American slang

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Introduction

Only one variant of the English language existed many years ago. It was the language which was spoken in Britain. Thanks to British, in India, Asia, Africa, America people started speaking English. It should be noted that in each of these places, English developed, changed, and then came back to Britain together with technologies, communications, etc. [22]

The basis of the American variant of English is a spoken English, language of sellers. French, Germans, Spaniards, the Slavs influenced a language development. All of them mastered America and needed the element which would help them in communication. The transformed English became that language. As for Black language, linguists can't answer the question about its origin. One consider it's a separate language, others that it's a dialect. Scientists call the Black English Afro-American variant of English. [27]

Slang appears in a language, extends, but then disappear, and new words appear together with new fashion and technologies.

The English slang is original. It arises in different social spheres, groups. There are many words which were fixed in the literary language, too. The English slang decorates the speech. [14, p. 8]

The urgency of the theme which we have chosen is that nowadays slang is one of the most interesting language systems of modern linguistics. Linguists abroad and a lot of linguists in our country are interested in a slang.

The main aim of our research is to analyse the speech of Belarusian youth and study the influence of english language on different spheres of youth life.

For reaching the aim we single out the following goals:

1. to determine the term «slang» and its place in language;

2. to define the stylistic features of american slang;

3. to study the influence of american slang and english language in general on a jargon of Belarusian youth.

The object of the research is youth slang. The subject - the influence of english language on different spheres of Belarusian youth's life.

The methods of research are: questioning, comparison and theoretical analysis.

The result of our research can be used in spheres of studing american slang and its stylistic features features. The results also can be used by teachers of foreign language for creationg natural, «not artificial» conversations at the lessons.

1. Slang as a phenomenon in modern Linguistics. Terms slang, argot, jargon and their distinctions

slang young jargon

It is impossible to give a clear definition of slang. The vocabulary can be literary:book words, spoken words, neutral words (it is used in the literature or spoken language in a formal setting) and informal: jargon, slang, vulgarism (it has a conversational informal nature).

Jargon are words which are used by certain social groups or groups which share common interests. These words have an incomprehensible meaning for all. This vocabulary is distinguished by its informal nature.

Slang is the ironic words which serve to indicate the items being talked about in everyday life. Some scientists believe that jargon is slang, they don't release it in a separate group and say that slang is a special vocabulary used by groups of people with the same interests. The term slang (in translation from English) means a version of the spoken language which is not the same as the standard literary language. Slang consists of words and phraseological units which were appeared and used in some social groups. Some researchers believe that the term slang is used in two ways: as a synonym for the jargon (in English-speaking countries) and as a collection of slang words that belong by origin to different jargon, which people who speak Russian understand. [1, p. 46-47]

Argot are rude words, which educated people don't use in society. This is a special vocabulary which is used by people of lower social status (prisoners, homeless people etc.).

Terms «jargon» and «argot» came to the Russian linguistics from the French language, and «slang» come from the English language. Therefore it is necessary to address to primary sources to clear initial sense of these words. The dictionary Le Robert gives common sense of the term of a slang» a crime language», a jargon in Le Robert is «a wrong, distorted» language which is clear only to members of concrete group. As for modern linguists, Louis-Jean Calve gives to this term a wider significance. He considers that the slang is a figurative oral language with the short-lived author's neologisms part of which constantly passes into a spoken language. [7, p. 75]

For the first time the term «slang» was recorded in 1750 with the meaning of «street language». Now we can find two interpretations of the word «slang»: the special speech of subgroups and subcultures of society and the lexicon of the broad use for informal communication. In an English-speaking lexicography the problem consists not in separating slang from a jargon but in recording transition of words from a slang into informal conversation. [14, p. 35-36]

In modern linguistics the term of argot is generally used in the meaning of «thieves» language. Some of the linguists consider a slang to be some small group existing in the past. As for a jargon, in Dahl's dictionary is perceived as a loan from French and translated as «adverb», «dialect», «pronunciation»,» the local speech». Now the slang is often presented as a contrast to the standard of speech.

There are various opinions on an origin of a youth slang. One linguists represent it as «the special dictionary» of certain social group, others see in a jargon a language subsystem which differs by a reduced style and limitation of a circle of people who uses it. [14, p. 38]

Researchers who consider essentially important to draw a distinction between an argot and a jargon affirm that these terms differ on openness degree. So, the slang is a secret language which is used by the members of the closed group, society bottoms; a jargon is a social dialect of a certain age community or the people connected by one profession. There are also philologists who don't allocate a jargon in a subsystem, and consider it as a part of national language.

