邯郸学院外国语学院
School of Foreign Languages of Handan College
论文题目： 美国俚语的特征分析
Title： An Analysis of Characteristics of American Slang
An Analysis of Characteristics of American Slang
Abstract: With the development of the society, slang is widely used by more and more people, especially in America, slang can be found favorable in the Americans’ eyes. Slang has gradually become popular among English speakers, since it appeared in English language in the 16th century. It is very popular in the English-speaking countries nowadays. Rich and colorful slang is an important component in English. However, it is difficult for people to understand. Therefore, it is necessary for us to study it. To have a glimpse into the nature of English slang is helpful to understand. This thesis expounds the characteristics of English slang. It concludes that slang is playing a more and more important role in the society of English-speaking.
Key words: slang characteristics American
Introduction
Slang is a rather special parole. It is neither the word that beyond the regular
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role of grammatical usage, nor rural dialect. Although it is quite different from acrolect which used on the formal occasion, people quite like to use it in daily speech. That is to say, slang can be defined to common colloquial language, and slang is usually used as colloquial words and phrase. In other words, slang is Nonstandard-English. It is brimming with youth vigor. It is rather a spoken language than a written one. Unlike standard language, it does not from its own grammar rules. Mainly employed by sub-cultural groups, slang is highly colloquial, informal and essentially not respectable. Most of slang is more forceful, emotional or humorous forms than standard words. Slang is very informal and commonly used in speech. Between people from same social group or who work together, not considered suitable for formal contexts and often not in used for long. Slang has become an indispensable part of modern English. With the popularity of slang, we should know how to use slang and master its characteristics. This paper intends to make a tentative study on the characteristics of slang in America.
1. Highly Colloquial
Slang is highly colloquial, non-standard informal language. Being the quintessence of colloquial speech, slang is always related to convenience rather than to scientific laws, grammatical rules and philosophical ideas. It does not belong to the register of language used in formal records, epics, poetry, religious prose and other varieties of literature. As it originates from colloquial speech, so it flourishes best in colloquial speech.
Slang, as a whole, is mainly employed in everyday, oral communications
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between friends and acquaintances or just within some special groups. On informal, private occasions, slang is the favorite means for oral communication. On some friendly occasion, when you talk in very formal way, maybe it will give others a feeling that you are talking with them in a commanding tone. Such feeling will broaden the distance between you and your friend. However, when you add some proper slang in your talking, you can have the talking atmosphere more friendlily.
For example, a person wants to get his friend’s agreement eagerly. If the friend can understand the speakers’ feeling and his eagerness, he may say the following sentences: “I will drink that sentence.” It means “I definitely agree with you.” or “I will to accept advice.” Not only can the friend have his companion relaxed, but also express his agreeable attitude.
2. Transience of slang’s life
Slang is generally transient. Generally speaking, slang spreads very quickly yet it is unstable and temporary. That is to say, slang is the most unstable element of English and its life expectancy is generally short. Usually a popular slang of last year may no longer be heard this year or some slang once used by one generation may sound Greek to the next. The use of slang is closely related to the circumstances in which it is used. Once the circumstances changed, the slang relevant to it disappears too. However, not all the slang words die soon after its birth. Some linger on decade after decade, century after century, never becoming respectable or dying out. Take the word “booze” for example; it was used as slang in the Middle Ages, yet now it is still ranked among slang in some
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dictionaries. The word “dough” , a slang word for money, is just as hardly possible to become a standard word as it ever was, though no more respectable. Many old words have been cut off and a large amount of new words are added to slang. People’s attitudes toward slang vary from person to person. Some think that slang cannot be used on the formal occasion, for the illiterate people speak it only and the slang terms are so coarse. However, others hold the opposite idea. They think that slang play an important role in English language, because of its fresh, lifelike, humor and adequate expressions.
