Slang
The Game - Spanglish
Play videoThis is a song the is by the rapper, The Game, and the song is titled "Spanglish". Growing up in Compton, California, The Game was subjected to many interactions with gang members and other individuals; this includes many hispanics. I found it interesting that this song includes a good amount of mock spanish, which i relevant to our final paper. In the song, Game switch back and forth between spanish to english and describes his life growing up in Compton along with the love for his city. [Published on 07-25-2017]
What is 'Cheugy'?
This is an article on the slang term 'cheugy', something that has recently been gaining popularity on Tik Tok and other social media! [Published on 04-29-2021]
Black American Sign Language (BASL) "slang"
This is Otis demonstrating some BASL terms. [Published on 12-04-2020]
Common Teenage Slang Terms
This article helps define several common teenage slang terms to aid parents' understanding of common slang terms that their teenagers may use. Some example of words that are prominent in teenage slang include "goals", "on fleek", and "thot". These slang terms are informal, yet very popular in usage both in person and online by teenagers, and thus this source provides a small description of a few terms to aide in parent's understanding of their teen's vernacular. [Published on 08-22-2018]
SODA / POP / COKE
This video is a nice, cute compilation of examples of linguistic variation across the US. Most of the examples are more semantic, simply having different names for things like "soda" or "sub" as we've seen in class. The different areas that are highlighted on the map are particularly drastic for some of them, like "in line" versus "on line," with "on line" only really being said around New York and in most of Colorado (outside Denver). These isolated instances make me wonder what drove the variation, especially when they aren't very populated areas. It would also be interesting to know how multidialectal individuals would respond to these questions.
YEE.T
Picture of the alien ET on top and then of a meme'd version of ET with various emojis to make him seem more "dank" below entitled YEE.T ("ji-ti") [Published on 05-25-2018]
Slang in Young Generation
Play videoThis video shows how young generation uses slang in their language. It also shows that the difference of using slang based on the different social background and experience. The discussion between daughter and mother shows how speech community has its own ways of speaking and how important the meaning of words transfer and change in today's society.
Um Okay Sure: 5 Types of Trees Or Whatever Lol
This is a short article from Clickhole that lists 5 types of trees, with a caption. The author, who probably does not speak this way in normal life, has mimicked the speech of a teenager by using phrases and words that show up mostly in teenage speech. This article reminded me of the reading we did on Tuesday, 02/19, "So who? Like how? Just what? Discourse markers in the conversations of young Canadians," by Sali Tagliamonte, because the Clickhole writer is using some of the same words that Tagliamonte looked at. Of course this Clickhole article focuses more on the way that teenage speak appears in writing rather than out loud though. [Published on 02-26-2019]
Sorry to Bother You and Code Switching
In this article AT McWilliams observes the light the movie _Sorry to Bother You_ brought to code switching. He also observes what code switching really means for African Americans and highlights the importance of more people learning about code switching [Published on 07-25-2018]
World of dave: Guessing Konglish words.
Play videoDave, an American Youtuber who lives in Korean uses his youtube channel to teach Korean to English speakers and English to Koreans. In this video, his brother is visiting and he makes him guess the meaning of Konglish words. Konglish words, as you might be able to guess by the name, English words only used in Korean, but not really. It is a bit of a slang language as most Konglish words are spoken an American accent but are not the same words used in American English. The Koreans made their own words based on the properties of the item, idea or place. Some words are also based on American slang terms, such as sum, this is based on the slang for "something" which means there is a relationship between two people that are not an official couple.
Palabra Mi Amor - A French song that’s mostly English and Spanish!
Play videoThe French band Shaka Ponk is known for their multilingual lyrics, as they code switch in Spanish, French, English, and Esperanto. This song is semi-exceptional as they use more French than in their other songs. (For a song with Esperanto, listen to Eh La Mala Lama Laico). They use a non standard variety of English while singing (copula deletion), and you can also see adoption of English loanwords into their French vernacular.
