Shadowing Practice: Contemporary Topics 3 Unit 1 COMMUNICATION STUDIES Slang ang language change - Learn English Speaking with Video
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114 sentences
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The first thing to say about language change is it's inevitable.
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Language is a living thing, constantly expanding, evolving, and adapting to the humans who use it.
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We see language change in all areas of language.
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Syntax, phonology, orthography, and semantics.
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For now, let's just focus on semantics and on one particular area of semantic change which always grabs people's attention.
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Slang.
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We all recognize slang, we all use slang, and we use it for a reason.
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It gives our language a special feel and says something about us.
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So, I'm going to talk a bit about what slang is, who uses it and why,
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where it comes from, and how it is received. So, what is slang?
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Here's a definition you might want to jot down.
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Now, slang is informal language which tends to be associated with particular groups of people and therefore helps define their identity.
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Slang often breeds among deprived groups or groups we think of as secretive or underground or non-conforming.
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Today though, these associations are becoming much weaker and now everyone uses slang.
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So let me home in on this idea of identity as it leads us into the question of why people use slang.
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A lot of slang comes from people not wanting to be understood by those outside their group.
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We typically think of using language in order to be understood, but another use of language is to prevent understanding.
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use exclusive or private language to give their group a distinct identity.
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With slang, people can tease one another, enjoy shared experiences, and keep everyone else at a distance.
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All cultures have groups or subcultures who want to be separate,
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and yet they want people to know who they are and what they stand for, and slang helps to construct that identity.
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We can say then that slang reflects the experiences, beliefs, and values of its speakers.
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By using the slang associated with a particular social group, you're staking a claim to membership of that group.
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Being in group denotes inclusion or acceptance because you play by the group's rules.
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Being out group is the opposite.
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It's being excluded.
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Ever notice how non-native speakers are so eager to learn slang even before they have a basic grasp of the language?
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Well, that's because it's a signal of integration, of membership.
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I speak this language.
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I belong.
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In a word, slang is cohesive.
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Now, let's look at the personal benefits of using slang.
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First, when you use slang well, you show that you're in tune with the times, that you know what is culturally in fashion, and you're part of it.
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Using slang makes you desirable.
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The second benefit of using slang that you demonstrate your mastery of the situation.
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You become an expert.
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This is because slang is only used in certain settings, and knowing how and when to use it, or when not to use it,
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gives you a kind of status.
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A third benefit of using slang is that it allows you to share social and emotional experiences, so it reinforces your relationships.
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For example, if you say to your friend, My new sound system is really safe.
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You're saying more than just, it's very good.
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Your use of slang equates sharing an emotional experience.
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And a fourth benefit of using slang is, it's fun.
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It's often humorous and very creative, like poetry.
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The semanticist S.I.
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Hayakawa actually described slang as the poetry of everyday life.
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In other words, slang is also a form of play or entertainment.
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So, what are the major inspirations for slang?
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Well, there are a few that never seem to go out of fashion.
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I'm talking about love and romance.
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It's also used for emotional expressions of like and dislike, and you can probably think of dozens of them.
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These particular slang terms seem to have a pretty short life.
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They're being replaced by newer words and phrases all the time.
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And like I said, if you want to stay cool, you've got to keep up with the changes.
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But there's another category of slang term that's really taken off recently.
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And that's the slang of new technology.
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Things like personal computers, the internet, email, and mobile technology.
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These things have become one of the richest sources of slang, and there are tons of websites designed to celebrate or decode that slang.
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Here we see certain, often youthful communities, using this to distance themselves from the technologically challenged older generations.
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So, we've seen what slang is, who uses it and why, and what inspires it, but what about the present day attitudes towards it?
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Well, slang may be widespread and no longer taboo in the way it once was, but that doesn't mean everybody likes it.
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Some see it as decadent and insist on associating it with groups they see as undesirable or uneducated.
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They see themselves as guardians of the language and view any kind of change as change for the worse.
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In my opinion, this is absurd.
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I personally think slang is a sign of life, vibrancy, and beauty in language.
