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o. Vulgarity
Mattiello 2008 states , “slang has been associated with bad language.”It is
full of vulgar words which denote to taboo object. Things that are related to sexual activities handy, blowy, beaver, hickie, reef, that there, rumpty-tumpty,
clunge diver, fist fuck, etc., excrement doo-doo, skid, dingleberry, road apples, pooh, crap, dump, biggies, syphon the python, and widdle,, and other topics
which are taboo to be mentioned or spoken frankly are commonly included in slang. That is why slang is considered as impolite language because it is used to
cover the taboo object.
p. Desire to Impress
One of the reasons slang is used by the speakers is because they want “to
impress or shock others” Mattiello, 2008, p.50. This view is in line with Patridge 1947, p.288 who says that one of the reasons of using slang is to be
“arresting, striking, or even sta
rtling.” as cited by Mattiello, 2008. It is also supported by Andersson and Trudgill 1990, p.78 who state,
“the point of slang words is often to be starling, amusing or shocking.” as cited in Mattiello, 2008. The example
of this case is that slang is applied by a group of male teenager to impress the girls.
q. Hybridism
Slang can be described as “a hybrid language” because some vocabularies from foreign language enter into slang list of word Mattiello, 2008, p.51. It
29 means that slang can be created by borrowing several vocabularies from other
languages outside English. Borrowing process in slang is exemplified by the word cojones
denoting „testicles‟, it originally comes from Spanish word cojón testicles.
r. Localism
Slang is just like standard English which is differentiated based on the geographic condition. It has differences in terms of vocabulary which is divided
based on the regions Mattiello, 2008, p.51. The distinctions are instanced by American slang and British slang which have different slang vocabulary. The
differences also exist in Australian slang and Canadian slang. It means that every region uses different vocabulary. The distinction may be found in slang word that
denotes „man‟. Australian slang speakers use cove, Scottish slang speakers say chappy, and New Zealand slang uses joker
to denote „man‟. In addition, American slang employs dude and it is called bloke in British. Those variations also differ in
terms of denoting a woman. For example, Australian slang and New Zealand slang call a woman as Sheila, sheelah, sheilah, shelah. Meanwhile, British people
use bird to name her. However, In American people use chicks to refer a woman.
s. Colour
Anderson and Trudgill 1990, p. 16 suggest that slang has a function “to
make your speech vivid, colourful and interesting” as cited in Mattiello, 2008,
p.51. The characteristic of slang is not only to keep the group boundary but also to make the language sounds interesting. Since slang has several words to refer a
30 particular thing e.g. bird, chick, gash, and muff
to refer „girl‟, slang makes the language is not boring to be used. The users may change the conventional words
with slang to make their utterances not boring and have a lot of word variations.
t. Impertinence
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