虫子旮旯

I finally finished my thesis ...

 Amercian Slang

---- The Usage of Slang

Rich and colorful Slang is an important component in English, especially in American English. It is brimming with youth vigor. In the recent twenty-five years, it has changed with each passing day and with the world’s development. Much old wording has been cut off and a large amount of new wording was add to Slang. For years, the disorganized language used only by the underworld people, has appeared more often in some famous newspapers, magazines, and autobiographies of remarkable people, even we can find Slang in some speeches given by some American presidents.

From the historic point of view, Slang, especially American Slang, originated from subculture group of society. It used to be monopolizing language which is largely used by Mafia, sinister gang, homosexual, girlie, prisoners and gamblers. With the time passing on, the developing society enlarges the resources of Slang and enriches its contexts. On the other hand, it reflects the new way of talking. Much of Slang has been changed into common oral language. It also has been accepted and used by many people even in the upper class. We couldn’t treat in simply as a filthy language used only the underworld people.

I think the value of Slang can be reflected in the seven functions of language. Then, we first have to learn what the language functions are. Language has at least seven functions: phatic, directive, informative, interrogative, expressive, evocative and performative.

The first function is phatic function. It refers to a language being used for setting up a certain atmosphere or maintaining social contacts (rather than for exchanging information or ideas). Greeting, farewells, and comments on the weather in English and on clothing in Chinese all serve this function. Much of the phatic language, such as “How are you?”, “Fine, thanks.” is insincere if taken literally, but it is important. If you don’t say “hello” to a friend you meet, or if you don’t answer his “Hi”, you will ruin your friendship. On some friendly occasion, when you talk in a very formal way, maybe it gives others a feeling that you are talking with them in a commanding tone. Such feeling will broaden the distance between you and your friend. But when you add some proper Slang in your talking, you can have the talking atmosphere more friendly. For example: a person wants to get his leader’s agreement eagerly. If the leader can understand the speaker’s feeling and his eagerness, he may say: “I’ll drink that sentence.” It means: “I definitely agree with you.” or “I’m willing to accept your advice.” But the former talking way is better than the latter one. Not only can the leader have his companion relaxed, but also expresses his agreeable attitude. Such display of Slang in phatic function is very rich.

The directive function means that language may be used to get the listener to do something. Most imperative sentences can perform this function, e.g. “Tell me the result when you finish.” Other syntactic structures or sentences of other sorts can, according to “Indirect Speech Act Theory” by J.Austin and J.Seatle, serve the purpose of direction, too. Slang can also serve this function successfully. For example: A boss was very angry at his workers because they were dilatory in doing things. To emphasize his anger, he says: “Two hours off with pay, why the hell are they dragging their tails.” The Slang “drag one’s tails” means “do something too slowly.” The speaker’s anger is displayed. Then he says: “If they do like this, I’ll give them a sack. Do I have to draw a picture?” Here “give somebody a sack” means “fire somebody” and “draw a picture” means “explain something in detail”. The warning of the boss is definitely clear.

There is an important linguistic function used to tell something ---- informative function. Language serves an “informative function” when used to tell something, characterized by the use of declarative sentences. Informative statements are often labeled as true (truth) or false (falsehood). The usage of Slang in informative function is very implicit. Sometimes, one needn’t express his opinion directly. He can use some proper Slang to convey a lot of information. For instance, there is a report on a rich man’s divorce in some newspapers. He didn’t want to pay alimony to his wife, although he was a man of wealth. He gave public a preposterous reason. He said that he had been a poor man when he married his wife in 1964. That means: when he married, he was poor. So when he divorced, he needn’t to pay alimony. So, the newspapers turned him into ridicule and said: “He did not hit the really deep pockets, as divorce lawyer said, until 1964.” This rich was poor when he married, but he wanted to divorce with his wife when he was rich. Anyone can get the information of his lack of gratitude to his wife though the Slang, “deep packets” means a person who only knows to gather money and has no humanity. It was originally used by some sailors and some students. The newspaper adapted this phrase and got very good effects.

