I’d like a word with you! Don’t worry you’re not in trouble. Since my mind feels like word salad that’s my topic. I love words, vocabulary is my thing. I’m fascinated by finding the perfect word, synonyms are so much fun. How did this or that slang or idiom come to be? We use some weird words. What about the joy of cursing? It seems to me that without slang, idioms and swearing, English would be a pretty boring language. I imagine those who are learning our language have a hard time with the underbelly of our language!
Ironically, I’m first going to define some words. Slang: very informal usage in vocabulary and idiom that is characteristically more metaphorical, playful, elliptical, vivid, and ephemeral than ordinary language. Wow that definition has some major vocabulary in it! Slang is basically informal language, it’s not wrong or bad, but I probably wouldn’t refer to the Pope as “ Hey dude!” My age is showing for sure, but when, as a young person, I used words like groovy, cool, and right-on we agreed on their meaning and we knew when and how to use them. Slang is older than we think, or conversely short-lived in usage. “Groovy” is a good example, it comes from the 30’s originally, was resurrected in the 60’s but is seldom used today. Slang is generational and often specific to particular group. The boyz in the hood use different slang than Rednecks use!
Slang is often used when we talk about sex. How many ways can we say sexual intercourse, or penis and vagina? Let me count the ways! We could start with “Play nug-a-nug”, slang for having sex in 1500. In 1970, my friends and I just asked “Did you do it?”, “it” meaning have sex. “A roll in the hay” does not mean rolling in the hay barn, and “making whoopee” has nothing to do with whoopie pies. There is so much slang for male and female genitalia that using the correct terms, like penis and vagina, seem like “dirty” words to me. Almost everyone “diddles”, but no one masturbates, right? The more taboo a topic is, the more slang created to cushion reality. Would you rather be “Pushing up daisies “ or be dead?
idiom: an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but has a meaning of its own Huh? For example, “I’m all ears.” does not mean one is literally covered in ears, it means you are very attentive and listening closely. A lot of idioms in common usage in our language have old and archaic origins. “ Hit the road.” refers to the sound that horses hooves made on the road. This is so much more vivid than “I’m leaving now.” Winking your eyes 40 times will not be nearly as restful as a short nap. “40 winks” originated in Britain. Are you going to “Beat around the bush.”, “ Bark up the wrong tree.” or “Bury the hatchet.”?
People who have a poor vocabulary are boring to listen to. To say you are “sad” is not nearly as interesting and nuanced as saying you are “heartbroken, “despondent” or “miserable”. The latter set of words are more precise and reveal the nature and depth of your feelings. I’m not a word snob, I’m just curious and want to better understand. Are you just angry or are you fuming and irate? You decide.
For now, I think I’ll bite the bullet and hit the road. Or do I need to face the music first? I’m cool, you’re cool, we’re all cool….