DISCUSSION

1.Do you agree that the "clod" is letting the woman know that she isn't worth the trouble? What other reasons might there be for her inability to pronounce the name?

2.Do you think Ann Landers' suggestion will work? Why or why not? What should Not Mrs. do if it doesn't?

Chapter 2. Enjoy American Slang

Introduction

According to Random House Webster’s Dictionary “SLANG is very informal vocabulary that is characteristically more metaphorical, playful, vivid, and ephemeral than ordinary language” [6, p.621].

The author of NTC’s Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Richard A.Spears says that there is no standard test that will decide what is slang or colloquial and what is not.

Expressions that are identified as slang are often some type of entertaining wordplay, and they are almost always an alternative way of saying something. Colloquial expressions are usually spoken and are often thought as being direct, earthy, or quaint. Slang and colloquial expressions come in different forms: single words, compound words, simple phrases, idioms, and complete sentences. Slang is rarely the first choice of careful writers or speakers or anyone attempting to use language for formal, persuasive, or business purposes. Nonetheless, expressions that can be called slang or colloquial make up a major part of American communication in movies, television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and informal spoken conversation [7, p.6].

The material for the units of the chapter is partially adopted from “Street talk - 1: How to speak American Slang.”

TEXT 1

1. Read the following dialogue in slang and try to guess the meaning of the boldy printed expressions:

AT SCHOOL (dialogue in slang)

Anne joins Peggy, who seems totally out of it.

Anne: You seem really **pissed off. What’s up?

Peggy: Just get out of my face, would you?! Anne: *Chill out! What’s eating you, anyway?

Peggy: Sorry. It’s just that I think I blew the final and now my parents are going to get all bent out of shape. I like totally drew a blank on everything!

Anne: Well, now you’re really going to freak out. When I tell you who aced it...what’s-her-face...the one who always* kisses up to the teacher.

Peggy: Jennifer Davies? Give me a break! I can’t stand her. She’s such a dweeb! How could she possibly ace it when she keeps cutting class all the time? Anne: She’s the teacher’s pet, that’s why. Besides, he’s so laid back he lets her get away with it. She just really rubs me the wrong way.

And you know what? I think ahe’s got the*hots for him, too. Peggy: Get out of here!

Anne: I’m dead serious. Yesterday, before class starts, she walks up to

Mr.Edward’s desk and goes, ‘Good morning, Jim.’ Peggy: Oh, *gag me! She’s totally gross!

*Probably not used by anyone over 30 **Slightly off-color

2. Use the explanations given below and compile the dialogue in standard English.

1) ace a test (to) - to do extremely well on a test. She did extremely well on a test.

2)blow something (to) - to fail at something; or to make a big mistake;

3)chill out (to) - to calm down;

4)cut class (to) - to be absent from class without permission;

5)dead serious (to be) - to be extremely serious

Note: The adjective “dead” is commonly used to mean “extremely”, “absolutely”, or “directly” in the following expressions only:

dead ahead - directly ahead; dead drunk - extremely drunk; dead last - absolutely last; dead on - absolutely correct; dead right - absolutely correct; dead set - completely decided; dead tired - extremely tired; dead wrong - absolutely wrong.

The usage of “dead” would be incorrect in other expressions. For example: dead happy; dead hungry; dead angry, etc. are all incorrect expressions.

6)draw a blank (to) - to forget suddenly.

7)dweeb - moron, simpleton.

Note: This is an extremely common noun used mainly by young people. Synonym: geek. What a geek! What an idiot!

8) Eat (to) - to upset; to anger.

9) final - This is a very popular abreviation for final examination.

10) freak out (to) – a) to lose control of one’s emotional state, to become very

upset and irrational; b) to lose grasp of reality temporarily due to grugs. Note: this is an extremely popular expression used by younger people.

11)”Gag me!” - “That makes me sick!” - The expression is used to signify great displeasure.

12)Get all bent out of shape (to) - to become very angry.

13)Get away with something (to) - to succeed at doing something dishonest. For example: He got away with cheating on the test, He succeeded at cheating on the test.

14)“Get out of here!” – a) ”You’re ridding!” b) ”Absolutely not!”

15)Get out of someone’s face (to) - to leave someone alone.

16)Give someone a break (to) – a) It could best be translated as “you’re

kidding!” (annoyance and disbelief); b) To do someone a favor; c) To give

someone an opportunity for success; d) To be merciful with someone.

17)Go (to) - to say

18)Gross (to be) - to be disgusting.

Note:This was created from the adjective “grotesque”.

19)Hot for someone (to have the) - to be interested sexually someone. Also: to be hot = to be good looking and sexy. He is hot! He is sexy!