The term «slang» has appeared in the Russian lexicology rather recently. Penetration of this word into Russian was connected with studying of English-speaking cultures. Gradually the sphere of the use of this word extended. While studying a spoken language, scientists came to a conclusion that concepts of an argot and a jargon historically indicate to limitation of group of their carriers, and also to narrowness of the use of these words. [10, p. 5-7]

So, people understand slang as a kind of the informal conversation. The slang often borrows words from an argot and a jargon, expanding their meaning.

Thus, many scientists consider the slang to be a secondary formation in comparison with a jargon and an argot, and a word meaning of a slang is very close to such concepts, as «popular speech» and «informal conversation». Nevertheless, not all the researchers consider a slang to be one of numerous sociolects.

2. The stylistic features of American slang

English slang is original and unique. He was born in different social sectors and age groups as the desire for shortening and expressiveness, sometimes as a protest against the long word, sometimes as a desire to name object or its properties in a different way. In youth groups where slang is especially common, there is a tandency to distance themselves from the world of adults, «encrypt» their language, as well as the desire to resist the respectable English-Queen's English. Great bloom of slang is periods of great social change, wars, economic and cultural shifts, when there is an urgent need to name something new, something has to face every day. [27]

The term «slang» has been widely spread around at the beginning of the last century. The origin of this term is controversial and has not been determined by any of linguists dealing with this issue. In modern foreign lexicography «slang» is mixed with such concepts as» dialecticism», «jargon», «vulgarism», «speaking», «the vernacular», etc. [6, p. 56]

By including into «slang» variety of jargon last begins to be divided into groups. So, in the English and American «slang lexicography» appears such groups as military «slang», sport «slang», theatre «slang», «student slang», parliamentary and even religious «slang».

Youth slang has attracted with its expressiveness, naughty and fun game with the word. Against the background of bleak official speech slang is attracted by a fresh metaphor, looseness, and sometimes shortening. Slang is rather semantic humor. [3, p. 33]

But what's the difference between a youth slang from other types of slang?

First, these words are used for communication between people of one age category. They are used as synonyms for common words, differing from them emotional coloration.

Secondly, youth slang is «obsession» on the realities of the world of the young. The slang is often incomprehensible to people of other age groups. Thanks to the knowledge of this special language young people feel themselves as members of a closed community.

And, thirdly, this vocabulary are frequent and quite vulgar words. [14, p. 51-53]

Thus, these three observations did not give a reason to add youth slang to another slang group so we have to consider it as a separete semantic category. This allows us to define the term youth slang like Word, used only in certain age categories to replace everyday vocabulary and colloquial and sometimes rude-wellness coloring look at some features of youth slang.

Let's study some features of youth slang. A large part of slang is the lexical units which are twins of neutral or spoken words. They are not used in official communication. It's synonyms (like roaddog - dude, boogerhead = chap, pal, fellow, bud (dy), guy, chum, mate, associate, buddy, companion, etc.-means friend). Words in this category include such items as: wench, gooey = girlfriend girlfriend, my beloved girl»; bank, yen, duckets, mis-spent, bones, benjamin, loot = money «money; Moolah, green; Special attention should be paid to the part of the youth slang, which is emotionally colored lexicon, most often with a mocking, ironic or comedic value, which is typical for any jargon. For example, bacon and police slang-police; beef and problem is disagreement, the problem; buffalo chick and fat fat woman-female [11].

Youth slang borrowed its vocabulary from other professional groups and group jargons and argot, and, in turn, serves as the source of borrowing for these social dialects [13, p. 12]. For example, in the education of students, sguad God specialize in studying religion, a metaphorical shift of military term squad-and platoon of the Biblical God is God; metaphorical expression jump on the grenade is sparkling. throw the grenade, means to entertain the ugly girl, to allow your friend to have fun with her beautiful girlfriend; the walk of shame, formed by analogy with the walk of fame (fame) - return home alone in full view of all neighbors after a night of rendezvous; false messiah is something or someone perceived as not justifying the expectation; commodore-from the title of the Commander of the Union ships, but after the metaphorical transfer of meaning «slow machine»; communist-stupid, bad; da nazzis-man, wearing power interrupts the party, etc. [8]

