Colloquial Language Versus Slang

Colloquial language is informal language that people use in everyday speech. It may also be used in informal writing to create a conversational tone and a sense of realism to writing. Colloquial language is composed of words, phrases, and aphorisms that are shorter and less sophisticated. For example, contractions like should’ve (should have) and where’d (where did) are examples of colloquial language. The idiomatic expressions “go bananas” (to go crazy or insane) and “give me a hand” (help me) are also examples of colloquial language. 

Some of the components of colloquial language do not follow the rules of linguistics, but colloquial language is still considered standard language. Some people may mistake it as slang.However, colloquial language and slang are two distinct forms of languages.

Slang is a lexicon of words and phrases that are far more informal than colloquial language. It includes expressions that may not be considered standard language especially because only members of groups that speak a particular slang can understand specific slang expressions. Many linguists consider slang inferior to colloquial language because of its intentions to replace standard language. 

Slang expressions may be created and used based on their social significance and their relation to a subculture. In the past, slang was associated with outlaws because these people used to make up words that would not be understood by the general public as a way to protect themselves and their trade. However, in later years, slang made its way into pop culture, and it is now widely used by the youth, the media, and the entertainment industry.

Colloquial and slang expressions may undergo the same process of language formation since they may be coined from existing components of standard languages. The difference lies on how they are used. Colloquial language can still be used in newspapers, business meetings, and other formal situations because although it is informal, it is still considered standard language. It can still be understood by the majority. 

Slang, however, may only be used by certain groups of people. Its survival is dependent on how it is used by the group that created and speaks it. Slang may also be too vulgar and inappropriate, so it should not be used in formal settings.

All in all, colloquial language and slang are closely related but are not one and the same. They may have their similarities, but the main point of differentiation is that colloquial language is considered a standard language while slang is not.