How to Speak Internet 101
Play videoThis artifact contains terms and phrases that are used on the Internet and provides an explanation and briefing of what context these terms can be used in. The video explains Internet "slang" terms.
Workplace Norms Conveyed Through Rap
Play videoThe Office is a popular show on NBC from which we can apply linguistic concepts to. In this short clip Dwight and Michael compose a rap for new members of the office that have relocated from another geographical area. This rap is used to introduce the new hires to the social workplace norms that typically take place at Dunder Mifflin. Dwight and Michael utilize rap and rhyming to make the song seem more comical and appealing to the individuals they have never met before. They also try hard to make their office seem "cool" and "inviting."
NBA Legend Baron Davis Teaches You Basketball Slang | Vanity Fair
Play videoFormer NBA all star Baron Davis explains basketball terms that people use within the game. If you watch a basketball game on TV, you will hear announcers using this lingo. Also if you play the game you will be exposed to this field of language use. This video is taken very lightly and a lot of humor is used, but he still is very informative on each basketball term.
Teens Tell All About Slang
Play videoThis video emphasizes a new language habit of teenagers in todays' world. What I mean is using slang. Slang is highly informal and often used in colloquial speech. It is a part of a language that is usually outside of standard usage and that may consist of both newly coined words and phrases and of new or extended meanings attached to established terms. This video helps you to understand some slangs with a good explanation of the reason for these changes.
South African Rugby Slang
Play videoIn the video, Welsh players try to find and dissect the meaning behind the slang and colloquialisms of the South African language and rugby terms for various things. The reason behind this is due to the terms being unique to South African community and rugby community. These terms are special to the rugby group and the known meaning only known to the South African country as seen throughout the length of the video
"Dangerous" Teenage Texting Slang
This article covers a viewpoint of parents on slang used over text by teenagers. The article provides lists of acronyms to provide insight in what teens are saying and ways for parents to "decode". It is interesting to see that communication has adapted so much to the point where an older generation needs a "decoding" list in order to understand conversations of younger generations. It also shows the difference in speech communities between two sets of age groups. [Published on 06-12-2017]
Ear Hustle Podcast
This podcast, "Ear Hustle" discusses the reality of life in prison, created in a prison by prisoner Earlonne Woods and a prison volunteer and artist named Nigel Poor. The first episode, "Cellies" describes the meaning of the word "Ear Hustle" which is synonymous with eavesdropping. Prison language and the language used outside of prison is highly various. This is just an example of various language used in prison and the connection to prison culture. [Published on 06-14-2017]
The Meaning of "Za": Pizza or Lasagna?
Play videoThis video is an SNL sketch in which two courtroom attorneys argue over the meaning of a specific word used by the defendant. This argument revolves around the question: Does "Za" mean pizza or lasagna? Because the two attorneys have differing language ideologies and are a part of different speech communities, they interpret the word "Za" differently and therefore each believe the defendant belongs to their speech community and uses "Za" the way it means to them. This video also plays on linguistic indexicality, which is the way in which language references or points us to certain aspects of the world; in this case the pronunciation of "Za" pointed one attorney towards lasagna and the other towards pizza.
New Slang
This article talks about how slang in incorporated with each new generation. We were talking about this in class and this is a little bit more.
The Kardashians' Language
Play videoIn this video (at around time 1:25), Millie Bobby Brown talks about the particular way the Kardashians speak, including slang terms that are used by the family members and viewers of their show.
R.S.V.P. - Clueless (1/9) Movie CLIP (1995) HD
Play videoSome examples of the third dialect in the 1995 movie Clueless.
Californians guess NYC slang
Play videoA non-white NYC native tests Californians on their knowledge of "NYC" slang. The speaker brings up the borough ideology, and uses a raised THOUGHT vowel.
