Purpose of Slang Language Used by Drug Addicts - Essay Example

Their actions may be harmful to both the individual and the society. Once addicted, they cannot do without drugs and hence require a lot of money to help them continue taking the drugs. In most situations or cases, drug addicts are unemployed and depend on their loved ones for financial support. If they are unable to get the money they need to buy these drugs, they can do just about anything to be able to obtain the drugs. At times, they start by stealing things from the house and with time, they proceed to the streets where they mug people hence becoming a threat to the society.

These leads them to become an outcast to their respective families and the society in general as no one want to associate with them. For this reason, they sort company with people who have the same interest as they themselves have as they can relate to one another and understand each other better. Most of the drug addicts are uneducated and cannot communicate efficiently in English. As a result, they create a language which only they can understand. This language is mostly referred to as slang.

According to Shirley (43), the term slag is “described as informal, nonstandard words or phrases (Lexical innovations) which tend to originate from subcultures within a society. Slang often suggests that the person utilizing the words or phrases is familiar with the hearer's group or subgroup.” The slang language develops fast and new words are created every day. The words only lasts for a few months or less before they are considered out of date. A lot of dictionaries and books continue being published every day yet new words continue emerging every on a daily basis.

Reasons why drug addicts choose to use slang language is sense or the feeling of belonging to a certain group. This helps them indentify one another and anyone who does not belong to their group is easily indentified. They treat each other as a family and protect one another. They do everything together and use the language to communicate to one another. This is because Slang is secretive and anyone who does not belong to their circle cannot understand what they are saying. This is an advantage to them because they can transact the business of buying drugs without anyone knowing what they are doing as they are the only ones who can understand the language.

According to Web4health (45), these are some of the examples of slang names used to identify some of the most common drugs; “blow / flake is for cocaine, smack / dust / junk is for heroin, a – momb is for a combination of marijuana and heroin, crack is for cocain free base, disco biscuits / doves / burgers / eccies / echoes is for ecstasy, mokes is for tobacco and skunk / dough / ganja / home grown / Indiana / indica is for marijuana brand.” These are just but a few of the words used to conceal the real name of the drugs.

This becomes difficult for the authorities to arrest them and stop the business of drug dealing in the streets or community as they are unable to join these groups without being discovered, and this is because they are unable to understand their language (slang). The use of Slung language makes them different from the other people in the community; and when they use the slag language, people in the community can identify that they belong to a certain group, hence they keep their distance. It also helps show superiority as they use violence to conduct illegal businesses.

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