Conclusion

Over the course of this semester, we as a group have learned a great deal about slang not only in America, but throughout history. We've also learned what ways slang is changing as we progress deeper into the 21st century. We have seen that slang is not merely vulgar language, a mode of speech for adolescents, or something that is killing literacy, but rather as its own dialect altogether. We have discovered that people of all age groups, time periods and economic status have their own type of slang, some of which has leaked into the mainstream.

From "bling-bling" to "bingo," slang in America is present in everything we see, hear and read. News outlets have begun to incorporate slang into their media and spend research dollars on learning what the new linguistic trends are in our society. This shows that slang is becoming less of a separate strata of language, and is instead merely becoming the vernacular of all modern English speakers. As we look into the future, we can see that the internet precipitates the spread and homogenization of slang, bringing regional terms into the global spotlight. This is why it is becoming increasingly important to consider slang a valid subsection of language, and certainly one to be studied and respected in the coming decades.

Cockney Rhyming Slang And Examples of Slang Changing Through Time

In this clip, we see a panel of British comedians joking about "Cockney Rhyming Slang," a well-known form of slang from England that originated in the mid-19th century. Although separate from American slang (and extremely different in structure), rhyming slang is important because it shows how complex slangs can become. We see the comedians go through the statement "Now, tonight any flamencoes you give in Pyong score Barney, and I'll also give you two Sunday if at any nickle and dime you woman who does to lubricant gel me what I'm on about," and try to decipher it using rhyming slang rules. One comedian even makes a joke about how the host has basically created "middle class cockney," showing us that even in humor, slang can morph and change.

The website "www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk" separates rhymed phrases into the "Classic" and "Modern" categories, differentiating from terms that originated closer to the 19th century, and those that have gained usage past the slang's heyday. Many other slangs can be shown to have adopted new terms over time, but few are as good of an example of how a subset of slang can grow and morph throughout history as cockney rhyming slang.