3. Abundance of Synonyms
Slang is abundant of synonyms. By the phrase “abundant of synonyms”, it refers to two phenomena. One is that slang almost exists side by side with another more general term for the same thing. For example, the slang phrase “as luck would have it” has been used by some speakers in the meaning “fortunately”. The difference between “as luck would have it” and “fortunately” can be stated only in reference to the people who use the word. Some say “As luck would have it, I found exactly what I was looking for”, others “Fortunately, I found exactly what I was looking for”, “As luck would have it “is slang and “fortunately” is not. Because “As luck would have it” is used by limited part of population, whereas, “fortunately” is used by everyone. It is found that slang can be regarded as words and phrases or particular meanings of words in common informal use, but generally it is not seen as standard in a language that used by specified expression or class. It is natural to refer it as the words that are commonly used, and can be understood by all people in America.
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4. Visualization of language
You can express the same meaning with the standard language as well as slang. Nevertheless, slang maybe used to make your language more picturesque. It reveals something about the feeling or attitudes of the speaker. For example, a boss was very angry with his workers because they were dilatory in doing things. To emphasize his anger, he says, “Two hours off with the pay, why the hell are they dragging their tails. The slang “drag one’s tail” means, “Do something too slowly”. The speaker’s angry is displayed. Take another case for example “Thomas, a sad apple. Can he finish such special task?” In his sentence, “sad apple” means “a person who is always discouraged” The speaker expresses his deep suspicion with the aid of slang better than in the formal way.
In a word, colloquialism is one of the characteristics of slang .It is spoken rather than written. Although more and more writers make use of American slang of contemporary teenagers, no matter how many slang words one can find in the novel, they are all used in the dialogues or conversation of its characters instead of in the narration or description. Therefore, they are still “spoken” though in writing.
Conclusion
In the recent years, slang has been changing with each passing day and with the world’s development. Many old words have disappeared and lots of new words are added to slang. In a word, since slang’s appearance, it has been
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gaining respectfulness and plays important role in the social status. In the social life, even the words “hi” and “bye-bye” are slang words. Therefore, it is wrong if someone neglect slang’s study and slang translation. Slang has its special means and principles. Although slang is popular now, the people should selectively use it. If it is not special situation and has no context, we must not use it randomly. Slang can express different meaning and different information, but what it can perform actually depend on the language background. If we do not consider the occasion of talking, but only want to choose some slang to show out language character, maybe our talking will be thought as uncivil and improper.
Bibliography
De Klerk, V. Hall. New Dictionary of American Slang[M]. New York: Harper and Row,1986
