Fanny
Presentation
Hi everyone, my name is Fanny. I'm a 19 years old girl and I was born and raised in Canada. I am a Modern languages student at Dawson College where I decided to learn Spanish and Italian. My family always encouraged me to have friends from all around the world and to appreciate all the differences in each. I have always been very interested and opened about other cultures, different world views, ways to communicate and I always loved to travel. I always loved having friends from different cultures and I really appreciate learning from their cultures as well. This love for for differences and for the world made discover another passion that I had: traveling. During my childhood, I traveled to Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Tampa, Cayman Island and I realized that I loved to get out of my comfort zone and to explore the world in its different aspects.
Greece
When I was 14, I went to Greece with my school and visited many cities such as Loutraki, Santorini and Athens. Out of all the countries that I visited, Greece was the most memorable experience and the reason why is because it was my first trip to Europe, It was the first time I went to a place where people speak neither English or French and everything I saw and discovered in Greece felt like I was in another world. It was an amazing experience that I never forgot and it encouraged me, even more, to learn more about the world around me and to open my mind to things outside of my culture and what I am used to, which is why I decided to take the Modern Languages program.
Spain
Throughout this program I had the opportunity to participate to another school trip to Spain for 2 weeks and I lived with a Spanish family the whole time. The main placed my trip took place was in the city of Malaga and I visited beautiful cities like Seville, Cordoba, Nerja, Torremolinos It was a very unique experience and I had to live in a culture that was practically unknown to me and almost by myself. I got the chance to practice my Spanish and to visit the country more independently because I was not always with my group and I had the chance to visit the downtown on my own and to take the bus.
Topic:
I decided to focus my project American slang, more precisely its use, its history, its place in society, its evolution, etc . The reasons why I chose this topic are because the majority of people, in today's society, use slang and hear it on a regular basis. At work, at home, among friends or family, in the streets, on television, in the movies, etc. So many slang exist and some of them are so popular, to the point they are being used in other languages as well and sometimes they even being put in official dictionary. I decided to talk about American slang more specifically, because American culture is playing and taking a huge part in the world and influences many other cultures, particularly since the 50s. Because American culture is seen by many people as the "coolest culture" with the greatest films, music, etc. people are looking after them and they aspire to look like them in order to fit in and to look "cool". I decided to pick and to look into American slang more specifically, because I feel like it is a form of language that is very often being used by Canadians, even in a french area, and I believe it is important for us to really understand the words and expressions we can be using on a regular basis.
In this blog, I will also include every week, different facts and information about the subject throughout my research. There will also be few articles and videos in order for be to support my research and my statements.
Slang: the people's poetry
Adams, Michael. Slang: the people's poetry. New York: Oxford University Press; edition 1, 2009. Google books
What I really appreciate about this book is that it talks about so many things concerning slang such as the origins, the different slang there could be, how they can be interpreted, their social dynamic, etc. without being boring or being too vague. The book gives a lot of detail and is also using terms that are easy to understand and it helps the ready to have a better appreciation of the subject that is being discussed.
A dictionary of English rhyming slangs
Lillo, Antonio and Terry Victor. A dictionary of English rhyming slangs. De Gruyer Mouton; 2017. Dawson College
https://dc153.dawsoncollege.qc.ca:2312/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1566053&site=eds-live&scope=site&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_C
This book is a dictionary of a huge variety of slang in the English language. Wonderful and interesting details such as: From where exactly the slang was first seen, by whom it is used, the definition, what type of word it is (adjective, noun, verb), etc. Although it does not specifically talk about American slang, the demographic origins of each of the slang is being mentioned as well. This way, it will be easier for me to make the difference between the American slang and the other slang. There are plenty of definition which will help me to give a full biography of certain words that I would like to talk about.
American: A history of English in the United States
Bailey, Richard W. American: A history of English in the United States. New York: Oxford University Press; 2012. Google books
This book talks about the evolution of the English language throughout the time, the different expressions and the dialogues that are used in each state such as Philadelphia, New York, Boston, New Orleans, etc. What I like about this book is the fact that it is very organized. Each chapter talks about a specific state and it gives a very detailed biography of the language. This book will help me to look deeper into the states of the United States rather than the words. This book will be a great combination with the dictionary of English rhyming slang, because one is specifically focused on words and the other is about their evolution in the country.
Slang and Sociability: In-Group Language Among College Students
Eble, Connie. Slang and Sociability: In-Group Language Among College Students. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press; 1996 Google book
This book talks about the perception society can have on slang and also what can influence people, more specifically college students, to use these words and to see them in a good or bad light. What I love about this book, is that it gives a lot of details and it is focusing on one type of people in particular. Young people tend to be the ones to create slang and to use them the most and it is interesting for me to read a book about the people who live in the center of this type of language. It is also an old edition, and with the help of the other books, I will be able to draw a timeline of the evolution of slang in the american society from 1996 to now.