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As I said at the outset, language is a living thing and will always change.
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Yet, it seems like people are programmed to view any language change negatively.
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Okay, so I'd like to summarize now today's main points with a quotation from linguist Tony Thorne who says,
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Slang often performs an important social function,
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which is to include into or exclude from the intimate circle.
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So, yes, it may still have negative connotations, but slang is here to stay.
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It even has taken on an aura of respectability by becoming the subject of serious academic study.
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And why not?
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As I've tried to show, it's a fascinating social and linguistic phenomenon.
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It was an interesting lecture, but I have to say, I found a couple of parts confusing.
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Really?
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Like what?
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Well, he said that language change is inevitable, right?
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Yeah, it's like a living thing.
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I guess that means all living things develop, change, you know?
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Okay, and that we can't stop change from happening.
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Is that how everyone took it?
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So far we're with you.
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But later he seemed to say that groups choose to change language.
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That is, they use slang because they want to make a statement or create their own identities.
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Yeah, okay.
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So what's the confusion?
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Well, presumably, if they can choose to change language by using slang, that means they can also choose not to use it.
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Right?
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And if they can choose not to use it...
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Ah, then they're not changing.
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They're choosing not to change the language.
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It's a choice, you're saying.
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I see your point.
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Thank you.
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So, isn't that a contradiction?
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No, I don't think so.
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What he meant was that language change will happen generally.
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That there will always be events, groups, or someone out there playing with the language, creating slang.
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Right.
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Maybe it's because communication requires us to adapt to new conditions.
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So we change the language to adapt.
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That's the inevitable part.
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It's going to happen.
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History shows us that.
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Oh, okay.
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But it isn't inevitable in any particular group or in any particular case.
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You're right about that.
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Individuals have a choice about how they speak.
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Makes sense?
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Yeah, yeah.
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I think I get it now.
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Hey, thanks guys.
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That was a sweet explanation.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 114 sentences and 1230 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:04. The speaker talks at a steady 136 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| inevitable adjective | /ɪˈnɛvɪtəbəl/ | Impossible to avoid or prevent. |
| associate noun | /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/ | A person united with another or others in an act, enterprise, or business; a partner or employee. |
| adapt verb | /əˈdæpt/ | To make suitable; to make to correspond; to fit or suit. |
| membership noun | The state of being a member of a group or organization. | |
| poetry noun | /ˈpoʊ.ə.tɹi/ | Literature composed in verse or language exhibiting conscious attention to patterns and rhythm. |
| exclude verb | /ɪksˈkluːd/ | To bar (someone or something) from entering; to keep out. |
| everyday adjective | /ˈɛvɹiˌdeɪ/ | Appropriate for ordinary use, rather than for special occasions. |
| belief noun | /bɪˈliːf/ | Mental acceptance of a claim as true. |
| explanation noun | /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/ | The act or process of explaining. |
| inspiration noun | /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ | The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing. |
| reflect verb | /ɹɪˈflɛkt/ | To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface. |
| belong verb | /bɪˈlɒŋ/ | To have its proper place. |
| expand verb | /ɪkˈspænd/ | To change (something) from a smaller form or size to a larger one; to spread out or lay open. |
| romance noun | /roʊˈmæn(t)s/ | An intimate relationship between two people; a love affair. |
| underground adjective | /ˌʌn.dəɹˈɡɹaʊnd/ | Below the ground; below the surface of the Earth. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| keep up with verb | To manage to remain beside or just behind someone or something that is moving away from one. |
| take off verb | To remove. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is received · be associated · be understood |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have become · we've seen · has taken |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 21 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, they're, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: youthful /ˈjuθfəl/, orthography /ɔɹˈθɑɡɹəfi/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: associate /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, integration /ˌɪn.tɪˈɡɹeɪ.ʃən/, confusion /kənˈfjuːʒən/
- Long words — get the stress right: inevitable /ɪˈnɛvɪtəbəl/, associate /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, integration /ˌɪn.tɪˈɡɹeɪ.ʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like inevitable, associate, adapt.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.