How the triplet flow took over rap
Play videoAlthough the usage of triplets (i.e. the “Migos” flow) has become very popular as of late, and is currently heard on just about every rap track that hits the Billboard 100, the usage of triplets in rap is not something new. It has its roots in Midwestern and Southern rap communities in the 80s onward. In rap, a triplet is essentially like setting your verse to 3/4 time - three beats per bar rather than 4. In rap, it can be used as a sort of verbal trick - it could slow down a song by throwing off the expected rhythm our brain is expecting to hear or even speed it up. Listening to verses in triplets can also make the rappers’ flow feel cleaner. Lyrically, the songs can be flexible or rigid, allowing a diverse range of rap styles to be done over the beat.
I GET THE BAG Gucci Mane ft. Migos
Play videoThis is a new Hip-Hop video with Gucci Mane and rap group the Migos called I Get The "Bag". When people are talking about getting a "Bag" now of days it's just another way of saying getting money or bossing up that's just your "bag". Bag can be used in many different ways it's a new thing that has been used frequently. It's an African american slang word coming from rap culture.
Philippine English vs. Australian English
Play video"Philippine English vs. Australian English" is a funny YouTube video by a Filipino husband and his Australian wife illustrating the differences between the two different dialects of English. By comparing different words and terms between the two dialects, the differences are sometimes profound, incomprehensible, and often very funny!
The Game-Spanglish
This is a song the is by the rapper, The Game, and the song is titled "Spanglish". Growing up in Compton, California, The Game was subjected to many interactions with gang members and other individuals; this includes many hispanics. I found it interesting that this song includes a good amount of mock spanish, which i relevant to our final paper. In the song, Game switch back and forth between spanish to english and describes his life growing up in Compton along with the love for his city. [Published on 07-25-2017]
The Doge Meme
Fun Fact: it is the 12 year anniversary of the term doge. An internet famous canine known to many, one of the original meme phenomenons: the "doge." Originating with a picture of perplexed Shiba Inu, this picture was one of the first to get the meme movement going. Somehow, this photo of a dog evolved into the same picture with a smorgasbord of random phrases on it in juvenile neon comic sans font. Phrases such as "very wow" "such fun" "so perplex" "much doge" which are obviously not grammatically correct, nor do they make any sense, but for some reason everybody understands and laughs along. There are countless versions of the doge that apply to any situation, and the use of doge language is still relevant and understood 12 years later. [Published on 02-06-2014]
Mexican Slang with Salma Hayek
Play videoThis video is of Mexican, multilingual actress Salma Hayek describing and translating Spanish slang terms into English. She attempts to translate words and phrases literally, but then provides more nuanced and accurate translations. She employs some code-switching in her commentary, and the video helps illustrate elements of Spanish-speaking Mexican identities and speech communities.
Grief Bacon
Play videoIn this video, it depicts a German named Flula who teaches German colloquialisms. This illustrates the differences between cultures. The German culture has many words that cannot necessarily translate equivocally to English. The Germans combine words that are meaningless when translated directly to English. In this video, Flula talks about Kummerspeck, which directly translates to Grief Bacon, or the weight one gains during a period of grief.
Keye & Peele - Proud Thug
Play videoIn this Key and Peele skit called “Proud Thug”, comedians Michael Keegan-Key and Jordan Peele portray stereotypical Hispanic gangsters. They use terms like “holmes”, “homie” and “esé” to refer to each other. On top of the heavy Spanish accents, they use some broken English, double negatives, slang, and a lot of cursing to communicate in a way that Hispanic “gangstas” are expected to.
Anne Curzan: What makes a word "real"?
Play videoIn this video Anne Curzan reviews how a word can be introduced to language, how words can begin to move out of the language, and how the usage of words change and alter through time. Curzan also covers how people use dictionaries and resources in order to stay caught up but, editors of dictionaries are struggling to keep up with our vocabulary and have to gabble on which words will actually survive.