Youth draws their innovations in lexicons of popular groups for them in another words behavioral guidance; so, a lot of jargon was taken from the lexicon of addicts: hooch, tree, buddak, cripps, doobie, hronik, smokey treat-marijuana; to get one's johny, blaze (on), burn, pull tubes, play monopoly and smoking marijuana; el, reefer (jargon of Black English), spliff-cigarettes with marijuana. [3, p. 35] The group is represented by interjections, which is used for the direct expression of feelings and emotions. Most often they are short cries or onomatopoeic and it expresses various degrees of surprise, for example, bonk!, chyaa!, eesh!, flip mode!, oh my goshness!, shnikies! (surprise); bet! dude! shoots for real!, ah… ja! (consent); bet! dude!, negotary! ta huh! (disagreement). [26]

A large group of youth slang is vocabulary which associated with drinking alcohol and partying (chill-chill; have arms, chizzil-have a party; raize da roof-good time, etc.).

It is worth to point that one method of formation of youth slang is truncation, e.g. za-pizza, fam, family is family. [10]

Many British and American dictionaries refer to «slang» words, formed as a result of the use of one of the most productive ways of word building in modern English - conversion. For example: agent within the meaning of the noun agent has no mark «slang»; formed from the verb to agent - in the sense of being an agent has a mark of «slang». The word altar is stylistically neutral, no litters in dictionaries is not; formed from the verb to altar is set to get married in one of the English dictionaries is entitled «slang». the same can be said about the adjective is an old, ancient, ancient. Formed from it by the conversion of noun meaning ancient old-timer has a litter of «slang». [5, p. 13-14]

In some dictionaries the abbreviations are also considered as «slang». Words such as rep (reputation) is a reputation; cig (cigarette), a cigarette; lab (laboratory) is a training room etc. the student «are slang.» typically, such common abbreviations, most commonly used in conversation, like that (mama) is a mother, or sis5 (from sister) as sister also have litter «slang.» even the most ordinary words and phrases of English literary language is transferred to the category of «slang». For example: to go halves in the meaning of to go shares (with); to go in for in the meaning of to get involved in smth; to cut off with a shilling is deprive of inheritance: the affair is a love adventure; in a way, in General; how come, why, etc. «A Concise Dictionary of English Slang» relates to «slang». [20]

Of course, not all dictionaries are equally classify words in terms of their stylistic characteristics. But most of all, the disparity observed in cases where there are droppings «slang». For example: noun charmer in the attractive woman is a dictionary of Bury and Bark as belonging to the Oxford Dictionary, slang is as archaic as the American Webster's dictionary as stylistically neutral word. variations in the charge of a word to a particular stylistic category of words is a completely natural phenomenon, as the language is constantly evolving, and words from one medium of communication will inevitably fall into the other sphere of communication and begin their existence as independent and full members.

However, the «slang» covers too many stylistic bits of words, most diverse in nature and functions. The «slang» are even velnacular phonetic, morphological and syntactical forms, for example, the word ain't, form gi'n (given), the phrase «one of them slippers», not right use of conjanction «as» instead of «whom» or «which», the pronunciation of the sound [n] instead of [з] in Present Tense participles, etc., it is because the term «slang» is heterogeneous phenomena, one of the most characteristic features of the lexical layer is its fragility. [14, p. 33] Many words and turns of phrase, began its existence as the «slang», now firmly established in the English language. For example, «to make a dead set at» in a meaning to attack, run at smb. In the 18th century belonged to the police lingo and have a completely different meaning to the capture of the perpetrator; in the second half of the 18th century, this same expression in the jargon of cheaters, meant to try to bamboozle the player. Now to make a dead set at smb. It is quite a literary revolution. [20]

American youth slang is causing considerable difficulties in understanding. A. Schweitzer makes it for a number of reasons:

1. a tandancy to establish natural understanding between speakers, to install a colloquial communication with the help of familiarity, intimacy, spontaneity, with the lack od detailed thinking through content.

2. an inadequate approach to teaching of foreign languages at school and universities because of using traditional manuals and exercises in them, which are built on the basis of artificialy created speech. Students are taught an idealized, academic language, and they are not able to develop the necessary skills to understand the English language, which they hear during communication with the media, in particular, with the American students.