When language is used to obtain information, it serves an “interrogative function”. This includes all questions that expect replies, statements, imperative etc. According to the “Indirect Speech Act Theory”, many have this function as well, e.g. “I’d like to know you better.” This may bring forth a lot of personal information. Note that rhetorical questions make an exception, since they demand no answer, at least not the reader’s/listener’s answer. A person, who feels uncertain towards something, can show his question with Slang. Please look at the example: “Thomas, a sad apple. Can he finish such special talk?” In this sentence, “Sad apple” means “a person who is always discouraged”. The speakers express his deep suspicion with the aid of Slang better than in the formal way.

Now comes the “expression function”. It is the use of language to reveal something about the feelings or attitudes of the speakers. Subconscious emotional cries are good examples, like “Good heavens!”, “My God!” Sentences like “I’m sorry about the delay.” can serve as good examples too, though in a subtle way. When people need to pass judgement on the truth or falsehood of statements, the language used of the expressive function evaluates, appraise or asserts the speaker’s own attitudes. And if a man’s expression and Slang can coordinate with each other, the talking atmosphere will be played up. “God save me, never let the guy get the jump on you.” The sentence means: “Never lat the guy win you.” We can see from the sentence that the speaker has a eager feeling. By the Slang, he evokes the listener’s attention.

The sixth function of linguistics is evocative function. It is the use of language to create certain feelings in this listener. Its aim, for example, is to amuse, startle, antagonize, soothe, worry or please. Jokes are supposed to amuse or entertain the listener; advertising to urge customers to purchase certain commodities; propaganda to influence public opinion. Obviously, the expressive and the evocative functions often go together, i.e. you may express, for example, your personal feelings about a political issue but end up by evoking the same feeling in, or imposing it on your listener. That’s also the case with other way round. Now many politicians or famous speakers are willing to use Slang to strike their audience. “Ebony”, a famous American magazine for black people published a famous lecture, it said: “The four would not be able to hang the entire jury up.” The original meaning of this sentence is to say that the four black people can not persuade the jury made up by white people. But the magazine used the phrase “hang up” intentionally, expressed the anger against the unfair law to the black people. It stirred up the audience’s indignation. Such use of Slang is stronger than “They couldn’t persuade the white people who made up the jury.”

All the above usage of Slang actually show the most important and basic function of linguistics ---- the performative function. On certain occasions the utterance it self as an action is more important than what words or sounds constitute the uttered sentence. The judge’s imprisonment sentence, the president’s war or independence declaration, etc. are performative as well (See J.Austin’s Speech Ace Theory. Hu Zhuanglin) We still have to realize that no matter what meaning the Slang has showed, the most important thing is what the Slang is uttered, is becomes an attitude. It also displays the performative function of linguistics.

Although it is popular now, it should be selectively used by the people. If it is not under special situation and with no specific context, we mustn’t use it randomly. We mustn’t claim that all the aspects of Slang are fresh and stylish. A simple sentence is only a simple language unit. It has no certain meaning. If we want it to express some certain meaning, we must put it into some language context. Slang can express different meaning and different information. But what it can perform actually depends on the language background. Through cohesive device, Slang’s meaning and true intention will be accomplished. If we don’t consider the occasion of talking or we don’t scruple the opponent, but only want to choose some Slang to show our language character, maybe our talking will be thought as uncivil and improper. Our trying to be clever only ends up with a blunder. This is the problem of language appropriateness.

Slang, as a special language, has its own characters. We couldn’t treat it with full repudiation. The decline of Slang can not bring more elegance to our language either. It can not reduce some pollution of language or to make our language more dignified. But we mustn’t mix Slang up with the common language concept, or give it total and uncritical acceptance. The blind use of Slang may lead to a bad result. Only with scientific and objective attitude to Slang, can we make it flash in the future.