Fabricated Cognates as Memes
In October 2016 a trend began of tweets that were probably photos of food, with a caption that ended with a nonsense phrase; a phrase that when read, makes no sense, but when spoken, sounds oddly like "bon appetít." The use of this and related phrases indexed the users/tweeters as cool, hip, and knowledgeable about pop culture, and it allowed them to show off their creativity as the actual photos of food became more and more ridiculous. This meme is particularly interesting from a sociolinguist viewpoint because there's no actual speaking occurring, but anyone in on the joke knows that speech is a vital part of the humor - this entire phenomenon is text-based, and yet intimately tied to the pronunciation of English.
HIP HOP SLANGS
Play videoThis is about a Guy who is trying to explain rap slang. Based on the video he is a white male trying to explain the hip hop cultures slang. The thing that I found really interesting about the video is his persona that presents the word. How he tries to explain the word with “appropriate English”. I noticed that this related to our class because we talked about how we appropriate certain styles of language over the other. Even though rap slang is only used by a small group of people it seem to be represented a an inferior way of speak based on the presentation of this video. When they gave examples it was looked at as silly. Just a really interesting video especially when you relate it to this topic.
Kroll Show - Rich Dicks - Dunch
Play videoIn this Kroll Show skit, Rich Dicks, Drunch, the two men, Wendy and Aspen, embellish their “rich” lifestyle by the purchasing a restaurant. They get the name of their restaurant by combining “dinner” and “lunch.” Customers who are are in the same socioeconomic community as them elongate words and use a higher pitched tone resulting in intonation after a statement. Additionally, they insert “r” in several words, like in Liam Nersen(Neeson), carsh (cash), and hur (here), resulting in a /ar/, /ʌr/ or a hooked schwa sound. To differentiate the socioeconomic status between the characters, the chef in the skit does not follow the same language performance as Wendy and Aspen.
Language Lessons Told Through Twitter
This article it explains how social media particularly twitter not only can change language, but can provide a proper input on the evolution of language.
[Published on 10-26-2012]
How to Sound Cooler in French
Play videoThis is a (humorous) tutorial for people who are learning French and want to sound more like a native speaker. It speaks to the French tendency to rely on sounds (like ouf, bof, etc) to convey subtle meaning in phrases.
Barack Obama - Code Switcher
Play videoCode switching is a large part of a public figures publicity arsenal. Being able to switch mannerisms, linguistic traits, and other factors of a depiction of self is incredibly important in the formulation of a diverse and accepting group of constituents. Being able to maintain all the code switching when prompted is also necessary for maintaining those groups, because being able to appear like you know exactly what they’re experiencing shows commitment and understanding. Barack Obama was known through various examples to show his ability to code switch based on the community he was visiting, whether it be rural North Carolina church, or USA basketball locker rooms. In this clip, we see his interactions with various players, male and female, and the coaching staffs. Take note how he changes the way he speaks based on their perceived race and whether they are a coach or a player. In addition, the status of the individuals he is addressing changes the way he speaks. For example, the way he talks to LeBron James (superstar) and Anthony Davis (rookie at the time) are different, even though they are both power forwards for the USA Men’s basketball team. Furthermore, in his recounting of the story about Joe Biden’s daughter, we see his use of different speech techniques with a coach who is white when compared to interactions with a black player. Finally, the handshake at the beginning of the video with Kevin Durant is a great example of an on the fly code switch.
John McWhorter: Txtng is killing language. JK!!!
This is a TED talk by John McWhorter in which he is explaining that writing is just a representation in the way we talk. He explains that there is an emergent complexity in fingered speech (texting). There is a new kind of "language" that is being created now that speech is in continuous change and therefore a new structure is created. [Published on 02-01-2013]
Dogs Are Doggos: An Internet Language Built Around Love For The Puppers
An article describing the evolution of "doggolingo" across the internet over the past few years. It does cite linguists as commenting on the trends. Comments on the lexical and onomatopoetic nature of the "lingo." [Published on 04-23-2017]
"Stop Trying to Make 'Fetch' Happen"
Play video"Mean Girls" has provided us with an excellent example of the shortcomings of trying to attribute the success of certain linguistic features and usages solely to language-internal factors. The term 'Fetch', which would appear to offer extensive linguistic utility and appeal, finds its success limited by the asymmetric, structural power differential between Regina George and Gretchen. As sociolinguists we must consequently keep in mind the need to contextualize speech features within wider historical and political movements (see Milroy and Milroy 1985: 13, "Prescription and Standardization" in Authority in Language).
