Studying Russian and world literature, each student is faced with turns of speech that are not characteristic of the literary language. The question arises of what is the classical definition of these expressions, what is the history of their occurrence and the role in the communication of our contemporaries.
What is jargon?
This is a lexical unit (both a single word and a phrase), which is not peculiar to the canons of the literary language. The use of these turns is common in informal communication. Jargonism is a conditional colloquial word and expression used in individual social groups. Moreover, the emergence, development, transformation and withdrawal of those from speech circulation occurs in a clearly isolated part of society.
Jargonism is a duplication of the literary language in a form that is understandable only to speaking people in a particular group. These are non-normative, not recognized synonyms for classical definitions of objects, actions and definitions. Slang words of each social unit of society form an inaccessible language for the uninitiated to communicate, the so-called slang.
Origin and differences
The word "jargon" is derived, according to V. Dahl ("Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language"), from the French jargon. Its differences from the standards of the literary language:
- Specific vocabulary and phraseology.
- Brightly colored, expressive turns.
- The maximum use of word-building forms.
- Lack of proprietary phonetic systems.
- Disobeying grammar rules.
Today, jargon is not only verbal communication, but also an effective means of artistic expression. In modern literature, these words are deliberately used along with metaphors, synonyms, epithets to enhance and give a special color to the content.
Initially, dialecticism-jargonisms were the intellectual property of certain sections of society, in some cases no longer existing. Nowadays, this is both nationwide vocabulary, which has its own social dialects, and vocabulary of the literary language, which uses several figurative meanings of the same word, established in a specific group of society. A conditionally called “general fund” has now been formed and is expanding, that is, words transformed from the original meaning in one form of jargon into a public definition. So, for example, in the language of thieves' argos, the meaning of the word “darken” means “hide the loot” or “evade answers during interrogation”. Modern youth jargon interprets this as "not speaking, expressing in riddles."
How is slang vocabulary formed?
Words and combinations are based on the basis of dialect differences and morphemes of the language available in the environment of their appearance. Ways of their formation: giving a different meaning, metaphorization, rethinking, re-registration, sound truncation, active learning of vocabulary of foreign languages.
Examples of jargon in the Russian language that arose in the above way:
- youth - “dude” (comes from the gypsy);
- close friend - "gelfrand" (from English);
- authoritative - “cool”;
- the apartment is a “hut" (from Ukrainian).
An associative series was also actively used in their appearance. For example: "dollars" - "green" (the color of American banknotes).
History and Modernity
Social jargon - these are common words and expressions, first noticed in the XVIII century in the noble circle, the so-called "salon" language. Fans and admirers of all French often used the distorted words of this language. For example: "pleasure" was called "plaisir."
The original purpose of the jargon was to keep secret the transmitted information, a kind of encoding and recognition of “friends” and “strangers”. This function of the “secret language” is preserved in the gangster’s environment as a speech of asocial elements and is called the “thieves’ argo ”. So, for example: a knife is a "feather", a prison is a "theater", a call is "dial numbers."
Other types of jargon - school, student, sports, professional - have practically lost this property. However, in his youth speech, he still has the function of identifying “strangers” in the community. Often, for teenagers, jargon is a way of self-assertion, an indication of their belonging to the number of "adults" and the condition of acceptance into a certain company.
The use of special slang is limited by the subject of the conversation: the subject of the conversation, as a rule, expresses the specific interests of a narrow circle of people. A distinctive feature of jargon from the dialect is that the main share of its use is in informal communication.
Varieties of jargon
There is currently no single, clear separation of jargon. Only three areas can be accurately classified: professional, youth, and criminal slang. However, it is possible to identify patterns and conditionally distinguish from jargon vocabulary inherent in individual groups of society. The following types of jargons are most common and have an extensive vocabulary:
- Professional (by type of specialty).
- Military.
- Journalistic.
- Computer (including gaming, network jargon).
- Jargon Fidoneta.
- Youth (including directions - school, student slang).
- LGBT
- Amateur Radio.
- Slang addicts.
- Slang football fans.
- Criminal (Fenya).
