The Internet And Its Effect On Language

Throughout the modernization of language, society has had a need to develop languages, such as slang, with either purpose of excluding a certain audience or to design a language in ways that could be more efficient in meeting the needs of its users. Although we’re all familiar with this concept within secret societies or cults, most idioms today originate on the internet. Online communities, including groups of gamers, have developed slang as a method to converse with each other in a computer-mediated communication environment, which is a form of communication that occurs through any computer interface that acts as an intermediary between people.

Development of slang through the internet becomes so out of necessity simply due to the sheer volume of users one may be able to interact with. For example, one could argue that in order to handle larger people contacts effectively you could probably allocate more time to the assignment and exchange proper communication between you and the recipient. However, more than likely you will find yourself strapped of valuable time and may find a shortcut here and there by abbreviating a name, or condensing a long letter into smaller, more direct phrases. To the same regard, online gamers must also communicate as quickly as possible to minimize any potential down time, and, as such, they are an excellent source for studying the use of slang language as they communicate almost entirely through a computer interface and many gamer communities have developed their own vocabulary and idiomatic expressions (Crystal, 2001).

Slang In Society

All around the world no matter ones cultural differences or age, slang is spoken though out the household, office, and even school yard. Unlike some languages like English, Spanish, or even French, slang is not one that can be learned in the classroom or textbook.  It is the only language that does not have direct or correct definitions, leaving loads of words up for interpretation. Slang also has no concept of remembrance. According to poet Carl Sandburg, “Slang is the language that takes off its coat, spits on its hands, and goes to work”. For this, the reason that slang is constantly changing and never lasts long, and using it in literature or formal writing situations would be a huge mistake.

Youth today have the upper hand on this subculture. Learning and creating this world of culture is as simple as creating new music, clothing, and art. Changes within the environment, society, and governments will reflect the words we choose to use. For example; months after the horrible tragedy of 9/11, language in America was drastically changed. American citizens using words like terrorist, turban, and jihad although would never otherwise be used, were created as insults to one another. Like most of the societies though these eras, these words will soon die out and create an opening for new and improved ones. Having the ability to use these old “played out” words as a sound track of the past allows us to create an imaginary “picture” of what culture truly means.

Introduction to Slang

According to Webster's Dictionary, the term slang is defined as "very informal usage in vocabulary and idiom that is characteristically more metaphorical, playful, elliptical, vivid, and ephemeral than ordinary language" or "the jargon or dialect of a particular class or profession." In the modern world, we are surrounded by slang constantly and in every aspect of our lives. From phrases as common as "what's up," "how's it going" or "dead serious" to newer terms like "sick," "lol" or others, we can find people from each class and creed using their own personal style of slang. Slang may be as widespread as formal speech today, but according to Winona Bullard of the University of North Carolina, we have to look back as far as the 15th century to find the roots of slang today.

The origin of slang in English can be traced back to something called "English Criminal Cant," which was a dialect used amongst English criminals in the 16th century to ensure that they could communicate their "business" dealings without outsiders being able to listen in (Bullard). This shows that slang arose out of a need for a self-styled lexicon amongst a specific class of people to ensure not only that outsiders could not eavesdrop, but also to produce a way to immediately know who is and who isn't a part of that specific group. Criminal Cant eventually became taboo in the 18th century due to its associations with criminal groups, even though less than 10,000 people (out of four million total English speakers) actually spoke and understood Criminal Cant in the 17th and 18th centuries. Next, we will explore how slang became more widely accepted, and how it eventually became a part of daily English speech.