20)Kiss up to someone (to) - flatter someone in order to obtain something

21)Laid back - calm

22)Like - This is an extremely popular expression used by younger people. It could be translated as “how should I put this...” or “uh...”

For example: He’s like really weired; He’s, uh...really weird.

23)Out of it (to be) - to be in a daze

24)Pissed of (to be) - (extremely popular) to be angry. Note: Although having absolutely nothing to do with urinating, some people consider this expression to be vulgar since it comes from the slang verb “to piss” meaning “to urinate”, a most definitely vulgar expression

25)Rub the wrong way (to) - to irritate

26)Teacher’s pet - the teacher’s favourite student

27)Unable to stand someone or something (to be) - to be unable to tolerate someone or something;

28)What’s - her - face - this expression commonly used as a replacement for a woman’s name when the speaker can not remember it.

29)“What’s eating you?” - “What’s the matter with you?”

30)“What’s up?” - “What’s happening?”

3.Read the same dialogue translated into Standard English and compare it with your variant of translation. (see Answer key)

TEXT 2

1.Read the following dialogue in slang and try to guess the meaning of the

bodly printed expressions:

AT THE MOVIES (dialogue in slang)

Chris and Lisa are seated in the movie theater waiting for Steve to arrive. Chris: I wonder what’s keeping Steve?

Lisa: Oh, I forgot to tell you. He’s not gonna show up. He called just before we took off.

Chris: What kind of line did he hand you this time? Lisa: Something about his car dying again

Chris: What a bunch of noise. He doesn’t even have a car. He gets around everywhere by bike, I don’t know what he’s trying to pull. The guy’s a total flake.

Lisa: You said it. That’s the last straw. The guy lies like a rug. I dunno why we’ve put up with him for this long. I’m telling you, if run into him tomorrow, I’m reading him the riot act. This time, he blew it big time. Man, I’m gonna have

a field day with him.

Chris: Try not to lose your cool too much. One thing’s for sure. It’ll be a cold day in hell before we invite him to the movies again. By the way, do you even know what this movie’s about?

Lisa; All I know is that the critics panned it. They all said the star kept blowing his lines. But you can always count on one thing... if a critic thinks a movie’s a bomb, it’ll be a smash hit.

2.Use the explanations given below and compile the dialogue in standard English.

1)Blow one’s lines (to) - to make a terrible mistake.

2)Blow one’s lines (to) - to make a mistake while speaking one’s lines from a script.

3)Bomb - bad production (theater, television, movies, ets.)

E.g. The show was a real bomb. The show was really bad.

4)Bunch - a lot. E.g. Thanks a bunch! Thanks a lot!

5)By the way - incidentally.

6)Cold day in hell - never.

7)Count on (to) - to depend on (someone or something).

8)Die (to) - to become inoperable; (lit); to expise, to pass away.

9)Field day - a great time; complete self-indulgence.

10)Flake - an unreliable person.

11)Get around (to) – a) to commute; b) to go from one sexual partness to the other; c) to avoid.

12)Guy - man

13)Hand someone something (to) - to give someone something.

14)Keep someone (to) - to detain someone.

E.g. What’s keeping him? What’s detaining him?

15) Last straw - the final act that one can tolerate.

6.Underline the word that best completes each phrase.

1)It’ll be a (cool, cold, warm) day in hell before we invite him to the movies again.

2)What kind of (circle, square, line) did he (foot, hand, arm) you this time? 3)I don’t think he gonna show (up, down, in)

4)The actor kept (coughing, sneezing, blowing) his lines.

ANSWER KEY

AT SCHOOL (DIALOGUE IN STANDARD ENGLISH)

Anne joins Peggy, who seems to be in a daze. Anne:You seem really angry. What’s the matter? Peggy: Just leave me alone, alright?

Anne:Relax! What’s the matter with you, anyway?

Peggy:Sorry. It’s just that I think I failed the final examination and now my parents are going to get all upset. I, uh, couldn’t think of the answer!

Anne:Well, now you’re going to be mad when I tell you who got 100% on it... I forgot her name... the one who always flatters the teacher.

Peggy: Jennifer Davies? You’re ridding! I don’t like her! She’ such a moron! How could she possibly get 100% on it when she’s absent from class all the time? Anne:She’s the teacher’s favourite student, that’s why. Besides, he’s so casual he permits her to do it. There’s just something about her I don’t like. And you know what? I think she really likes him, too.

Peggy: You’ve go to be joking!

Anne: I’m very serious. Yesterday, before class starts, she walks up to Mr.Edward’s desk and says, “Good morning, Jim”.

Peggy: Oh, that makes me sick! She’s totally disgusting!