Special variety
Professional jargon is words that are simplified by the abbreviation or association of vocabulary used to refer to special terms and concepts in a specific environment of specialists. These sayings appeared due to the fact that most technical definitions are rather long and difficult to pronounce, or their meanings are completely absent in the modern official language. Slang words are present in almost all professional associations. Their word formation is not subject to any special rules for slang. However, jargon have a pronounced function, being a convenient means for communication and communication.
Jargonisms: Examples Used by Programmers and Internet Users
For the uninitiated, computer slang is rather peculiar and difficult to perceive. Here are a few examples:
- "Windows" - Windows operating system;
- "Firewood" - drivers;
- "Job" - to work;
- "Buggy" - stopped working;
- “Server” - server;
- Klava - keyboard;
- "Programs" - computer programs;
- "Hacker" - cracker of programs;
- "User" is the user.
Thieves Slang - Argo
Criminal jargon is very common and peculiar. Examples:
- "Malaya" - a letter;
- “Pipe” - a mobile phone;
- “Xiva” - passport or identity card;
- "Cock" - a prisoner, "lowered" by prisoners;
- "Parasha" - a toilet;
- “Urka” - a prisoner who has escaped;
- "Fraer" - a person who is at large;
- "Crosses" is a prison;
- “Kum” - the head of the security unit in the colony;
- "Goat" - a prisoner collaborating with the administration of the colony;
- “Zariki” - dice for playing backgammon;
- “Correspondence student” - a girl whose acquaintance took place in the colony;
- "Lean back" - free after imprisonment;
- “Filter the market” - think what you say;
- "Mistress" - the head of the correctional colony;
- “Dumb bazaar” - no questions;
- “No air” - the money ran out.
School slang
Jargonisms are peculiar and widespread in the school environment:
- "Teacher" - teacher;
- “Historian” is a history teacher;
- "Class" - a class teacher;
- “Counter” - control work;
- "Homework" - homework;
- "Fizra" - physical education;
- “Nerd” is an excellent student;
- "Spur" - a cheat sheet;
- "Couple" is a deuce.
Youth slang: examples
Slang words used among teenagers:
- Gavrik is a boring person;
- Chixa is a girl;
- "Dude" is a guy;
- “Take off her chick” - seduce a girl;
- "Strawberry" - a club;
- "Disco" - a disco;
- "Throw show off" - stick out your dignity;
- "Base" - an apartment;
- "Ancestors" - parents;
- “Crackle” - to talk;
- Umatovo - excellent;
- Otpad is wonderful;
- "Clothes" - clothes;
- "Rushing" - really like.
Features of foreign vocabulary
English lexicology has three synonymous terms: cant, slang, jargon. To date, a clear separation between them has not been established, but areas of their use have been outlined. So, cant denotes the conditional vocabulary of certain social groups, such as thieves' argo or school slang.
The mark in the jargon dictionaries is present when designating specific technical terms, that is, it corresponds to the Russian subspecies of professional jargon.
Also jargon, cant and slang denote colloquial expressions and vulgarisms. They are characterized not only by a peculiar environment of use, but also by violations of the grammar and phonetics of all existing literary norms.
In English, jargon is cant and jargon, which include individual words, phrases, and spoken words. They arise both under the influence of entire social groups, and thanks to individuals.
English jargon is often present in works of art style when conveying characterization of characters. Usually, the author gives an explanation of the slang words used.
Many words, which were originally exclusively means of colloquial speech, now have won the right to be used in classical literature.
In modern English, jargon plays a large role in the communication of representatives of different professions. Especially often you meet them in the student sphere, the field of sports, among the military.
It is worth emphasizing that the presence of jargon, their unreasonable use in everyday communication clogs the language.
Jargon Translation
Dialects and slang expressions are familiar to many linguists and translators concepts. Although there is a lot of generalizing information about them and scientific works, today there is a special lack of information on how to correctly and adequately transmit the translation of these lexical units.
An important point in the selection of Russian-language counterparts: do not forget that jargon are inherent in specific social strata and have a certain connotation. Therefore, it is important to find a way to interpret them in order to convey the sensations or concepts inherent in the original source.
In the modern language, jargon is widespread in all sectors of society, the media, films, and even in literature. To prohibit their use is meaningless and ineffectual, but it is important and necessary to form the right attitude to your speech.