language use, second slang is like
wickends intentions with the use of slang.
fashions in clothing and popular music,
He also mentions that slang is not slang
changes quite rapidly, third specific areas
until someone recognizes it to be slang
of slang are often associated with a
(Adams, 2009:62). It means that the
particular social group, and hence one can
addressee must be able to recognize the
speak of teeange slang, underworld
speaker’s intent and to determine taht
(criminal) slang, the slang of the drug
wahat they are heaaring is slang. Slang is
culture and so on.
usually labelled as an “exercise in wit” and

used “to be different”, “to enrich the

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language” and “to show that one belongs Slang for the first time in the

to certain school” (Crystal, 2003: 182). society and became the strange

language, also only particular

History of Slang Language
group was using it. For instance,
Early slang collections firstly used by
thieves, beggar, criminals, etc.
the English criminal which was developed
b. Seventeenth Century
in the 16th century. Therefore it was
In this century, slang was rich of
created a new kind of speech used by
metaphors or figurative language
criminals and cheats, meaning it developed
and related to immoral action.
mostly in saloons and gabling houses
Moreover, slang began into present
(Partridge, 1950:148). The English
in popular plays event and put the
criminal was at first believed to be foreign,
slang language on the stage for the
meaning scholars thought that it had either
first time, such as in Richard
originated in Romania or had relationship
Brome’s comedy A favial Crew
to French. The English of criminal was
and in one of William
slow developing. In fact, out of the four
shakesperae’s poem in the word
milion people who spoke English, only
hick.
about ten thousand spoke the English
c. Eighteenth Century
criminal. By the end of the 16th century,
The rhetoricians had established for
this new style of speaking was considered
the first time among the pupils and
to be a language ‘without reason or order”.
schoolmates alike, a key element in
Partridge (1950) divided the history of
social conceptualization of slang.
slang into five decades, which can be seen
Furthermore, slang recognized as a
as the following era :
part of English vocabulary.

a. Sixteenth Century d. Nineteenth Century

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Slang was growing, it could be for formal, persuasive or business

seen that the intellectual produced purposes since they will be

the first slang dictionary (1899). considered as a rude people. More

The World war I and II also slang words will be found in the

influenced in slang language, such conversation between friends if

as G.I, Pissed off, brass, etc. compared with the conversation

e. Twentieth Century between employer and employee.

Slang become a part of spoken 2. Slang is typical of spoken language

language and not only used by Since the situation in which we

thieves or ciminals but also used by write are more formal than the

ordinary people, and slang was situations in which we talk, as

used in daily conversation because stated above that slang is typical of

simpler and easier to speak it. formal situation, automatically

slang belong to typical of spoken

language. The example is like

The type of Slang
when go and watch soccer, they
Anderson and Trudgill (1983) Bad
will hear a lot of slang from the
Language the typical of slang ;
crowd but the next morning when

1. Slang is typical of informal people read about the match in the

situation newspaper, there will be far less

The formally of language is tied to slang in the paper’s coverage of the

the situation : in formal situation game.

people expect formal language. 3. Slang is found in words not in

Slang will be the last choice for grammar

anyone attempting to use language

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Every language contains medicine terms, for example, when

vocabulary and grammar. Since a patient leaves a tissue sample of

there is not grammar of slang, it examination, the doctor may say

cannot be considered as language. that they are sending some meat to

That is way, when people talk the laboratory. These words are

about slang it is referred to words learned and used in practice and

not grammar or pronunciation. none of those words are written in

4. Slang is not swearing the books of medicine. Most of

Swearing is type of language use in register associated with unofficial,

which the expression refers to or illegal activities may consist a

something that taboo in cultural lot of slang. Like the narcotic

and usually express strong business, industries that involved

emotions and attitudes. That is very many people and lies on the

definitely with slang. Even though fringes find its way out of this

slang terms may contain some register and into general slang

taboo words, but it is used for fun vocabulary.

and the important thing is that 6. Slang is not cant, argot or jargon

slang words use without emotion. For the first time, the term slang

5. Slang is not register was used by British criminal to

Register is specialized vocabulary refer to their own special language.

owned by specific occupation and Cant a private language of the

activity. Registers are different underworld (criminal) which still

with slang, but may contain slang, used as term for language criminal.

