Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books Saylor.org
Write about a happy childhood memory using as many prepositions followed by verbs
and adjectives as you can. Use at least ten. When you are finished, exchange papers with
a classmate and correct any preposition errors you find.
4.8 Slang and Idioms
Learning Objectives
- Recognize slang and idioms.
- Learn to avoid using slang and idioms in formal writing.
Words are the basis of how a reader or listener judges you, the writer and speaker.
When you write an academic paper or speak in a business interview, you want to be sure
to choose your words carefully. In our casual, everyday talk, we often use a lot of “ums,”
“likes,” “yeahs,” and so on. This everyday language is not appropriate for formal
contexts, such as academic papers and business interviews. You should switch between
different ways of speaking and writing depending on whether the context is formal or
informal.
Slang
Hey guys, let’s learn about slang and other cool stuff like that! It will be awesome, trust
me. This section is off the hook!
What do you notice about the previous paragraph? You might notice that the language
sounds informal, or casual, like someone might talk with a friend or family member. The
paragraph also uses a lot of slang. Slang is a type of language that is informal and
playful. It often changes over time. The slang of the past is different than the slang of
today, but some slang has carried over into the present. Slang also varies by region and
culture. The important thing to understand is that slang is casual talk, and you should
avoid using it in formal contexts. There are literally thousands of slang words and
expressions. Table 4.17 "Slang Expressions" explains just a few of the more common
terms.
Table 4.17 Slang Expressions
Slang Word or Phrase Meaning
check it out, check this out v. look at, watch, examine
chocoholic, workaholic, shopaholic n. a person who loves, is addicted to
chocolate/work/shopping
stuff n. things (used as a singular, noncount noun)
taking care of business doing things that need to be done
pro n. a person who is a professional
crack up v. to laugh uncontrollably
veg (sounds like the veg in vegetable) v. relax and do nothing
dude, man n. person, man
all-nighter n. studying all night