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The problem of Slang. The term "slang" which is widely used in Eng lex-gy & stylistics is not specified yet. It has rather an obscure etymology. Some ling-ts think that this word is an abbreviation of the words "soldier's language". Others attribute the origin of the term to the 2nd form of the verb "to sling"-fig. to speak freely, without formality", which goes back to the jargon of Eng Gypsies. Professor T.R. Galperin who rejects the term "slang" writes that "There is hardly any other term that is as ambiguous & obscure as the term slang. Slang seems to mean everything that is below the standard of usage of present-day Eng" .The analysis of diff-nt definitions of "slang" shows that it is represented both as a special voc-ry & as a special lang. it stands to reason to define slang as a special layer of substandard Eng voc-ry but not as a special lang. If slang is given a status of a certain lang, then it should be characterized not only by its peculiar voc-ry but also by phonetic, morphological and syntactical peculiarities, which is not so. the majority of ling-ts apply the term "slang" to a broad layer of substandard Eng voc-ry bordering on colloquialisms on the one hand and vulgar words on the other hand in the system of the stylistic differentiation of the Eng voc-ry. According to the sphere of usage slang is divided into general & special. General includes words that are not specific for any social or professional group. According to Arnold "slang words and phrases are expressive, mostly ironical words serving to create fresh names for some things that are frequent topics”. E.g head" is called "attic, brain-pan, hat-peg, nut, upper story, dome, chimney. "a pretty girl or woman" - "babe, baby-doll, barbecue, chick, tootsy-wootsy. "a friend" - "bud, buddy-buddy, bugger, buster.", "a stupid person" - "apple-head, cheese-head, dumb-bell, chunkhead. Slang words are common words used in a transferred m-ng & the transference is based on metaphor .or metonymy: e.g. "dome" sl. for a head is based on metaphor; “barbecue" for a pretty girl is based on metonymy; also on hyperbole: Killing (astonishing); on irony: "clear as mud". Mostly, the transference is based on a joke & is aimed to show the object of speech in the light of a contemptuous ridicule. it makes slang words sound somewhat harsh and even cynical or vulgar. E.g: bread-basket - "stomach ".There are also slang words proper built with the help of various WB means. e.g, "devoon" may stand for divine , "to dilly-dally". Slang words may have stylistically neutral syn-ms e.g. "attic" "head", "beans". some slang words have no "neutral syn-ms & should be described in standard Eng. Special slang includes the groups of social and professional jargons & argo or cant. jargonisms are words and expressions created by certain social groups tor the~use within the particular circle. University students' slang in the USA dates very quickly and differs from one university to another. E.g., "a hard working student" generally known as "a grind" in students' slang in different universities is also called "a tool, a squid, a superstrap, a throat". "Difficult courses" go under the names of "hard cores, killers, grinders". Usually jargon words and phrases are difficult to understand, unintelligible for the outsiders as the main feature of jargonisms is their secret nature. Argo or cant the jargon of the underworld, the voc-ry of criminals, thieves, tramps may serve as an illustration of such a jargon in which words are used to conceal their real m-ng. Cant words do not show their motivation: e.g. "blot out" means "to kill", "knuck"-"a pick-pocket", "book"-"a life sentence”.The so-called rhyming slang based on reduplication, back slang & medial slang or centre slang are characteristic of argot formations aimed at secrecy. in rhyming slang "to beat feet" means "to hurry. in back slang bad is changed into dap. in medial slang "a person" becomes "a nosper". the term "cant" etymologically seems to be connected with the word "chant" ("to sing") & probably implied at 1st the pleading tones of beggars lamentations. Professional slang are words & expressions used in oral, informal intercourse in a definite trade, profession or calling by people connected by common interests both at work and at home. Professional words commonly denote some working processes or implements of labour. Professionalisms are correlated to terms as informal usually jocular names of substandard voc-ry to the words of the formal official intercourse. Here are some professional words used in different trades: piper - a specialist who decorates pastry with the use of a cream pipe. WB in Slang. Slang is one of the most unstable layers of the Eng Voc. It requires continuous innovation. Slang words and phrases are mostly short-lived but some of them appear to be stable and even find their way into StandEng. The follow words of Standard Eng used to be slang: bus, mob, fun, snob, jazz. General slang comes mostly from jargon and professional words and expressions whose popularity has increased. Any cultural subgroup may develop its own jargon which can later become general slang. affixation: doper - dope or narcotic addict. in composition slang favours some frequent roots, such as: -butcher, -chaser, -down(er), -driver, -eater, -factory, -fiend, -fighter, -guard, -house, -head, -daffy, -dippy, dizzy (syn for crazy), -eyed, -mad, etc, which may even acquire the status of semi-affixes. e.g: cofee- butcher (seller), jazz- fiend (jazz-lover), money-mad, girl-chaser. Clippings & abbreviation are very popular in slang. e.g. caf (cafeteria); def (definitely). A number of slang words are formed by means of reduplication: din-din "dinner". Some slang words are built by means of blending: mingy = mean + stingy. Literary- colloquial words should be taught and learned and used in the appropriate situation.While familiar-colloquial words, slang words, low colloquial, dialect words, to say nothing of vulgar words should be only understood but never used by a foreigner. They are recommended only as a part of the passive voc-y of a student of Eng.