At UMass lecture, Stanford professor tackles prejudice against African-American English in courtrooms
A woman’s testimony in court is accused of being “unintelligible” because she speaks a different dialect of English, specifically African American English. The slang terms or speech patterns that she uses do not sound grammatically correct to the courtroom, but back home, it is normal speech. Rickford interestingly notes in the article that since interpreters for foreign languages are used in the courtroom, we should also use those resources of dialects of English that are not as easily interpreted by conventional speakers of the language.
Teen Slang: What's, like, so wrong with like?
This article is about the use of 'like' and other fillers and the way it is deemed inappropriate. It is commonly used among teens as a way of 'belonging', and is used in certain contexts. The article also goes on to say that someone might not like the use of fillers because they are not part of the speech community it's used in. [Published on 09-28-2010]
An Illustrated Guide To Weird British Expressions
If you asked someone what’s Great Britain's most peculiar trait, they’d probably tell you it’s their odd choice of expressions. Here's a curation of a series of strange, weird and odd British expressions illustrated. [Published on 11-07-2016]
(Almost) Every time they say "BOY" on Monster Factory (Eps. 1-23)
Play videoThis is exactly what it says in the title--a clip show of every time the hosts of Polygon's video series Monster Factory say the word "boy". What is significant about the use of "boy" in this context is that it is non-standard. Most speakers of American English do not refer to grown men as boys in the same way that these same speakers refer to grown women as girls. Moreover, the hosts are both brothers, lending to their similar styles of speaking as well as senses of humor. I also included "internet language" and "slang" as tags due to the growing use of "boy" to describe grown men across the internet as the show gains popularity within gaming circles.
Language Barriers
Language barrier is not only two people speaking two different languages. Word choices, linguistic ability, slangs, abbreviation and grammar can also identify language barrier. Language barrier stands for “no meaning” communication that can lead to misunderstanding. Even when two people speak same languages, there can be a language barrier because not everybody understands professional technical terms unless working in the field.
Latinos Guess Urban Dictionary Terms
Play videoThis video is interesting because it is asking Latinos specifically what they think certain slang words mean that are often used today. The words are slang words that most young adults and teenagers know but a few of the words were aimed at the Latino community. An interesting aspect of the video was that they included slang words related to the presidential race of 2016 and you can see how the Latinos react to certain words or what they assume one might mean.
Sh%t Southern Women Say, Episode 1
Play videoThis comical satire highlights common phrases and slang frequently used by southern women. These iconic sayings can also index their southern roots.
The Specialized Language of Sports
This is a link to a blog post describing the specialized language of sports. This post highlights the various terminology used in a variety of sports. The author describes some of his favorite terms in both American sports as well as terms used in European countries. He likes these terms for the actual sound the words make when uttered.
Tags: Community of practice, British, French, Portuguese, Italian, Slang, semantics [Published on 08-11-2010]
“Things You Do Online That’d Be Creepy In Real Life”
Play videoThis video draws attention to how social media has gone further than just coining new slang terms; it has created a new language with entirely different governing rules. It points out the significant differences in styles of communication between face-to-face contact and social media interactions. The most striking examples are the performative declarations that would seem strange if spoken in front of a live audience. Here we see just how easily we take for granted this major shift in our everyday life.
New Slang Added to Australian Dictionary
This article covers the addition of modern Australian slang to their national dictionary. The content added includes modern words and phrases commonly used by the various Australian native dialects and their definitions. As a lot of Australian saying and slang are uncommon and foreign to other English speakers, this addition to the Australian dictionary can provide definitions for their otherwise unfamiliar sayings. [Published on 08-24-2016]
Twitch Speak the Language of Twitch Chat
This short article attempts to delve into the appeal of twitch.tv's brand of emoji language and how it has developed into its own language community that spans multiple continents. [Published on 08-08-2014]
How to Speak Hip
Play videoThis is the intro to a 13 part "album" instructing listeners on how to speak and understand "hip" language. Those who want to appear "cool" to this subculture that includes hipsters, juvenile delinquents, jazz musicians, etc.
