I come from a corner of the world where my mother used to say, “I’m so mad, I could spit nails.” It never dawned on me that this wasn’t a universal phrase. It was only that after I used it out west, another transplanted colleague told me it was common to the New York/Ohio area — but I have no idea if that’s correct.
I do know that when I landed in LA, their language was foreign to me. Although I could ace Native-American names like Lake Memphremagog (located between Newport, VT, and Canada), I stumbled over the Spanish origin words like “El Cajon” and “La Jolla.” Of course that was the way West Coast natives poked fun at us Easterners by mocking us with “El Cay Jon” and “La Jo La.”
But even more puzzling to me was the word “Whatever.” It seemed to replace any semblance of decision making. The question would be, “Do you want to go to the movies?” and the answer would be, “Whatever.” I kept waiting for the rest of the words: “whatever you want to do… whatever you think… whatever makes you happy.” I was always left hanging…
Those were the days when Valley Girl talk was popular. Words like “tubular” and “grody to the max” peppered the streets. I never quite went there, but in no time, sure enough, I was saying “Whatever…”
However, that casual infusion of local lingo was nothing compared to my exchange with an “old time” artist from Texas who told me my copy was “fine as frog’s hair.” Being only casually acquainted with frogs but quite sure they didn’t have hair, I assumed this was a good – maybe even rare — thing. Once I figured it out, I thanked him.
Actually, I’ve been thinking about the pros and cons of slang and colloquialisms. Since most of us are not Mark Twain, writing in dialect should generally be avoided, but using a correct colloquialism – and maybe even more importantly, avoiding a wrong one – can really drive home a message.
To define the difference, I checked Merriam Webster online. According to them, a “colloquialism” is “a local or regional dialect or expression.” The term was coined in 1810. “Slang,” on the other hand, which dates to 1756, is defined as “informal nonstandard vocabulary composed typically of coinages, arbitrarily changed words, and extravagant, forced or facetious figures of speech.” Seems sort of nasty.
Using either can backfire if you’re writing for a national or international audience because you’re apt to alienate someone — but if you’re targeting your message, slang and colloquialisms can be very effective.
One of the best examples I’ve seen lately is from Arnold’s McDonald’s campaign for Newman’s Own Organic Coffee, produced to promote their New England blend. Featuring two “home town guys” with thick Boston/Revere accents, the dialogue is so fast and funny that it prompted coverage in the Boston Globe. If you haven’t seen the spot, check it out on YouTube.
For those of us in the region, the tactic resonates as we laugh gently at ourselves. For those in other parts of the country, the reaction might be something closer to “Huh?” Yet, with 27,000 YouTube views at this writing, we can’t argue about the charm and intrigue of colloquialisms and slang. Used selectively, they can be “wicked good.”
Tags: colloquialism, slang, word choice
Categories: Positioning, Tips