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Home › Articles › Communication › The Secret to Slang

The Secret to Slang

Do You Know What Your Child Is Really Saying?

By Sue Marquette Poremba

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Kim Hoelzli of Thamesford, Ontario, doesn't mind much of the slang used by kids these days, but she did put a stop to them saying, "My grandma is pimpin'!"

"I know if something is pimpin', it's a good thing, but it just didn't sound right, you know?" Hoelzli says.

Slang words have been in use since the beginning of language. Slang can be playful or cruel. It's used as a euphemism for drugs or sex. For kids, slang often acts as a secret vocabulary that allows them to fit in with their peers while attempting to keep their parents out of the loop. The popularity of instant messaging, text messaging and pop culture as seen on MTV has taken slang to new levels.

In the Know

Some parents cringe at the idea of their children using anything but proper or formal language, particularly around adults. "I'm fine with most kids using it when they talk to each other – kids need to have something they feel is their own," says Joyce Anthony of Erie, Pa. "I don't approve of its use around adults or when talking to adults. It seems disrespectful to me."

However, it is good for parents to know not only what their kids are talking about, but also how their kids are talking, says Jonathan McKee of The Source for Youth Ministry. "Parents should be aware of what terms are harmless and what terms are harmful," he says. "So many of these phrases are drug and sex references." To help parents understand their kids' language, McKee helped found The Slang Dictionary, an on-line reference source.


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