as long as the specialized Thus, slang has moved an on way

vocabulary is informal. In the from its origin. Argot is a name for

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the language criminals which generation or situation may not be

origin is French and has been used slang for another.

for several centuries with this

meaning. Jargon refers to special or

Characteristics of Slang
technical words used by particular
Some of slang expressions are
group of people.
acceptable and the others are rude and
7. Slang is creative
impolite. The words may be considred as
Creativity took an important part in
slang if they fulfill one or more these
the invention of many slang words.
characteristics
The point of slang words is often to
http://linguasphereus.blogspot.co.id/2011/
be straling, amusing or shocking.
06/characteristics-of-slang-language.html
Slang expressions for example,

square heads (in Indonesian means 1. Creative

otak udang (stupid person), for the Slang language is creative means

first time they are used truly that it has imagination, productivity

creative. Those words attract other and innovative from the creator or

people’s attention but when it used user. For example teeanagers

over and over again, its freshness is creativity is creating slang terms

lost and it turns into rather ordinary from the existing words. Some

lexical items. slang terms is constructed from the

8. Slang changes naturally all the kinds of numbers, colors, foods,

time. This change indicate animals, fruit and vegetables, name

connected with the creativity of of human, things, etc.

slang, even for one person,

Example of Slang
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d from the Cabbag

Slang Slang Meaning kind of e

terms words fruit and

Slang term One-in- Exceptiona vegetables

constructe a- l Slang term Bob Absolutely

d from the million First-rate constructe Adam Unfamiliar

kind of Ten d from the with

numbers kind of someone

Slang term Blue Sad, name of

constructe Green- Depressed human

d from the eyed Envy 2. Flippant

kind of monster Slang language has irrelevant word

colors of the context. That make this term

Slang term Big Boss considered as a rude. For example :

constructe cheese Pregnant hollyshit, motherfucker, etc

d from the Bun in 3. Fresh

kind of nthe Fresh means that slang language

foods oven has different word and up to date

Slang term Butterfl Nervous word. Example ; moola means

constructe y Virus, cold money.

d from the Bug 4. Onomatopoeic

kind of Slang language has imitaion words

animals or producing by imitating certain

Slang term Big New York sounds. Example : Buzz likes wind,

constructe apple Money yucky..expression of disgust.

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depressed or if something bad

happens to someone) “I don’t feel

Kinds of Slang
like out tonight, I’m bummin”.
Slang mostly used in speech rather
4. How American Talk
than in writing. Slang used in different
“That sure was a pretty girl !”
place, situation and every culture and
American say: “Man, that bitch
region has its own slang. There are some
was smokin hot!.
several kinds of slang usually used in

America based on
References
http://www.busuu.com/t/3836234 ;
Adams, Michael. 2009. Slang. Oxford :
1. Country Slang Oxford university Press.

Country slang is used by people Akmajian, A., Richard A. Demers., Ann

K. Farmer nad Robert M. Harnish.
that are in the rural parts of
2001. Linguistics : An introduction
country. Example : Gonna for
to Language and Communication.
going to, Howdy for hi or hello Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.
2. Urban Slang

Urban slang is spoken by those Anderson, Lars and Trudgill, Peter. 1990.
Bad language. Massachusetts :
from the city or by African-
Badil Blackwell.
American. Example : For so for
Crystal, david. 2004. The language
sure, off da chain for Outstanding
Revolution. London : Polity Press.
or great.
Downes, Jhon. (1998). Language and
3. Common Slang Society Language. Cambridge :

Common slang used by almost Cambridge University Press.

people, country, teenagers and Holmes, Janet. 2001. An Introduction to

Sociolinguistics, 2nd Edition.
adults. Example: bummin (feeling
VISION Vol 9. No. 9 Januari – Juni 2016 ISSN : 2086-4213

England : Pearson education www.dailywritingtips.com/12-types-

Limited. language

Partridge, Erick. 1950. Slang Today And http://linguasphereus.blogspot.co.id/2011/

Yesterday. London : Routledge & Kegal 06/characteristics-of-slang-language.html
Paul.
http://www.busuu.com/t/3836234
Saragih, A. 2010. Introduction Systemic
Functional Grammar of English.
Medan : Unimed Unpublished.