Bad Language, Swearing, Slang and Jargon

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Bad Language, Swearing, Slang and Jargon

• By Julia Kunstmann and Natalie Metzger

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Structure

• What is Bad Language?
• What is Slang
• What is Swearing?
• What is Jargon?
• Sources

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1. What is Bad Language

• 1.1 A sort of kind of Definition, like (1)

• is everything that has something to do with bad
  words, bad grammar, jargon, slang, filling words,
  sloppy speech, misuse of words, wrong
  pronounciation, accents, wrong diction
• misuse using the wrong term in a conversation ?
  either the others dont know the meaning the
  speakers uses, or the speaker mixed up the word,
  or its an euphemis

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1. What is Bad Language

• 1.1 contd

• Fillers well, yknow, sort of, kind of and like
  Its, yknow, sort of kind of good, like. It is,
  as it were, in my view, so to speak, good, if you
  follow. very useful in speech ? help us to take
  time to formulate our sentence
• Pronounciation many people think, that there is
  one good and other bad pronounciations, but this
  is not the case

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1. What is Bad Language

• 1.2 Who gives a damn?
• everyone should care about using language
• using the wrong words in specific situations may
  decide about your future (job interviews)
• many words that could make you trip
• parents should give a damn about their language
  and the language of their children
• teachers should give a damn (elimination,
  stylistic differentiation, approval)

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TASK FOR YOU!!!

• Have you come across some examples of Bad
  Language before?
• Write them down and tell them to the class!

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2. Slang

• 2.1 Definitions

• Very informal, sometimes offensive, language
  that is used especially by people who belong to a
  particular group, such as young people or
  criminals (Longman)
• Slang is the use of highly informal words and
  expressions that are not considered standard in
  the speaker's dialect or language. Slang is very
  often colloquial the language and dialect tend
  to be specific to a particular territory.
  (wikipedia)
• Slang terms are frequently particular to a
  certain subculture, such as musicians, and
  members of a minority. (wikipedia)

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2. Slang

• 2.1 contd

• Slang is an ever changing set of colloquial
  words and phrases that speaker use to establish
  or reinforce social identity or cohesiveness
  within a group or with a trend or fashion in
  society at large.The existance of vocbulary of
  this sort within a language is possibly as old as
  language itself, for slang seems to be part of
  any language used in ordinary interaction by a
  community large enough and divers enough to have
  identifiable subgroups. (Eble)

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2. Slang

• 2.1 contd
• ... a non-standard vocabulary composed of words
  and senses characterized primarily by connotaions
  of extrem informalitiy ... composed typically
  of coinages or arbitrarily changed words, clipped
  or shortened forms, extravagant, forced or
  facetious figures of speech, or verbal novelties,
  usu. experiencing quick popularity and relativly
  rapid decline into disuse. (Webster)
• Main ideas
• extremely informal language
• shows social identity
• changes through time ? temporary

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2. Slang

• 2.2 Origins
• the term 'slang' was first used by British
  criminals for their own special language
• many words from the narcotics trade found their
  way into the slang terminology (e.g. high,
  stoned, freaked out...)

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2. Slang

• 2.2 contd

• 3 ways of acquiring slang terms
• 1. new expressions are invented (e.g dum-dum
  idiot kick the bucket to die)
• 2. old standard language expressions appear in
  new usage(e.g. fox girl newsie
  newspaperseller)
• 3. expressions are borrowed from one language by
  another(e.g. Mush face gazlon swindler)

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2. Slang

• 2.3 Features

• it is temporary certain words an expressions are
  fashionable for a certain time
• either die out or turn into neutral style
• slang is creative
• new words are invented all the time
• it is used consciously
• to indicate social identity
• to shock

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2. Slang

• 2.3 contd
• it is not register
• within register there is an official and an
  unofficial terminology ? slang can beconsidered
  part of register
• slang can be restricted to a particular region or
  to a social class but does not have to be
• it is not swearing
• slang uses not just words from the field of sex
  but also from sports, music, food
• slang is not grammar

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2.Slang

• 2.4 Function and Use

• to make language more vivid, colourful and
  interesting
• by using slang peolpe want to startle, amuse or
  shock others
• by how up-to-date someone's slang is you can tell
  his age
• using certain slang words shows the belonging to
  a certain group

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2. Slang

• 2.4 contd
• the less formal the stituation is the less formal
  is the language
• (near-)equals tend to be less formal
• written language consists of less slang than
  spoken language
• in mass media you find only little slang
• in literature it is found mainly in novels and
  short stories, but also in Shakespear's works

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2. Slang

• 2.5 Examples

• Backslang
• emerged in England
• mainly used by butcher
• how to form backslang
• words are written backwards
• extra vowels are inserted to make pronunciation
  easier

