American Slang

American slang can seem strange or even funny to other groups of people who speak English as their native language, and even more so to foreigners learning it as a second language.

Slang is defined as informal words or expressions that are not standard in a dialect or language. These words are often rude or taboo and tend to develop in groups who use them as an "in" language. Some become popular and spread out into the mainstream and can, over time, gain acceptance as genuine, standard, new words.

Many of the words that British people regard as American slang are in fact old British words that have fallen into disuse in their native country but were in use in America when it was a British colony in the 16th century. The US is a land of immigrants and each group has contributed their slang words, and modified standard English to suit their native pronunciation.

If you are looking for a book on American slang "The Slangman Guide to STREET SPEAK 1" comes highly recommended by people sitting ESL exams. For example, instead of "We are going to have a blast at the party," the rewritten dialog shows "W'r gonna have a blast 'it the pardy!"

It teaches you the words and how to use them. You learn correct grammar, accent and most importantly the context where you are likely to hear it. Your understanding of American culture and daily conversations, especially if you are in the 15-20 age range, will greatly improve with this book and its comical pictures. Listening to radio or watching TV becomes more interesting for learners.

Slang is not the same as jargon. This term applies to the specialized words of an industry or profession and usually involves technical terms. In science for example it is necessary to use very precise terms, and so the common meaning of a word and its usage in a particular science can be different.