英语俚语历史

One use of slang is to circumvent social taboos, as mainstream language tends to shy away from evoking certain realities. For this reason, slang vocabularies are particularly rich in certain domains, such as sexuality, violence, crime and drugs. An interesting fact about the word slang is that it was originally a slang term for the old french phrase "sale langue", which translated into english means "dirty language". Alternatively, slang can grow out of mere familiarity with the things described. Among wine connoisseurs, Cabernet Sauvignon might be known as "Cab Sav", Chardonnay as "Chard" and so on;[2] this means that naming the different wines expends less superfluous effort. It also serves as a shared code among connoisseurs.Even within a single language community, slang tends to vary widely across social, ethnic, economic, and geographic strata. Slang sometimes grows more and more common until it becomes the dominant way of saying something, at which time it is regarded as mainstream, acceptable language (e.g. the Spanish word caballo), while at other times it may fall into disuse. Numerous slang terms pass into informal mainstream speech, and sometimes into formal speech, though this may involve a change in meaning or usage.Slang very often involves the creation of novel meanings for existing words. It is very common for such novel meanings to diverge significantly from the standard meaning. Thus, "cool" and "hot" can both mean "very good", "impressive" or "good looking".Slang terms are often only known within a clique or ingroup. For example, Leet ("Leetspeak" or "1337"), originally was only popular among certain Internet sub-cultures, such as hackers and online video gamers. During the 1990s and 2000s, however, Leet became increasingly more commonplace on the Internet, and has even spread outside of Internet-based communication and into spoken languages.[3] Another type of slang, with roots in Internet culture, is texting language (txt or chatspeak), which is widely used in instant messaging on the Internet (AOL speak) and mobile phones (SMS language).

在外国学英语，最有趣的大概就是可以听到很多俚语。 很多时候光听那些句子, 好像不容易马上可以会意出来他们在说什么, 听了几次后, 就慢慢可以了解这些俚语的含意了。不过, 不管什么语言, 都应该考虑到说话的对象、场合与时间, 有些俚语并不适合在正式的场合用。如：a (good) kay and a half:One and a half kilometres; the distance to anywhere from anywhere else; a long way.Example: Where's Christie's Beach? About a kay and a half that way.How far are we from home? We'd be a good kay and a half, I reckon.A Buck One-Eighty:You have A Buck Three-Eighty. I have always heard it this way--so there's a variant.Example: Wonder if a buck three-eighty is actually the same amount as a buck one-eighty?a buck three eighty:The price for anything.Example: Q: How much is this, sir? A: That's a buck three eighty.a case of the ass or redass:Highly annoyed, pissed off. Currently used in US Army.Example: Sergeant Greenfield has this huge case of the ass with me ever since I wrecked his humvee.a couple two three:I guess this means two or three. (We don't say this in Chicago. It's a weird thing they say out west or something.)Example: He had a couple two three dogs in his yard.a dollar three eightyfive:A nonsensical price for when one does not want to give the real price.Example: How much did my Lexus cost? A dollar three eightyfive.a double:A twenty dollar bill.Example: I've got eighty dollars on me, all I need is a double to make it a hundred.[A double sawbuck is a twenty. Read Dashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler to see fin, sawbuck, and double sawbuck in action.]a fin:Five dollars. (Gamblers use it for $500.)Example: All I have is a fin and two dollars in change in my pocket.a freddy: a pint of beer, more specifically a pint of heineken, named after the late freddy heinekenExample: Two freddys and a ginger ale, please.a happy Birthday:A phrase mostly used by guys when they catch themselves in a situation whena girl exposes some part of her anatomy without knowing it, clothed or not.Usually happens at the gym.Example: Did you see that girl's shirt? Now that is a happy birthday.A List:The people at school who are cooler than anyone else in the school.Example: I'm not cool enough to go out with her--she's A list.a Monet:Someone who is very good looking from a distance, yet from up close the attraction diminishes.Example: He was hot from afar, but he turned out to be a Monet when I went up to speak.a mouse in his pocket:Phrase used to describe someone large, probably very strong, but intensely stupid. From _Of Mice and Men_[?]Example: We've got a new guy at work who worries me; I swear I think he's got a mouse in his pocket.a nifty:A fifty dollar bill.Example: I borrowed a nifty from my mom and she upped it five bucks more.Now I owe her fifty-five dollars.a pig in your pocket:Used when a person doesn't want to assist another.Example: What do you mean we? Is there a pig in your pocket?a sims moment:Brief moment in which you can relate something in real life to something in the computer simulation game The Sims. Usually occurs after rounds of playing said game.Example: I'm having a sims moment. This kitchen looks almost like what I did in The Sims last night.a sleeve:A hundred dollar bill.Example: I got seven hundred dollars, all in sleeves.a solid:A favor.Example: Do me a solid and send me that website link.a whole 'nother:An entirely different. I've noticed this phrase in the vocabulary of many people of various backgrounds and have even heard it on national TV, but I have yet to see it written down (before now).Example: That's a whole 'nother story.A's and C's:n. (plural) abbr. of Arts and Crafts. Slang form, creative endeavour.Example: They're letting me out of that place today so I can do some A's and C's.A'stake:A mistake, (Thanks, Erin.)Example: I'm sorry, I made a'stake.A-Bag:Real estate exchanger term meaning a keeper property that would not be traded off without a substantial advantage gained.Example: That's a good property--it's A-Bag.A-D-orable:Really adorable and cute.Example: Look at that guy, he's A-D-orable!a-dollar-three-eighty:The price for anything.Example: Question: How much is it? Answer: A-dollar-three-eighty.a-game:To do your best effort possible in any endeavor, not just pertaining to sports.Example: I didn't do to well on that test last week, next time I'm going to bring my A-game.

俚语是地方土语，和方言一样。书面使用也要看文章的需要，就跟中文中使用方言俗语一样的。