Thursday, April 18, 2013
Slang.
"To adopt a commonplace word, that is to say, a popular and a true one, they looked glum."
-Victor Hugo, Les Miserables, “The Epic on the Rue Saint-Denis...”, Book One, Chapter 1, p. 2
Those of you who know me, know I like slang. It would seem that Victor Hugo liked slang. But there is another opinion, held by many that I know, which condemns slang as improper to the point of vulgarity. Louisa May Alcott seemed to agree; in Eight Cousins, she (if my memory is serving me correctly) condemns it, along with smoking pipes, as being just that. Little Rose lets herself be pushed into a mighty hard bargain to get her eight cousins to recant the two habits.
Who's right? Is slang a corruption of our beautiful language, reducing it to a something almost profane, or is it what makes language living and organic, and lends it continuing strength and meaning?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Great question! I hadn't thought about it much before...on principle, I don't like slang, but the word "glum," for instance, is so perfect a description of a mood. Maybe it depends on whether the slang demeans a person/situation, or just expresses it more down-to-earth/transparently.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Are you reading Les Miserables?
Hmmm...I think I'd have to agree... Yep; I'm about a third of the way through; would DEFINITELY recommend it so far!
ReplyDelete