Rodman. House Historical Dictionary of American Slang[M].New York: Cambridge, 1994
Wentworth, Harold & Stuart Berg Flexner. Dictionary of American of Slang
Second supplemented Edition [M]. New York: Thomas Y Crowell,1975
Greenough, J.B, G. L. Kittredge, Words and Their Ways in English Speech[M] New York: Longman Group Ltd.,1985
霍利.美国口语惯用例句集粹[M]. 北京：北京大学出版社，1996
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“空中英语”编委会.美国俚语精选[M]. 北京：机械工业出版社，2003
牛津高阶英汉双解词典[Z].美国：牛津大学出版社，2002
汪福祥.《英语口语精学本》[J]. 外文出版社2004
王爵鸾.英语俚语及其风格特征[J]. 外语学刊，1999（1）
英语俚语背景
DINK丁克(家庭)
DINK是(一对夫妻)Dual Income, No Kids(双份收入,没有孩子)的首字母缩合词。婚宴上(wedding reception)宾客(guests)常按习俗customs祝新娘bride新郎groom“早生贵子、添丁(have a baby bornsintosthe family)”。而今DINK之风日盛，对于那些“多(D)喝了些墨水(INK)的”DINK lovers来说，It is certain that they can afford to rear (养育) a kid.可就是没空However, they can't make time.他们做“丁克”，要把“丁”克了，够绝！
canteen n.食堂
那学校的canteen真够呛，菜(dishes)不够，就拿美国罐头(AmE: can)凑，专糊弄teen们(teen = teenager年龄在13到19岁的青少年)。
bargain n.便宜货v.谈条件
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“Hey, buddy! (嘿,老兄) Do you often go to the pub (常去泡吧吗)? Let me tell you a top secret (绝密).”“What's it?”“Hush(嘘)! Walls have ears.隔墙有耳。It's between you and me(天知地知,你知我知). If we go to the UETM Bar (悠逸TM酒吧), we can gain(收获) a bargain(便宜货).”“You're telling me! (还轮得到你来告诉我？我早知道了！) It's a public secret.(众人皆知的秘密)”
girl-kiss-me-quick n.额发；刘海＝fringe；bang
“Common talk”第一期曾登照片：一个女孩在蹦极(bungee)时说：Girl,Kiss me quick, I'm dying.快吻我，我要死了！另一层意思是：刘海，我就要死了，还不回原位呆着，让我在最后时刻保有漂亮的发型(hairdo)。说到发型(hairstlye),美国人最在乎不过了,对他们来说，最严重的个人危机personal crisis是a bad hair day“头发糟糕的一天”。
egretn.白鹭(厦门市鸟City Bird of Xiamen)
Hi, I regret to say I can't come to your hen party (妇女会). You know, bird watching is my hobby. Last time I wanted to take some photos of the egret. To my regret ([ri'gret]遗憾), I didn't see one. Now I'm on my way to Xiamen Haicang Safari Park (厦门海沧野生动物园). Ah啊(r), egret!
nine-to-five n.朝九晚五/上班族
你是朝九晚五的上班族(office worker)吗？工作压力大stressful吗? Take it easy!保持轻松愉快的心情，悠着点儿! Keep smiling!保持微笑哦!
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spooky玄，可怕的
A：This morning Keith came in wearing the same clothes he had on in my dream!
今天早上凯思竟穿着和我梦里见到的一样的衣服进来。
B: That's spooky!
真玄！
zit青春痘
A:Stop popping your zits. Yor know you're only making it worse.
别再挤你的青春痘了，这只会让它更糟。
B: But I look so stupid with this big zit on my nose.
但它就长在鼻子上，我显得很傻。
tell it like it is实话实说
I always tell it like it is but, unfo
e it easy!保持轻松愉快的心情，悠着点儿! Keep smiling!保持微笑哦!
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spooky玄，可怕的
A：This morning Keith came in wearing the same clothes he had on in my dream!
今天早上凯思竟穿着和我梦里见到的一样的衣服进来。
B: That's spooky!
真玄！
zit青春痘
A:Stop popping your zits. Yor know you're only making it worse.
别再挤你的青春痘了，这只会让它更糟。
B: But I look so stupid with this big zit on my nose.
但它就长在鼻子上，我显得很傻。
tell it like it is实话实说
I always tell it like it is but, unfortunately, sometimes the truth hurts.
我一向实话实说，只是有时候实话会伤心。
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babe美女；帅哥
A good thing is about living by the pool is you get to see all the babes.
住在泳池边的好处之一是可以看美女。
jerk差劲，没品的人
A：Can you believe that? David sold the bike that be borrowed from me to somebody else.
你相信吗？大卫竟把向我借的自行车卖人啦。
B：Really? What a jerk!
是吗？真差劲！
cheapskate小气鬼
A：Larry wants me to buy him a new CD simply because I accidentally scratched the back of his CD case.
拉瑞要我买个新CD还他，只不过我不小心把他的CD盒背面刮了一下。
B：I'm not surprised. He's known as a cheapskate.
