"Slang is the poetry of the poor"

When actress Emma Thompson said the words above a few weeks ago, it sparked heated discussions amongst linguists and lay men about the use of slang in everyday speech. To paraphrase the words of the actress, the use of slang makes you sound stupid and shows how much you don’t know. I think she is very wrong and is probably the one that doesn’t know a lot.

The use of slang is not always a result of ignorance but for many people, it is a very conscious choice in their journey of self expression. Their diction is not something they fall victim of as a result of substandard education or lack of exposure but a decision they have made after a careful consideration of the words and expressions available as well as a good think about how best to share their thoughts with the world.

And Thompson is not alone in her condemnation of the use of slang. There is often a derisive look on people’s faces when they hear speech heavily laced with slang. It comes across as if the speaker is somehow disadvantaged purely for their use of slang and I think this is very harsh and unnecessarily so. To lump those who choose after careful consideration in the same box as those who have the decision made for them is very harsh and could also be a pointer to what you don’t know.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not for one second condoning those who speak purely in slang due to a poor grasp of the language and those who do so out of ignorance. For those people, their only hope is to record themselves and a three year old and try make out which one of the two has the higher IQ.

In my opinion, slang should be a supplement to a language you already have a very strong command of. I don’t believe lacing whatever language you speak with colloquialisms makes you look stupid or cheapens the language. But rather, I believe a good selection of slang and appropriate use is a wonder to the human ear. Even the most proper of speakers will reveal some sort of influence of the pop culture to which they subscribe and that is what slang is. Slang has always been and will always be a huge part of how we speak. And a careful look at the history of some of the words we use loosely today will show their roots in colloquialism.

In closing, I will borrow the words of Max Davidson of The Telegraph who, in my opinion, summed up the whole discussion in the best way possible. According to him, “Slang alone will never be enough. You need to use a mixture of slang and non-slang expressions if you want to get your message across. But unless you see slang as a potential friend, a chance to be yourself, at ease with your peers, you will just end up as a well-spoken automaton – every sentence you utter immaculate, and not a breath of life in any of them.” You get me?