We all use language every single day, but no one realizes how temporary it is. New words and expressions are being made every day, and therefore words and expressions are forgotten every day. These new words are constantly being added to the dictionary making them real. Over 650 words are added to the Oxford English Dictionary every single year. Some see this as the evolution of our ever-changing language while others see this as a disservice to us, and our knowledge.
Often these new words or expressions are dominant in certain groups and may only be understood by these particular groups. These words are usually classified as slang.
We all know some version of slang- just ask your parents and see what they used to say when they saw someone “rizzing” someone else up.
Slang isn’t a bad thing. It can symbolize who someone is as a person or what group they belong to. Making up new slang can give people a sense of solidarity. For example, youth subcultures often develop their own slang to differentiate themselves from older generations and mainstream culture. It makes them feel in control, especially if they can say something without a superior knowing what they mean.
People tend to pick up on slang and not know exactly what the meaning behind it is. This is why it is important to know what you are saying before you say it. It is easy to hear something and just assume it is okay to say or use in everyday language but this is not always the case. As slang is always evolving some things could be deemed as inappropriate or hurtful to certain people or cultures. Slang is often used to make sensitive topics seem unserious. One example of this is something that is used every single day, “I am going to kms.” This makes the serious topic of suicide look and sound like a joke. Even if you do not mean any harm by saying this, it just takes saying it to the wrong person to hurt them. You never know what someone has been through or is currently going through. It is necessary to think before saying something like this.
Texting is something everyone does nowadays. Whether using messages or Snapchat, when texting grammar and punctuation are rarely used. In fact, it is frowned upon. In the mind of a teenager, using punctuation is considered having an attitude. God forbid you use a period when ending a sentence. Grammar and punctuation are necessary for a good essay or assignment. The problem with this is that because texting is so informal people are becoming less and less aware of what good punctuation is. Not everyone knows when to use a comma or even a period. This is making things even harder for not only students but teachers who seemingly have to go through the basics every year. The use of slang is also apparent when texting. It is easy to get your point across by sending a quick “lol” or “bet” instead of typing out an entire sentence. However, you can not do this while in school. Teachers normally deem certain slang terms as uneducated and informal but this is all some students know, as they are so used to the casualness of texting. It is okay to go along with trends and use the slang you want, but make sure you are doing it in a way that is respectful and will not harm your education.