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我一点也不惊讶，他是有名的小气鬼。
home free大功告成
I just need two more days of good work and then I'll be home free！
再好好工作两天我就大功告成了。
old老；cold冷；scold骂，责备人
人一旦old了，就怕cold，天一cold，old man就开始scold。(此条为读者aven创作)
oar船桨；boar野猪；
board木板，甲板，上船(飞机等)；boa蟒蛇
“大路road宽broad你不走，想挨揍？看我用oar把你们这群boar通通赶上board甲板！嘿嘿，董事会a board of directors说了，boar在国外可以卖好价钱，等你们aboard上船了，到abroad国外了，我也可以live abroad了。”“Freeze! Hands up!不许动,举起手来！you’re under arrest!你被捕了。中华人民共和国海关缉私队等候多时了！”“报告队长，在board上发现boa和boar，人证物证俱在，他们罪责难逃！”
candidate候选人＝can＋did＋ate＝candid＋ate；
candid n.坦白；adj.偷拍的(照片)
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“别看我廉颇老矣，我不仅过去是did现在也can能ate吃，这次出征选大将军，我一定是candidate！”“可我听说你一饭三屎啊！出征不是儿戏，你要be candid坦白，到底还能不能ate？”(赵襄王说着，拿出a candid snapshot偷拍的快照)。candidate源自拉丁文表示穿白衣服的人。古罗马官职选举，为表示自身清白必须白衣步行。
Mass n.弥撒，堆、块；adj.大量的
Mass就是Millions of Ants Sing Songs.不计其数的蚂蚁唱圣歌。据圣经Holy Bible说,人是上帝用泥造出来的man was formed of dust by the Lord，人在造物主面前如ant一样渺小。蚂蚁是如此之多，于是mass又有了另一层含义，大众、大量的。Mass media大众媒介
mistletoe槲寄生;tile瓦;toe脚趾
传说冬青holly和槲寄生mistletoe可以辟邪，所以圣诞节，许多家庭在室内门框或天花板挂一束槲寄生。嘿，这可乐坏了那些“爱在心里口难开”的男子，西方习俗custom，如果一个女青年偶尔occasionally经过或站在槲寄生mistletoe下面，旁边的男青年就可以走上前亲吻她(kiss under the mistletoe)。嘿，兄弟，勇敢点，要爱，就大声说“I miss you, miss your tile and toes想你，想你屋上的瓦和你美丽的脚趾。我I爱死s你了！(mis-tle-toe)”。
window窗户；widow寡妇；widower鳏夫
知道吗，最早的广告语slogan居然与widow和window有关哩！相传三百多年前，英国一个widow贴出一个租房广告：有一套间出租，推开window您就拥有了泰唔士河
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最美的风景!Wow! A Room with a view！说起widow,很多女士就来气:“那个FIFA组织什么World Cup，害得姐妹们每四年就得当一个月的足球寡妇football widow，真恨不得变成黑寡妇black widow把你们这些官员吃了。
merry愉快的；marry娶嫁；price价格；prize奖励
我哥们的老婆是双胞胎twin sisters，朋友们常常打趣他：两姐妹一个模子as like as two peas，可别认错老婆了。其实英语单词里也有双胞胎，你也别认错哦。前天，收到老同学的圣诞贺卡，这位仁兄倒好，把merry写成marry，Marry Christmas难道我能娶走圣诞不成！上周三，看一个应聘者candidate的简历resume,嘿！她居然曾经获得三次the first price,又不是拍卖，哪来好价格，原来，她把prize误为price了。
mess混乱；message信息
；mass弥撒；massage按摩
“惟女子与小人难养也！”what a mess!只要伊(E)在，世界就一团混乱mess。害得man们只好上教堂做mass希望远离是非。一个小时下来，体力透支，“马杀鸡massage”轻松一下，碰巧又被哪个伊(E)看见了，惟恐天下不mess，一下子当成桃色message传开了去，咳！
pawn小卒；lawn草坪；yawn打哈欠
三者惊人地相似。士兵小卒pawn个个争先跑到草坪lawn上，打哈欠yawn，伸懒腰，一副疲惫不堪的样子，pawn在lawn上yawn。
