Olga N. Antimonova
M.H.Dulaty Taraz State University
The
most popular students’ slang in English,
Russian and Kazakh languages in M.H.Dulaty
Taraz State University
Nowadays people from different countries have to communicate with each
other. It is very important for them to understand and be understood. It has
been discovered one very serious problem. A word comes to be a very powerful
means of communication but also can be a cause of a great misunderstanding if
it is not clearly understood by one of the speakers. In some modern researches
English is divided into two different languages: the Standard English language
and slang. Russian and Kazakh speaking students of course have problems in
translating English slang, especially in communication in Internet. To tell the
truth, Russian and Kazakh speaking students also use students’ slang.
What is the origin of the word slang itself? Do these reasons differ in a particular Universities? Is there
any difference in the formation of slang words in the Russian, Kazakh and
English languages? All these and some other questions arised when we began to
study the phenomenon of student’s slang.
Slang comes in the early to
mid 1800’s. “Some stories go that slang originated in the market place so that
the vendors could communicate without the customers knowing what was being said
- you wouldn’t want your customers knowing that you were going to lower your
prices in ten minutes so you could go home early. Other stories have it that it
originated in the prisons so that inmates could talk without the guards
listening in.”
“A new slang term is usually widely used in a subculture before it
appears in the dominant culture.”
Nowadays there are many kinds
of slang words in English Russian and
Kazakh.
1) Sport slang
2) Computer slang
3) Slang of students
4) Prison slang and etc.
In some cases slang may provide a needed name for an object or action (walkie-talkie,
a portable two-way radio; tailgating, driving too close behind
another vehicle
In our researches we tried to define the main reasons of slang popularity among
students of M.H. Dulaty Taraz State University. Having based on the idea of the professors N.V.Pavlova and
Y.A.Kuleshova we chose some different
reasons students can use slang for:
·
to demonstrate the class that one belongs to
·
for pleasure and fun
·
to attract one’s attention
· to be an
interesting speaker
·
to be on a colloquial level;
·
not to be understood by somebody;
According to our researches students of M.H.Dulaty Taraz State University do slang “to be on
a colloquial level”, “for pleasure and fun”. For young people it is vitally important to find their
individuality. Studies have shown that one way to do it is to make their speech
unique.
Here are some
examples of the most popular students’
slang in English, Russian and Kazakh in M.H.Dulaty Taraz State University:
1) Cabbage = money (капуста = деньги, тиын, қағаз)
2) Ace = best friend
(кореш =лучший друг, бауыр )
3) Baby=nice girl (детка = красивая девушка, бикеш)
4) Baloney =
nonsense (шняга = ерунда, далбаса)
5) Bush=hash
(травка = гашиш, мари вановна, шөп)
6) It’s good = It’s cool (отлично = крутяк,
тема, чики - пуки)
7) First year
student = freshman (первокурсник = перваш, балмұздақ)
8) Loudmouth = chatterbox
(трепло = болтун, мылжың)
9) For the Birds =
silly (камнелобый = глупый, маймыл )
10) Garbage = trash
(хлам = мусор, қоқыс)
11) Get Stuck = lay an egg (прокиснуть = провалиться с треском, быт-шыт)
12) Holly Shit! =
damn! (абзац = блин)
13) Kook = crank
(чудик = ненормальный, есалаң)
14) It is no go =
senselessly (не катит = бессмысленно)
15) Jerk = blockhead
(болван = олух, кеңкелес)
16) Jive = chatter (брехня = болтовня)
17) Kick Back =
bribe (подмазать = дать взятку, майлау)
We analyzed the main cases of slang words formation in English, Russian and
Kazakh languages:
1) Using borrowed
words from English (or its dialects) to
another languages (куляк, бейби, френд, фифти фифти (50 на 50), лузер (loser),)
2) Adding
special Russian or Kazakh endings to
English words (океюшки, вирусня, лошпех,)
3) Shortening of
some words (общага, физмат, and etc )
4) Using of one word
in the another meaning (тачка, мария ивановна, балмұздақ)
Thus student’s slang may appeal, or it may be disgusting. It may be popular, or may be ignored. But it is really used, so it has to arouse some interest.
Literature
1. N.V.Pavlova and Y.A.Kuleshova, Slang
as a Part of the English Language.-English 2003 №32-p.5-10
2. www.slangcity.com
3. John Ayto, The Oxford Dictionary of
Slang.-Oxford University, Press.: 2000-415p.
4. Robert L.Chapman, Ph.D., American
Slang.-N.Y. 2002-499p.
5. Abridged Edition, The Oxford Companion
to the English Language.-Oxford University, Press.: 1996-985p.