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2. Slang

• 2.5 contd
• beemal
• cool
• dabtros
• deelo nam
• doog
• doonups
• earth
• elpa

• lamb
• look
• a bad sort (of person)
• old man
• good
• pounds
• three
• apple

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2. Slang

• 2.5 contd
• cockney rhyming slang
• the origins of Cockney Rhyming Slang are
  uncertain
• designate residents of a particular working class
  area of London
• it exists today just as it has for many years
• how to form cockney ryhming slang
• take a pair of associated words (e.g. fish hook)
• the second word has to rhyme with the word you
  actually intend to say
• then use the first word of the associated pair to
  indicate the word you originally intended to say
• some slang words have more than one meaning so
  you have to see them in context

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2. Slang

• 2.5 contd
• Barney
• Bees
• Butcher's
• Currant Bun
• China
• Dog
• Frog
• Jam Jar
• Jonty
• Merchant Banker

• Barney Rubble trouble
• Bees-and-honey money
• butcher's hook look
• Son
• china plate mate
• dog-and-bone telephone
• frog-and-toad road
• car
• Jonty Webb bang on the head
• Wanker

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2. Slang

• 2.5 contd
• 'Allo me old china - wot say we pop round the
  Jack. I'll stand you a pig and you can rabbit on
  about your teapots. We can 'ave some loop and
  tommy and be off before the dickory hits twelve.
• Hello my old mate (china plate) - what do you say
  we pop around to the bar (Jack Tar). I'll buy you
  a beer (pig's ear) and you can talk (rabbit and
  pork) about your kids (teapot lids). We can have
  some soup (loop de loop) and supper (Tommy
  Tucker) and be gone before the clock (hickory
  dickory dock) strikes twelve.
• http//youtube.com/watch?vQa3Bqtej204

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3. Swearing

• 3.1 Definition
• Not possible to find one fitting definition
• Big mysterium people know, that swear words are
  a taboo, but they use them
• There are swear words in every language
• Should not be literally interpreted!
• They often express strong emotions/ feelings
  (anger, frustration etc.) or are used to shock
  people or to insult them

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3. Swearing

• 3.2 History
• No one knows, who uttered the first swear word
  (swear words didnt exist in former literature)
• Swear words were considered taboo words in the
  past
• Had become less offensive during time
• Even Shakespeare hinted at the word cunt (Hamlet,
  Twelth Night, Henry V)
• Swear words come from the belief, that words have
  a certain power (cultures without written
  language still belief in that)

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3. Swearing

• 3.2 cont
• In the past cunt was only a British word,
  nowadays also American (not considered to be a
  word for female anatomy any more)
• U.S. nowadays racial words more offensive than
  sexual expressions (nigger worse than fuck)
• The former very vulgar word piss is now
  considered to be mildly vulgar
• The word queynte (the ancistor of cunt) was not
  seen as vulgar and is now one of the most
  insulting words in English
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v7JCkjKPzZhM

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3. Swearing

• 3.3 Differentiation (may differ)
• Deistic (related to religion Jesus, damn)
• Visceral (related to the human body and its
  functions shit, piss)
• Animals (often refer to anomalous animals pig,
  bitch)
• Euphemisms (often related to religion heaven,
  hell)
• Mild forms (used to avoid the much more insulting
  swear word eff instead of fuck, crap instead of
  shit, darn instead of damn)
• ? words may switch from one category to another
• bloody was by our lady in the past (category 1
  ?category 2)
• Different cultures swear different things at
  different times

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3. Swearing

• 3.4 Why do people swear?
• As children, crying was a ventile to release
  aggressions and emotions
• Later crying was not appropriate among other
  people
• New outlet for strong emotions ? swearing
• Men swear to be more masculine and women swear to
  be more like men
• Women do also swear to be more like women they
  admire
• Socially NOT acceptabe!!!
• U.S. Americans avoid racial slurs, women avoid
  slurs concerning the female anatomy

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3. Swearing

• 3.4 contd
• In addition, the use of particular expletives
  can
• Establish a group identity
• Establish membership in a group and maintain the
  group's boundaries
• Express solidarity with other people
• Express trust and intimacy (mostly when women
  swear in the presence of other women)
• Add humor, emphasis or "shock value"
• Attempt to camouflage a person's fear or
  insecurity 1
• 1 from http//people.howstuffworks.com/swearing.ht
  m

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3. Swearing

• 3.5 Swearing and the law
• USA First Amendment of the Constitution ?
  freedom of speech
• BUT obscenity unprotected speech
• Other forms of unprotected speech
• Language that incites people to violence or
  illegal activity
• Libel and defamation
• Threats
• False advertising
• ? Federal Communications Commision creates and
  enforces decency rules for broadcast television
  and radio