Hip Hop Slang Dictionary
Peovska, Simona "Hip Hop Slang Dictionary" dreadpen, March 22, 2019 https://www.dreadpen.com/hip-hop-slang-dictionary/
This website talks about the numerous slang that are being used in Hip Hop and the slang that came from this music genre. Hip Hop is very popular worldwide and among the young generation who is the one starting trends and using slang the most on a daily basis. What I find interesting about this website, is that it focuses on one type of slang in particular and it is also giving the lyrics and the names of the songs the slang come from, which encourages me to go look and listen to these songs by myself.
Definition of the slang "Fleek"
Fleek:
[on fleek] Adjective
Originally, in early 2000s, this word was used to describe something smooth and pretty. Later on, it became a word used to describe perfect and beautiful eyebrows. "Eyebrows on fleek". It is also used as another way to say "on point". In other cases, certain people do remakes of the word and deform the word in order to had more expression into what they are saying. For example: instead of saying "on fleek", they will say "on flook" or "it is fleeky". The word "fleek" was popularized in 2014 by Peaches Monroe (Kayla Newman), on a well-known phone application called: Vine. Because this phone application was so popular at the time, it only took few days for the word to become known by thousands of people, to be used in songs, in other vines, by other celebrities, etc. Until this day, this word is still being used frequently by the young generation. In my class, my teacher did the test and all of the students knew the meaning of the word, have heard of it and knew where it came from. Personally, I do not really use this word, for the simple reason that I grew up liking other slang.
This text comes a series of biographies called: "Plutarch's lives of the noble Greeks and Romans" that were translated in 1801. The originals started to be written from the 10th century to the Renaissance. This is one of the oldest use of the word "fleek" that we have. Although we don't know what was the definition of the word at this time, we can see that the pronunciation and the writing are still exact until this day.
This is an excerpt from a Welsh-English Dictionary written by William Owen Pughe in 1803. There we have the translation of the word "Mwythus". It says "Puffed up, delicate, nice, fleek". It leads us to believe that the word "fleek" was a synonyms for delicate and nice and that it had a positive aspect even back in the 19th century. It also means that the word had mostly something to do with appearance, because "delicate, nice and puffed up" are often used as ways to describe the physical aspect of things such as: clothes, makeup, hairstyles, etc.
Definition of the slang: Lit
This word has a lot of different definitions and can interpreted in many ways. "Lit" can be a word used to describe something that is really cool, intense and exciting. This word is also used to say that something is on fire or to describe someone that is intoxicated by drugs or alcohol and now the effects are starting to show. This slang really started to gain popularity around 2015 because of the rapper Travis Scott who is often using the word in his songs by saying "It's lit". Another thing that helped him to make this word popular and part of his brand, is the fact that he was the boyfriend of Kylie Jenner who is a well-known celebrity. The word is now part of the rap culture and is being used by many other rap artists such as : Drake, the Migos, etc. Since rap is the most popular and the best-selling music in the world, it had no problem to be take a big part into the American English language. Until this day, this word is still being used often, but as we can see, certain slang can have a negative connotation and be used for things that are inappropriate.
History time
The word has been around since 1720s and according to the Oxford English Dictionary from this time, the word was originally used to express how a subject of a discussion was brilliant and illuminated. This definition continued to be the same throughout the Victorian era . It is only during 1920s in America that the word started its growth and to receive a different sort of attention. To "be lit" was now use to describe somebody who is intoxicated or drunk. The fact that it started in the 20s says a lot, because it was right after World War 1 and the roaring twenties had begin. People were much more festive and more open to partying, spending money and recovering from the trauma they experienced during the war. It leads us to realize that the environment of people, influence the way they speak and the way they visualize the words they use.
How trends and slang are related in America?
First of all, what are trends and what are their purpose in society? Trends are general movements or phenomenon during an indeterminate period of time. In other words, they are things that become popular and attractive to society and encourage people to follow them and to live by them. This can be pliable to fashion, music, speech, movies, cars, etc. All of the trends do not always the same lifetime and influence. Certain last longer than others, certain have more impact on people than others. Some trends had so much power over the world and on a generation that they gain the title of "classics".