3.a tandancy to decline regulatory effects of American Standard English and include in it elements of reduced speech and slang.

4. spreading of youth jargon, which leads to broadening a gap between «academic» language based on the prestigious Oxford English model and language which is used in real everyday communication. [15, p. 19-20]

3. The influence of the American youth slang and english language in general on a jargon of Belarusian young people

The Slang of young people in Belarus covers almost all spheres of life. Jargon is concentrated on the person - spheres of his life, the relations with other people. In our time of high computer technologies and availability of the Internet the western culture has an influence on young people in Belarus through music, cinema, animated films, computer games. As English is an integral part of the curriculum, the youth often replaces words and expressions of the native language by fashionable analogs from English. [12]

We will consider separately each sphere of life of young people in which influence of the western culture is most brightly shown.

I. Household sphere

1. Family - the name of family members are presented by loans from English. Parents are called паренты, парентсы (from parents), олды (from old), брат - бразер, брадер (from brother) and etc. For example: Ненавижу своего малого бразера - лезет куда не просят.

2. Interpersonal relationships - френд, френдиться (from friend) - друг, дружить; лавить (from love) - любить; лайкить (from like) - любить, нравиться. For example: Ты хоть кого-нить лайкишь?

3. Appearance and parts of a body - in a youth slang it is possible to find the loans designating parts of a body from head to foot. We will give some examples: фейс (from face) - лицо, леги, футы (from legs, foot) - ноги (У нее леги из ушей торчат). It is possible to add here clothes names, for example: дрес (from dress) - платье (Твой новый дрес - полный отпад); тразера, трузера (from trousers) - брюки; лук (from look) - образ (В этом сезоне моден романтический лук).

4. Household appliances - тивик (from TVset) - телевизор; фридж, фриджик (from fridge) - холодильник; комп (from comp) - компьютер (Опять мой комп завис); дивидишник (from DVD-player) - плейер.

5. Study - loans from English cover spheres of school and student's life: тичер, тичка (from teacher) - учитель; инглиш (from english) - английский язык; кредитка (from credit book) - зачетка; хостел, кампус (from hostel) - общага, общежитие; хвост (from a tail) - несданный вовремя экзамен и зачет; экземы, земы (from exams) - экзамены.

6. Leisure - пати (from party) - вечеринка; микс (from mix) - тусовка; дэнсы (from dance) - танцы, дискотека. We can also add here the slang connected with drugs, alcohol, obscene lexicon because these realities are part of youth life, for example: хэш - марихуана; один дриньк (from drink) - одна рюмка алкогольного напитка; смокер, смокануть (from smoke) - курильщик, покурить (Пойдем смоканем на большой перемене).

II. Internet

That's why many new jargons appear. For example: смайлы (from smile) - смешные мордочки в чатах; мыло - e-mail; кинуть в off - оставить сообщение; юзер, юзать (from use, user) - пользователь компьютером; лайкнуть (from like) - показать свое одобрение или симпатию человеку, фотографии, посту посредством нажатия специального символа в социальных сетях или блогах; конектиться к нету (from connect) - подключаться к интернету; кликать мышкой (from click) - нажимать правую кнопку мыши; чатиться (from chat) - общаться с друзьями в специально отведенном месте на сайтах, блогах, соцсетях.

III. computer games

A lot of slang comes into the youth speech from computer games: геймер (from gamer) - игрок; моб - монстр; итем (from item) - вещь; вендор (from vender) - торговец; манчить - повышать; раснуть - оживить; кастануть (от) - использовать заклинание; поднять левел (from level) - повысить уровень персонажа; экспа (from experience) - опыт; хп (from health) - здоровье персонажа; домак (from damage) - ущерб; (по) гамать (from game) - играть, поиграть; квэст (from quest) - задание etc.

IV. Music and cinema

Modern western music and cinema have a huge influence on young people in Belarus. Young people often imitate the musical idols, watch the American youth comedies and as a result they copy behavior and communication models from the foreign contemporaries. Examples of influence of the American slang on a jargon of Belarusian young people:

1. Youth films. For example: кэш (from cash) - наличные деньги; хэй, мэн (from hey man) - привет, дружище; лузер (from looser) - неудачник, пипл (from people) - люди, народ; лав стори (from love story) - любовная история; респект (from respect) - уважение; Янки, гоу хом (from go home) - идти домой; ноу проблемс (from no problems) - без проблем; траблы (from trouble) - проблемы; плиз (from please) - пожалуйста; сори (from sorry) - прости; бинго (from Bingo!) - восклицание; джэкас (from jackass) - придурок; окей (from OK) - хорошо.

