SLANG (probably of cognate origin with the Norwegian word slengya, meaning ato Aire), a mode of speaking or writing peculiar to some particular place or calling. The slang of the English tongue corresponds to the French argot and the German Saiiversprache or Rotwelsch. The word slang is itself slang in origin: it has nothing, etymologically consid ered, to do with any Gipsy word as has some times been asserted. Of obscure origin, its form nevertheless suggests a connection with the English word sling,— in the sense of this latter word as employed in the phrase to sling (that is, to fling) °reproaches)). All colloquial words or phrases which have originated in the rude speech of vagabonds and unlettered classes or belonging in form to the standard speech, which have acquired or have had given them restricted, capricious, or extravagantly meta phorical meanings, and are, therefore, regarded as vulgar or inelegant, may be considered as slang. Among slang names may be men tioned, in general, that class of words and phrases and senses of words and phrases, more or less artificial and affected in origin or use, which are not recognized as be longing to the standard vocabulary of a tongue into which they have been introduced, and have currency in some section of society either as a means of concealing secrets or as intentionally undignified substitutes for those modes of ex pression employed by persons who have them selves no propriety of speech. Slang is indeed used by persons of every grade of life; it changes with fashion and taste; and sometimes leaves permanent and recognized additions to language. It consists of words which stand out predominantly even in colloquial speech; and the very sense of the word slang implies the conception of a standard language, a nor mal form of speech, popularly regarded as cor rect. Slang differs much from dialect, for the latter is a local or provincial form of speech, characterized by some peculiarities of accent, pronunciation or grammatical usage which distinguishes it from standard speech; and a dialect as much may thus have a slang of its own. It is true, however, that slang
shades off into the ordinary colloquial speech and is thus constantly supplying the ordinary spoken language with new words and phrases, but this should be no reason why it should be simply confounded with the colloquial. In truth, slang enters more or less into all collo quial speech and into inferior popular liter ature such as novels, newspapers and political addresses; and is apt to break out even in more careful writing, as witness the criticism of Henry James in his 'Notes on Novelists.' It is noteworthy that most slang is euphe.mistic. It delights in the invention of synonyms for particular words and devises substitutes for others, which well-bred people for a variety of reasons dislike or hesitate to use. Yet it cannot be said that all slang is of necessity vulgar or ungrammatical. For indeed it is generally correct in accidence and syntax and does not disregard phraseological idiom as to its structure; and thus, while slang not infre quently meets censure as vulgar or unidiomatic, the truth is that it meets with disfavor on other than grammatical grounds. The vogue of any particular slang expression is apt to be very brief ; and the constant use of slang tends not only to vulgarize but to limit one's command of language: and here we probably find the rea son why it is held in disfavor. Further: slang words are not invented or used because they are in any respect better than accepted phraseology, but because they are different. There are two principal characteristics which, taken together, may serve to distinguish what is properly called slang from other varieties of diction that in some respects resemble it; and these are: Firstly, slang is a conscious offense against some accepted standard of linguistic propriety.
Secondly, slang words are deliberately sub stituted for words of the vernacular just as the nickname of a person is substituted for that person's name. Nicknames are indeed a kind of slang; and like other slang may be used for the purpose of concealing meaning from the uninitiated hearers.