Why are trends so important? Trends are being seen as cool by a good majority of people. Not everyone has to like them or to follow them, but one of the main points of them is to be liked, commercialized and shared. By not following a trend can lead people to judge others and to force them to follow it, which is a form of social pressure. They end up being seen as outcasts, weird or unfunny. For example: if the new trend is to use the word "chill", people will start putting this word in their daily vocabulary. If somebody uses a different term or refuses to use the word "chill", some people will not perceive it in a good way. It does not mean that people aren't allowed to speak the way they want to or to have an opinion about certain trends or slang that differ from other people. It simply means that social pressure is something that can truly affects people's behavior. It also show that trends take huge part in society since a very long time.
When it comes to language, new ways to speak and slangs change very easily and fastly. Languages change faster than the grammar, which is why it is so easy for people to invent new words.
Why are old people "not allowed" to use slang?
In order to answer this question properly, I decided to give a little background story of the image of elderly people in the US. In this country, people have a certain image of what elderly people look and act like. They speak properly, they aren't familiar to technology, they believe that in their times, everything was better, they do not and cannot really relate to the new generation, etc. For the most part, it is true that the majority of elderly people are truthful to the things they are used to, they have very increased beliefs and they do not really have a big interest when it comes to anything that is new. On the other side, we have some elderly people who are willing to learn from the younger generation and are trying their best to keep up with new things. Because the stereotypes are very increased in society and they apply to a lot of people, it becomes out of the ordinary to see the opposite. We feel uncomfortable, impressed or even start making fun of these people and tell them they should act their age. This is one of the reason why it is difficult of elderly people to be in contact with new technologies or ways of living of today's generation. Their beliefs and routines often come from the era they were born and grew up in. In their times, people put a lot more importance on the way they spoke. Everyone was asked to have a clean and elegant vocabulary. Which is why older people are not used to speak or to ear other people speak in a different way.
Definition of the slang "Chill"
This slang has multiple meanings and it will be difficult for me to give you its specific date of creation. In general, the word is being used to describe a relaxing and pleasant moment that makes you feel good or to forget about all the problems and anxiety around you. A second definition is when something like the weather or the food is cold or a little bit freezy. Example: "It's chilly outside", in this case the word turns into an adjective. A third definition is when it is being used to describe a scary moment or having goosebumps. For example: "I got the chills" in this case, the word is a noun. Although this is an official word, the fact that society gave it many definitions overtime is what makes it so interesting and versatile. Even if this word exists since a long time, the main definition it had, isn't the same anymore and is being used for total other purposes. All of those purposes are not always listed in dictionaries. It makes it clear that the word "chill" is a slang depending on why it is being used in a sentence.
Another interesting thing is that the color purple is often being associated with this "chill" when it comes to the sensation of being relaxed. I believe it is because the color purple represent calm and stability. For a long time, it was representative of royalty, luxury and power because members of royal families were they only ones wearing this color. Being able to stay calm in a society and a life that are constantly putting pressure on us, is something rare and powerful.
The video above was put there in order to show what people mean when they talk about a "chill music". This type of videos is very popular on YouTube and on other social medias such as Instagram or Facebook.
History time
The word "chill" has Germanic origins and comes from Old English. Its ancestor is the word "cele" which means coldness or cold. Its function as a noun dates from the 9th century while the verb dates from the 14th century and the adjective from the 16th century. Later on during throughout history, people started to give a medical signification to the word. It was now used to describe someone that was ill.
The slang term of "chill" (relaxed, calmed down) first appeared in a song called: "Rapper's Delight" by the group Sugarhill gang that was released in 1979. At the time this song was released, hip-hop was starting his entry into the music world and was getting a lot of attention. It would be normal to believe that the slang was starting to get more recognition as well.
Definition of the slang 'Ballin'
This slang means living wealthy, to have influence and to achieve something positive. For example, if someone says: I'm ballin, it means that they are doing great at something and they are proud of themselves. This slang is also often being associated with materials such as cars, big houses, expensive clothing brands, jewelry, having a lot of men and women going after you, having a career, etc. The fact that we live in a materialistic society helps us to have a better understanding into why "ballin" is mainly related to those materials. Another interesting thing about this slang, is that it comes from black american neighbors that are dealing with poverty. In those community, it is a normal thing to be obsessed with being successful and rich, because most of the time, they have nothing.
History time
Originally, this slang was used by basketball players and it meant: Having a ball. When one of the player marks a point or is a very good player, people would call him a 'baller'. 'Baller' is also a shortened version of 'Basketballer' and was used for people who liked to play this sport as a pure pleasure and not professionally. Throughout the time, 'ballin' gained another definition, which is 'acting cool'. For a very long time in black american's disadvantage neighborhoods, it was hard for people to go further in life. The schools barely have enough money to provide school material, they do not have the best teachers, the buildings are not maintained, etc. In those circumstances, a many people either do not attend school or they drop-out before even having an high school diploma. On top of this, money becomes more important than getting an education since people are struggling to survive in a poor environment. Basketball becomes an easy an possible way to gain money and be successful without the need to get a diploma. This is why being a 'baller' is associated with wealth and success.
