The Review of the - Book Report/Review Example

Chapter Responses The first chapter in the book maintains that contrary to what many people think, hip-hop has been in existence for over 30 years. In addition, since it was begun by black Americans, hip-hop has led to the infusion of slang into the American vernacular language. Mostly, hip-hop incorporates several elements that include rap music, which is the main component, graffiti that comes along with hip-hop, and breaking which is the dance popular with hip-hop artists. The break-dancers, as people know them, do not call themselves that especially in the groups affiliated with hip-hop music. Instead, they call themselves b-boys or b-girls. These terms have therefore been included in the American vernacular as a result of the evolvement of hip-hop. Additionally, to create graffiti is not known as such in the hip-hop world but to bomb. Dressing has also been made specific by hip-hop artists. The dressing methods exhibited by the involved individuals is unique as their pants are worn very low with no belts and having extensive portions of their inner clothing visible. Even their hairstyles depict a culture that has been well developed. Rap, which is the main element, has evolved for a long time bringing different terminologies in to the America culture such as nigga and gangsta. The information provided in this chapter matches the behavior of the black Americans as well as the Asians involved in the same. I have experienced this first hand. Moreover, as the chapter outlines, I have seen the life styles of those involved in the hip-hop industry. They have expensive life styles and like wearing bling-bling or flashy jewelry. Their language is usually upside down such as an instance where they use a negative word like sick to mean good. In the second chapter, the author attempts to show how the community especially the individuals involved in the introduction of the slang have been concerned with preservation of the slang both through print and online. This has also helped people in realizing and understanding most of the slang terms used in the New York urban environment. Specifically, several youths joined efforts in the establishment of the first dictionary incorporating most of the words used in New York slang. These involved terms used to refer to drugs and sexual expressions. In fact, some of the youths were reluctant to share their secret terms because they wanted them to remain secret so that they could be used and only be understood by members of the hip-hop world. The project was known as the Dome project and the dictionary was referred to as the DOSC, which comprised three editions. Some of the terms used to refer to loose women include bird and recycled to mean a slut. From a personal perspective, the terms used in the DOSC are in use in the modern day America and the dictionary has helped many people in understanding most of the terms used in the slang present in New York. The information is accurate and I think these new terms were coined to segregate themselves from the larger society and to converse in a way that it could only be understood among certain individuals. This reading as helped my experience in the real world because I am now aware of the terminologies used by the segregated hip-hop artists and individuals involved in the same. These terms are being integrated in the American vernacular and are being used more than they used in the past. Although the chapter has not provided meanings to all terms used in the American slang, it has helped in making the audience aware of most of the terms. The third chapter expounds how the American student culture integrates slang in their social circles. However, the slang used by previous generations is now not referred to as slang especially because it has begun being used by the general population. Some of the most used forms of slang in the past is not popular anymore and may have even extended usage to a global perspective. This chapter is attempting to show how the usage of terms referred to as slang has evolved and how its usage contributes the addition of terms in the overall American vernacular. Usage of slang among American college students signifies the establishment of a group of college individuals who wish to understand themselves. In addition, slang in American universities changes as per the current generation. For instance, the current slang is based on current technology such as cell phones, the Internet, and Google. In my opinion, the article provides accurate information especially with regard to the progression of slang in today’s universities. I have experienced this first-hand and it is authentic that the modern college language is based on technology. This is because the largest percentage of students spends lengthy periods using technological devices that include but not limited to the Internet. Some of the most common terms that my friends and I use include crib when I am talking about my apartment, noob when meaning an unskilled individual at something, and chill out to mean relax. The author has opened my eyes with respect to the progression because I had not noticed how slang has changed between generations. The fourth chapter asserts that usage of slang begins and develops due to evolving friendship groups and that certain slang terms are not restricted to the U.K universities alone or those in another regions such as the U.S. This clearly indicates that the slang in use within the U.K could also be a common place in other countries such as America. Slang in these universities is an issue of fitting in a group rather than standing out or attempting to alienate those outside the subject group. The main source of slang is the informal setting in the society. These include friends at home and family members. Although most of the slang terms may be originating in the U.AS or the U.K, they may be used interchangeably. In my opinion, this chapter is attempting to show how slang can emerge in different parts of the world and be applied in other regions. I have experienced this as I have seen my friends talking to their friends from Britain and heard similar terms as those used in American colleges. Some of the terms that have been used in these two countries include hot, which is used to mean an attractive woman in both regions. Chapter five expounds the source of MLE or Multicultural London English as immigrants who came from Asia and the Caribbean. Immigration began as the U.K started importing labour from Jamaica and other nations who brought various individuals that did not want to abandon their cultures. MLE can be found mostly among the young individuals who do not view it as an official language but as slang. Currently, MLE does not exist outside the young individuals although it manifests itself within various classes in the society. The arrival of the various cultures bringing various cultural practices is logical to me because it involved the blacks who are now residing in U.K and rearing their children in a specific way. Such ideas will obviously lead to the emergence of multicultural language. The emergence of the MLE concept can also be attributed to the overwrap that emerges when individual from various backgrounds are reared in the same environment. This specifically happens in the case of the youths. From what I have learnt concerning youth slang, MLE could be the present term used to mean slang since these are developments. In addition, I think this has continued to take effect and to be passed to other class groups because the natively born black individuals are continuing to play a crucial role of the outsider. Therefore, the same idea may be given a different term in the future although it will be representing slang. The sixth chapter presents a new concept with respect to usage of slang. Here, prisoners are using slang that was popular during the Elizabethan period to undertake illegal activities such as smuggling drugs into prison premises or even kill each other. The specific slang used to mean kill is waste, which originated from telling a person that they are a waste of space while chat meant heroin. This had been giving prison officers a hard time attempting to decode the meaning. This is true because criminals have been known to continue committing crimes while even behind bars. Here, smuggling drugs into the prison is a crime and can be easy if the officers are not aware of the conversations. This then brings in the issue of youth crime and MLE. In organizing urban riots, youths resort to using MLE or slang that is not easy for those undertaking surveillance to understand or decode. This has been taking place in the modern world where members of a specific religious group or any group communicate in slang making it difficult for the police to stop such activities because of the terminology. Some of the other slang terms used in crime and that date back in the Elizabethan period include but not limited to Cawbe, which means cocaine, Inick meaning a sim card or a phone, and shades to mean prison officers. This has opened my eyes and brought a new concept that slang is not only progressive but can use terms popular in the ancient world to confuse those who would be listening in and for the aim of undertaking illegal activities. Read More