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3. Swearing

• 3.6 Swearing and the Brain
• Swearing is processed in the lower region of the
  brain, together with emotions and instincts
• Brain stores swear words as whole unit, not as
  phoemes
• Swear words can be remembered four times better
  than other words
• Brain damage often people cant build sentences
  and words but say swear words (aphasia, Tourette)

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3. Swearing

• Douchebag
• Fuck
• Goddamn
• Hell
• Motherfucker
• Shit
• Tit
• Twat
• Wanker

• 3.7.1 Examples for Profanity
• Ass
• Asshole
• Bastard
• Bitch
• Bullshit
• Cock
• Cocksucker
• Cunt
• Dick
• Damn

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3. Swearing

• 3.7.2 Examples for impolite words
• Bloody
• Crap
• Piss
• Pussy
• Slut

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4. Jargon

• 4.1 Definition
• Longman Dictionary of Contemporary
  Englishwords and expressions used in a
  particular profession or by a particular group of
  people which are difficult for other people to
  understand often used to show disapproval
• WikipediaJargon is terminology, much like
  slang, that relates to a specific activity,
  profession, or group. It develops as a kind of
  shorthand, to express ideas that are frequently
  discussed between members of a group.
• Walter Nash Jargon-Its Uses and AbusesWhat if
  it should turn out that we are all jargon makers
  and jargon users, and that jargon is necessarily
  involved in the growth and change of language?
  That we are consumers of jargon as we are eaters
  of sliced bread?

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4. Jargon

• 4.1 contd
• Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and
  Applied LinguisticsSpeech or writing used by a
  group of people who belong to a particular trade,
  profession, or any other group bound together by
  mutual interest, e.g. the jargon of law, medical
  jargon.A jargon has its own set of words and
  expressions, which may be incomprehensible to an
  outsider. The term jargon is typically not used
  by the group itself but by those unfamiliar with
  that particular type of language, and/ or those
  who dislike it.Jargon is sometimes also used for
  the first (developmental) stage of a PIDGIN
  language, where there is a great deal of
  individual variation, a simple sound system, very
  short sentences and a restricted number of
  words.
• Bad Language Andersson und Trudgill
• it is technical, in-group language as seen by
  non-technical out-group members

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4. Jargon

• 4.1 contd
• Main ideas
• technical terminology used by a particular group
  of people
• hard to understand for outsiders
• first stage of a pidgin language
• everybody uses it
• Meaning of the term 'jargon'etymology
• from french jargon gobbledygook
• from persian zargun - gold-coloured
• 1.a characteristic language of a particular group
  (as among thieves)
• 2.a colourless (or pale yellow or smoky) variety
  of zircon

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4. Jargon

• 4.2 Usage
• in popular usage to describe speech as
  gobbledygook
• but everybody uses it since everybody has a
  certain profession or occupation
• such professions or occupation can be- sports-
  medicine - computers and internet (e.g.Jargon
  File)- jargon uses idioms e.g. 'the computer is
  up and running
• those words and phrases change over time
• they can appear in common language, too
• using jargon relates people to certain groups ?
  feeling of belonging to a group

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4. Jargon

• 4.3 Examples for jargon as a pidgin
• Chinook Jargon
• trade language of the Pacific Northwest
• related to the indigenous language of the Chinook
  people
• derived from a variety of indigenous words
• English and French words also entered the chinook
  jargon
• only some hundreds of words
• own grammatical system and own literature
• in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia
  some words are still in use e.g. potlatch

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4. Jargon

• 4.4 Comparison slang jargon
• similarities
• both seen as something negative
• both are used in a particular group ?insider
  talk
• the vocabulary of both changes over time and
  turns somtimes into neutral language
• diffences
• slang is used deliberatly
• slang is usually restricted to a particular
  whereas jargon can be understood all over the
  world

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5. Sources

• Anderson, L. and Trudgill, P. (1990). Bad
  Language. Oxford UK and Cambridge USA Blackwell
• Hughes, G. (1991). Swearing. Oxford UK and
  Cambridge USA Blackwell
• Krause, C. Sublanguages, Controlled Languages
  Jargon
• Nash, W. (1993). Jargon Its Uses and Abuses.
  Oxford UK and Cambridge USA Blackwell
• Richter, E. (2006). Student Slang at IIT Madras
  A Linguistic Field Study.
• Slang(2003). Longman Dictionary of Contemporary
  English. 4.Aufl.
• www.wikipedia.org
• http//www.aldertons.com/
• http//www.laughingpoliceman.com/swear.htm
• http//people.howstuffworks.com/swearing.htm
• http//people.scs.fsu.edu/burkardt/fun/wordplay/b
  ack_slang.html
• http//people.scs.fsu.edu/burkardt/fun/wordplay/b
  ack_slang.html