2. Music: трэк (от track) - музыкальная композиция, плейлист (from playlist) - список проигрываемых композицый; some new musical styles, such as драм энд бас (from drum&bus), дарк (from dark) - тяжелая музыка etc. [5], [8], [9], [12]

Slang which is used actively by modern youth - some kind of protest against surrounding reality, against typification and standardization. It is reflected in the appearance of young people (hairdresses, clothes, piercing, a tattoo). So, a young man is allocated from a crowd. The main lines of a youth slang are constant emotionality, expressivity, figurativeness of the speech of young people. The youth jargon is updated and develops together with the speech. It provides the general dynamics of the Russian language. In our country students and school students use a slang in everyday's life to design different specialities, to name odifferent subjects in the timetable and the subjects from student's life, to design various buildings and audiences. They use a jargon in the interpersonal relations, in the household sphere, in the leisure sphere, in the sphere of accessories, and also when they name teachers, to design the parts of a body. So, slang plays very important role in the life of Belarusian young people. [3], [14]

For our research work we carry out a little investigation on a base of our school for the purpose to bring to light how large the influence of american slang and english language in general on a jargon of belarussian youth. For the research we created a blank form (Appendix 2) for students of 8th-11th forms (100 students, male-62, female-38, 8th form-30 students, 9th forn-30 students, 10th form-20 students, 11th form-20 students, from them 20 students study french).

We analysed and compared the blank forms and made the following conclusions:

Students of 8th and 9th forms tick the words which belong to internet, computer games and interpersonal relations spheres. 73% (43) of students know the translation and spalling of ticked words. We also uncover slang words which we didn't include in the list: бро (from american slang bro), фейк (fake), скил (skill), пикча (picture), лагин (log in), фавнуть (favourite), ирл (in real life), омайгад (oh my God), спам (spam), нига (from american slang nigga), черный брат (from american slang black brother), хантер (hunter), вэриор (warrior), and great number of vulgarisms.

Students of 10th-11th forms tick the words which belong to internet and interpersonal relations sphere. 91%(36) of students know the translation and spalling of ticked words. Unfortunately, they didn't write any new words.

Compare this results we can see a tandency of reduction of using computer games slang in 10th-11th forms may be because of the different interest of students of different age groups. Senior pupils change computer games on surfing the net, social network, parties and real contact.

To analyse the blanks on gender characterictic we can noticed that computer games slang is used by 100% of male, internet and interpersonal relations slang-by 83% of male. In turn 92% of female use internet slang, 85% - interpersonal relations and only 30% of girls know computer games slang.

From 100 students near 70% draw slang lexicon from computer on-line games and internet, 25%-from movies and music, and only 5% - from literature.

So, carry out the research we demonstrate that American slang and English language in general have a great influence on a jargon of Belarusian youth, especialy in the spheres of computer games and internet. Youth change the words of native language on English ones to stand out, to «encript» their own language from adults, to feel themselves a part of some community.

Conclusion

Slang has many functions. First, it gives the ironical effect in communication. Slang is integral part of any language, and of course american language too.

Slang makes a speech more brief, concrite, emotionaly expressive, and also serves as a spetial sign of belloning to a certain social group.

Considerable difference of slang fron jargon is high emotionality, a tendency to shortening a word, and slang is used by more narrow circle of people.

Nowadays linguists pay special attention to slang because in modern language it plays a great role.

In our research we take up the next issues:

- the term «slang» and its place in language;

- the stylistic features of american slang;

- the influence of american slang and english language in general on jargon of bearussian youth.

To sum up, we can say that youth slang firmly takes roots emong our students because anerican culture has a great impact on our youth.

The list of using literature

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18. Flexner S.B. Listening to America: An Illustrared Hisrtory of Words and Phrases from Our Lovely and Splendid Past. N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, 1982.

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25. www.els.about.com-grammar.els.about.com/od/classicessays/a/whitmanslang.htm

26. www.manythings.org - manythings.org/slang

27. www.yourdictionary.com - grammar.yourdictionary.com/slang/history-of-american-slang-words.html

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