Slang

The great Samuel Johnson derided slang as "fugitive cant, which is always in state of increase or decay, cannot be regarded as any part of the durable materials of a language, and therefore must be suffered to perish with other things unworthy of preservation." - James Sharpe, "The Takeaway Language of Slang"

STTA

• The status of slang is always an issue -- especially, who can use it, and when. What is your definition of slang?
• Slang always seem to bubble up from edges of the social order. See if you can find some contemporary examples of the language of outsiders finding widespread currency?