Yo skater!
This sign photo was posted by a TripAdvisor user who visited North Vancouver. The sign is aimed at skateboarders. By using slang language that indexes stereotypical skateboarders and the style in which they are perceived to generally speak, the Parks Department attempts to be humorous by exaggeratedly targeting the skater community, but in the process is trying to make a directed message with this style.
30 Trendy Internet Slang Words and Acronyms You Need To Know To Fit In
Do you ever read an acronym and have absolutely no idea what it means? Seems to be happening more and more lately! Especially with teens and young adults. Here is your key to internet slang! [Published on 07-15-2015]
Facebook Wants to Build a Glossary of New Slang
With the rise of social media in our everyday lives where traditional language conventions are not always used, there have been new forms of slang and internet slang coming about daily. This article shows how Facebook wants to detect the uses of slang on their website and create a dictionary to give meaning to all of these new words. This technology will attempt to predict cool slang words before they are “cool”.
The Ebonics Controversy in my Backyard
This article talks about Ebonics and Code-Switching, It explains what happened when the Ebonics controversy broke out.
Language, Race, and White Public Space
This article talks about the use of language in comparison to race. It talks about the negative stereotypes that are directed to Chicanos and Latinos by talking about "Mock Spanish".
Gay Men React to Lesbian Slang
Play videoThis video shows a bunch of different gay men trying to decipher what different types of lesbian slang mean. They also go in to what their own gay slang is as well while trying to understand lesbian slang.
Key & Peele - Obama Meet & Greet
Play videoThis Key & Peele comedy sketch humorously depicts Obama and the different ways he talks to black and white people after a speech. There's a lot of code switching going on in this sketch. There are a handful funny references in here as well, from rap to slang.
How to Speak INTERNET
Play videoA group of three British guys basically put together a video "guide" to understanding all of today's internet slang. From "YOLO," to ""FML," they cover a handful of different types of internet slang and explain what they all mean in the non internet world.
Friends: Joey acting nineteen
Play videoIn this clip from the TV show FRIENDS, the character Joey is pretending to be a teenager to prove he can land an acting gig as a younger guy. He uses a bunch of what he thinks is teenager slang while trying to convince Chandler that he can do it. This is a good example of slang, especially in regards to youth and the area in which the show is set (NYC).
Black Folks Slang
Play videoA black comedian basically goes through a handful of different types of "black folks slang" and explains what they really mean. He does this through a couple different ways, from using the slang in a sentence, to describing exactly what it means, to even showing tweets that use a particular type of "black folks slang." He also does it in a humorous way which makes it easier to understand and more engaging.
Hooked on Ebonics
The article dives into several important concepts as they relate to the understanding of Ebonics. The author explains that there are rules and variety within Ebonics that demonstrate its value as a variety of English. The author also addresses that Ebonics is not just "a black thing" and that many whites, Hispanics and Asian Americans all engage in AAVE.
Grandmas Attempt To Define Modern Slang Words [LABS] | Elite Daily
Play videoGrandmas try to decipher what modern slang words mean. Here you can see how age and culture can determine your language use. I think we can also see how slang plays into language and how misunderstood slang can be.
When Dirty words first appeared in English
A chart of when slang terms for genitalia and sex first appeared in English. [Published on 12-19-2014]
Internet Language
This article goes over the beginning unique language on the Internet. It also goes over grammar that is unique the Internet. [Published on 01-22-2015]
The Evolution of Dude
Play videoHow the meaning of the word dude has radically changed over 130 years.