Progress:
In this small section, I will talk about my progress and motivation about this blog. Personally, there are a lot of things I want to share with people and I feel very passionate about it. I truly believe that slang play a great and amazing role in America's society and others in general. Even if some them are not as old or do not have a big history like others, the most important thing is to analyze the way they evolve.
Normally, I easily get distracted by everything that is around me and it becomes very difficult to concentrate on important things. For example: I will pay attention to small details for hours rather than what is important. This is why I made a plan of what I want to talk about about my blog and to organize it a little bit more in order to not get lost.
Interesting sources:
Although it is not an Academic sources and I never used it before in any of my projects, Urban dictionary is helping a lot with my researches. This serves the same purposes of a normal dictionary, but this one is only about all the slang that are used across America and in the world as well. It gives me the opportunity to discover new forms of slang and to learn more about the ones I already knew about. Urban dictionary also gives multiples definitions for each slang, which deepens my research and put more details.
When I'm doing researches on a slang in particular, I'm always looking for different resources in order for me to make sure the information agree with each other. Merriam-Webster's online dictionary helped me just as much as the urban dictionary. Since this is an official dictionary that I can also buy at the library, it lets me know that the information have been verified. So to me, it is a safe source.
YouTube as always been one of my favorite sources for my projects.the video subjects are extremely varied, I can easily find documentaries and videos linked to my subject. This site allows me to deepen my explanations and to make my projects more interesting and easier to understand. In addition, I am aware that many people are visual and that watching a video allows them to better understand the subject in question.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/
The relation between teenagers and slang:
Teenagers have a very special an important relationship with slang. The reasons for that are multiple and some of them can vary depending on a teen's environment and surrounding. First example, if a teenager hangs out with people who like to constantly use or create slang, chances are very likely for this teenager to do the same thing and to agree with this way of thinking. Of course, this can be the case with adults as well, but the difference is that teenagers are in the midst of an identity crisis and they easily can influence by their peers. Teenagers are often looking for validation from other teens and sometimes, if you are being seen as too different, in extreme cases, it can lead to bullying or having difficulties to make friends. If teenagers feel the pressure and the need to use slang in order to be accepted by others, most of them will adapt this behavior without hesitation.
Many teenagers use slang as a way to communicate with a certain group of people, without letting other people outside of this group to understand. As much as teenagers don't like do be different among themselves, they accept difference when it is between adults or other generations and them.
Definition of the slang: Ghost
This slang is used to describe a person who cuts off all communication with someone without letting know why or any explications. Every physical contacts, text messages, phone calls will be cut off, sometimes to the point you'll never hear from this person ever again. This often happens in relationships or between two individuals who were trying to get to know each other and it didn't work out. This slang can also be used as a verb. For example: 'Frederic ghosted me', that means Frederic randomly stopped talking to you. In rare cases, people will say 'Casper' instead of 'Ghost', because of popular cartoon called: Casper the ghost. Being ghosted can be very hurtful and it can discourage someone from trying to get in a relationship. It can also lead to having low self-esteem.
This video will show you few people who have been ghosted and talk about their experiences
History time
We don't really know when exactly people started to use this slang and neither who created it. Originally, until this day, ghost is a word to describe a dead person who came back to life, but is invisible. People are unable to see a ghost unless they have powers. When you understand the definition of what a ghost is, it becomes clear why this same word is used a slang as well. If people stop talking to you or to have any types of contact with you, this is the same as if this person was invincible or disappeared. They are there, but you can't see them or talk to them. This is like a metaphor.
Definition of the slang 'mood'
History time
Works Cited
Adams, Michael. Slang: the people's poetry. New York: Oxford University Press; edition 1, 2009. Google books
Bailey, Richard W. American: A history of English in the United States. New York: Oxford University Press; 2012. Google books
Donnelly, Erin. ‘Is slang destroying the English language?’Pimsleur
https://blog.pimsleur.com/2019/11/06/does-slang-ruin-english-language/
Eble, Connie. Slang and Sociability: In-Group Language Among College Students. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press; 1996 Google book
Lillo, Antonio and Terry Victor. A dictionary of English rhyming slangs. De Gruyer Mouton; 2017. Dawson College
https://dc153.dawsoncollege.qc.ca:2312/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1566053&site=eds-live&scope=site&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_C