Over many decades, many slang words have been created and used all over the world. The use of slang usually is formed by abbreviating and/or removing one or more letters in a word, or even a change in sound and its meaning. A role in this involves word formation. Word formation is a process of how new words are formed and how they become a part of a language. It is also new words that are made on the basis of other words and morphemes. Compounding and derivation are word formation processes that build new lexemes. The difference between the two is that compounding puts together two lexemes whereas, derivation adds an affix to a lexeme. When an individual applies language in a new way to express hostility, ridicule, or contempt, often with sharp wit, he may be creating slang, but the new expression will perish unless it is picked up by others (Maurer, D. W.,2021). Slang words are created by the influences of popular music and the internet(social media). Popular music, especially rap and hip hop, has led to many slang words. Some examples of slang words are dope, goat (greatest of all time), gucci (good), lit (amazing), salty (bitter, mad), snatched(looking good), fire(on point, trendy), tea(gossip), cap (lying, fake), flex (to show off), and sus (suspicious, shady) (Morin,2021). Compounding can also be used in slang. How two morphemes create a compound word, the same thing can be done with slang words as well. This is done by mixing up two or more words, which then creates a slang word. Some examples of compound slang words are tope(tight and dope), requstion( request and question), and hangry (hungry and angry.) These compounding words listed are free morphemes, meaning they can stand alone. For hangry for example, is the 2 morphemes “hungry” and “angry.” I really thought this was an interesting topic to discuss because slang has always been around and is changing all the time. New slang words are being created and old ones still very much exist, depending on the generation. There are slang words from the 90’s that today’s generation doesn’t use and doesn’t know about and vise versa! Also that derivation and compounding play a role in slang as well!

 

Citations:

Maurer, D. W. (n.d.). Slang. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/slang

 

Morin, A. (2021, October 15). Teen slang words every parent should know. Verywell Family. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.verywellfamily.com/a-teen-slang-dictionary-2610994

For my final paper topic I’m leaning towards how slang words are becoming “real words.” I’ve noticed a lot with myself that I find myself explaining these words to older people who have never even heard of these terms. I’ve also noticed that their are words and slang that I don’t understand because they are from the past and they were never “passed on.” I would hear people older than me using them and I understand how they would feel if they heard todays new words and terms. It’s really interesting to how these terms and words are made and how so many people use them. Some influences are in songs! It’s very common for singers and rappers to say a term or word and next thing you know a lot of people are using it. Another one is social media. I noticed especially on Tiktok as well. I think this is a really interesting topic to discuss. It’s involves past and modern terms and how both have made their way (for some)  into our everyday vocabulary. Also to discuss how social media and people of influence have a huge impact on that as well. I even looked up some slang words and terms and they have made their way into the urban dictionary! As for research I plan on using some videos I found on YouTube, articles, and see if I can find anything in our text that maybe discusses this!

“berry cake”(endocentric)-[[berry]N[cake]N]N

“strawberry”(endocentric)-[[straw]N[berry]N]N

“cupcake”(endocentric)-[[cup]N[cake]N]N

“cheeseburger”(endocentric)-[[cheese]N[burger]N]N

 

“popcorn”(exocentric)-[[pop]v[corn]n]N

1.Verb  Noun

-ion

[[X] V ion]N

Perfect → Perfection

Invent → Invention

Educate → Education

2.Noun to Verb

-en

[[X]Y en]V  where Y=N,A

Dark→ Darken

Fresh→ Freshen

Hard→ Harden

3.Output words in (1) as the inputs in (2)

Clearance→Clearanced

Disturbance→Disturbanced

Balance→Balanced

For the words Clearance→Clearanced and Disturbance→Disturbanced, these words are not well-formed and are not already-existing words. However, with Balance→Balanced, balanced is an already-existing word. Used as, I balanced school and work well (example.) With these words the two affixes are -ance and -ed. So for two words (Clearance→Clearanced & Disturbance→Disturbanced) I noticed that it didn’t make this process work but, for Balance→Balanced it did because we know balanced is an already-existing word.

From last weeks class and reading I understand that simplex word cannot be broken down any further into smaller units. Meaning, there are no affixes attached to the word, the word itself stands alone. Whereas complex words, contain affixes and are able to break down into smaller units or constituents. I believe that the words “forbid,” “forget,” “forgive,” “forgo,” and “forswear” are complex words. For each word given  there is a prefix (for) with an a root word attached. One example is, the word  “forget.” You are able to breakdown the word “forget” into two constituents, for and get. Looking at the word “for” alone, I understand that it is a simplex word because it cannot be broken down any further. In the list of words given, they all have 2 constituents, which means that they would be complex words. In this case the word “for” would be the prefix and the words “bid”, “get”, “give”, “go” and “swear” would be the affixes.