Dad Learns Internet Slang
Play videoA son is teaching his father words that are commonly used on the internet and seeing what he thinks they mean. It is very interesting to see how different generations think of these words as two completely different things.Throughout this video of course slang is being used but I think stigmas are brought up throughout this video as well. The refer to Justin Bieber as having swag and then describe it as, hat turned sideways, pants sagged low, etc.
How Others Interpret Slang
Play videoThis is video shows different members of society, whether it be by age, gender or race, trying to identify what different slang terms mean.
The Semantics of "Literally"
Play videoThis clip from the television show Frasier demonstrates discourse over the semantics of the word "literally".
Jewish American uses of Yiddish
Play videoThis Video contains Jewish Americans using select Yiddish words and Slang words such as JAP(Jewish American Princess).
The Bae factor
This picture is a perfect example of how our youth have started taking common words of endearment and changing it out of laziness but to mean the same thing as the original word.
Dude
Play videoThis video is a Bud Light commercial using the word Dude only. This video is a perfect example of Indexicality. The simple word is used in multiple contexts as well as multiple tones to convey completely different meanings.
Jawn - It's the new 'Yo'
A profile of the slang term "jawn," unique to Philadelphia, which is used in a the new Rocky movie. [Published on 12-01-2015]
If Folks Wanna Pop Off
Play videoThis week, Obama said "pop off" in a public address. Responses were...enthusiastic.
Hahaha vs. Hehehe
A piece that muses on the different ways we portray "e-laughter" and how everything from the base chosen (ha vs. he) to the number of ha's, etc. or the number of letters used indicates certain meanings. [Published on 04-30-2015]
That Way We’re All Writing Now
This article talks about change in syntax on the Internet. More specifically it addresses the rise of subordinate clauses, leading to utterances such as "that x when..." or "when x..." as well as suggestions for their increasing prevalence. [Published on 03-06-2015]
"This is her, right?" "This is me, right?"
Play videoCatherine Tate as teen Londoner Lauren, performing the quotative "this is + SPEAKER" among other features associated with urban young Londoners of low socio-economic class.
Time Magazine's "Which Words Should We Ban?"
The banned word poll consists mainly of slang found in youth culture and in AAE, and while the article suggests the words in question are new and over-exposed, the lexical items in AAE have long been in use. The descriptions for the words and slang mock those who use them, heavily targeting African American youth. [Published on 11-12-2014]
When Slang Becomes a Slur
Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg, who testified in the trademark trial over the name of the football team the Washington Redskins, argues that the term remains a slur and that the team name should be changed. [Published on 06-23-2014]
XKCD: Cautionary Ghost
An XKCD comic on prescriptivism and the use of "literally" to mean "figuratively."
XKCD: Misusing Slang
A XKCD comic about language change, youth, and slang.
"No Homo" in hip hop
Play videoA 2008 video post on the slang term "No Homo," defined as a "defense mechanism" used within hop hop culture by men wo want to confirm their heteromasculinity.
What's your English, South Africa?
Play videoA short video made in preparation for the World Cup in South African in 2010, with young South Africans discussing their unique English varieity
NPR: The Lost Gay Language of Britain's 60s
A 2003 interview with linguist Paul Baker about his book on Polari, a "secret" code used by gay men in the U.K. in the 1960s.
Dude: Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
Play videoDude: Bolling Cartoon
(Enlarge image)Yorkshire "dictionary" for foreign doctors
A 2010 Daily mirror article about a Yorkshire "dictionary" of contemporary slang that is currently distributed to foreign (European) doctors.
"Welcome to Baltimore, Hon!"
Play audioThis audio feature is from the Summer 2012 issue of American speech and can be found on their website, www.americanspeech.dukejournals.org, for download. This piece is entitled "Welcome to Baltimore, Hon!" Exploring Hon as a linguistic and identity marker in Baltimore, and is presented by Holly-Catherine Britton and Heidi J. Faust.
Southern Dialects: Talkin' Tar-Heel
Transcript of interview with Walt Wolfram in which many aspects of Southern English are discussed. Audio available on website.
Ebonics Cartoon
(Enlarge image)