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Dutch荷兰的，荷兰语的
英国曾号称“日不落帝国empire on which sun never sets”，由于其霸权多依靠海上军事力量，所以特别痛恨其海上发展的劲敌Dutch荷兰。为了泄愤，与Dutch相关的短语大多带着贬义，如Dutch courage酒后之勇；Dutch treat自己付钱的聚餐；in Dutch失宠。正式场合中，荷兰多用Netherlands。通常又作Holland。
John Bull约翰牛(英国人绰号)；Uncle Sam山姆大叔
18世纪，Arbuthnot作讽刺诗，他的主角John Bull：浑身红脸，戴着礼帽，穿着靴子的农人模样的男子。后成为典型的英国人的绰号nickname。美国人也给自己取了绰号“吉祥人Uncle Sam”：瘦高个，下巴长着长胡子，戴着美国国旗图案的圆顶高帽，上身为燕尾服。
人们通常认为掌握一门外语要过三关（语音关、词汇关、语法关），斩五将（听、说、读、写、译），相对来说，掌握英语单词是最难过的一关。英语的词汇量大，总词汇量至少在60万以上，实用词汇量为8千至1万，基本词汇量为4千。 一般的说，掌握英语单词没有什么捷径可走，但可以选择一些不同方法来记忆英语单词，下面
1、逻辑记忆：通过词的本身的内部逻辑关系，词与词之间的外部逻辑关系记忆单词。
（1）把几个字母看作做一个来记，如：“ight”；light，right，fight，night，might，sight，tight。
（2）外旧内新，如：bridge“桥”看成b+ridge ridge “山脊”sharp看成
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s+harp“竖琴”。
（3）外新内旧，如：cleave“劈开”看成c+leave，tact 机智：看成t+act。
2、联想记忆：
（1）音与形的联想，即根据读音规则记忆单词。
（2）形与义的联想，如：eye把两个e看成两个眼。banana把a看成一个个的香蕉。bird 把b和d看成两个翅膀。
（3）象声词，联想实际的声音，如：gong锣coo咕咕声。
3、分类记忆：把单词进行分门类，如：动物，植物等，进行分类记忆。你可以找一本分类字典作为参考。
4、卡片记忆：自制作单词卡片随时随身进行记单词，卡片写上单词的词形、词性、词义、音标、搭配、例句等。
5、感官记忆：记单词时，不要只用一种感官，尽可能地用多个感官，耳听、嘴读、手写、眼看、心记等。
6、软件记忆：有电脑的可利用电脑软件进行记单词，如：《开心背单词》、《开天辟地背单词》、《我爱背单词》等。
7、构词记忆：利用构词法，通过分析词根、前缀、后缀、派生和合成等记忆单词。
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8、图表记忆：利用形象的图表进行记忆，它的优点是意、形、物直观的结合到一起。你可以找一本英语图解字典作为参考。
9、游戏记忆：通过自己和集体做游戏’在轻松愉快的气氛中进行记忆单词，你可以参照笔者主页上的“英语游戏”。
10、歌曲记忆：通过唱英语歌曲记忆单词，“听霸”“听力超人”等软件中有许多英文歌曲，并配有歌词和译文。
11、阅读记忆：通过阅读英语文章，小说等记忆单词，注意选择难度要适宜。
12、同义记忆：通过同义词一起进行单词记忆，可确切理解词义，这时不必注意它们的意义的区别。
13、反义记忆：通过反义词一起进行单词记忆，扩大了词义。
14、词典记忆：即背字典，这种方法是一种强行记忆的方法。它的缺点是容易忘记，只是孤立记住单词的意义。可以作为一种短时间的强化手段。
15、复习记忆：单词记住了，很快会忘掉，每隔一段时间要进行复习，巩固所学单词
16、商标记忆：通过看到的商标和广告随时随地进行记忆单词。
17、比较记忆：
（1）英汉比较，如：mama，cigar，beer，bar，fee等。
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（2）单复数的比较，如：good-goods，spirit-spirits，wood-woods。
（3）同音词的比较，如：right-write，eye-I。
（4）词的阴阳性的比较，如：actor-actress，host-hostess。
18、理解记忆：通过正确理解单词的本义、引申义和比喻义等如：second是“秒”，它来源于古代的六分法，分，秒，它是二次划分， 因此second也是“第二”，进一步引申，还可理解为“辅助”用这种方法特别适合那些一词多义的词。
19、联系记忆：记忆单词最好不要孤立地记，尽可能地和有关的东西联系来记。
（1）联系所学的文章大概意义，联系上下文。
（2）联系短语和搭配。
20、综合记忆：记忆单词最好综合利用多种方法，而不只是一种，利用各自的优点。
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