Are you one of the teenagers who use the word “matika” more frequently than matematika? Do you think the expression “Mám v paži!” is cool? Similar and many more slang terms are found in the English language.
English slang may be divided according to the countries or areas from where it stems1, e. g.: American, British, Cockney rhyming slang (London slang), Australian or Afro-American slang, etc. Another classification divides slang into categories due to the environment where it is used: general slang, criminal slang, business slang, police slang, military slang, school slang, student talk and animal slang.
One of the main characteristics of this type of vocabulary is that it is widely used in oral form. Dictionaries and books which deal with this topic are available and their authors gather slang words, idioms and phrases from various areas of life. Another feature of slang is that new words are constantly created there. Slang used in one area of life might not be known to people who have different professions or interests. Similarly, people in Britain may not be aware of slang used in the USA. Many slang words are figurative and might mean the opposite, e.g., an ill film means a good film. On the other hand, there are slang expressions which contain their meanings, e.g., a hillbilly is somebody who comes from the mountains.
The following quiz will teach you more about slang words and their meanings. Enjoy it and try to choose the correct option in each question:
1/ It sucks when
a/ The sun shines
b/ I get sick on my day off
c/ My friends visit me
2/ A jerk is someone who is
a/ lazy
b/ funny
c/ unpopular
3/ A hunk is a man who is
a/ ugly
b/ tired
c/ attractive
4/ None of your beeswax2 means…
a/ none of your business
b/ being nervous
c/ I am not interested …
5/ A stone fox is a
a/ cold woman
b/ attractive woman
c/ fox made of stone
6/ It cost me peanuts means
a/ It was very expensive
b/ It cost me almost nothing
c/ The price was average
7/ To be in hot water means
a/ To have a lot of money
b/ To be married
c/ To have problems
8/ An ice man is a
a/ jewellery thief
b/ cold man
c/ snowman
9/ To carry the stick means
a/ to be unemployed
b/ to be homeless or a wanderer
c/ to be lonely
10/ A drama queen is
a/ an hysterical woman
b/ a theatre performance
c/ a famous film
Correct answers: 1-B; 2-C; 3-C; 4-A; 5-B; 6-B; 7-C; 8-A; 9-B;10-A
Katarína Čelková
VOCABULARY:
1 pochádzať – pocházet; 2 /bi:zwaks/ včelí vosk