A survey of Canadian English slang.

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dc.contributor.authorPreston, Donald Wesleyen_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-15T17:16:43Z
dc.date.available2024-08-15T17:16:43Z
dc.date.copyright1973en_US
dc.date.issued1973
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Linguistics
dc.degree.departmentSchool of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts M.A.en
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this thesis is to determine if there is such an entity as Canadian English slang, by using the resources of the Lexicographical Centre for Canadian English, University of Victoria. In the view of several academics, like Eric Partridge, H. L. Mencken, Mark Orkin, the bulk of Canadian English slang is composed of American English slang. Through logical reasoning, one must believe that Canadian English has within its bounds a Canadian English slang. To assume that part of it is of Canadian origin is no more astonishing than to assume that part of American English slang is of American origin, and part of British English slang is of British origin. What is slang? It is a part of our language, but a part of some lexicographers would rather not think about. Why? Because it is usually ephemeral, it is composed of coinages, arbitrarily changed words, abbreviations, metaphors and similes; because it is often picturesque or striking, earthy, humorous, (too) exact in definition, and euphemistic. It is highly informal, often impolite, and it is not normally in use by speakres of proper Standard English, and these people are for whom most lexicographers compile dictionaries. The words dealt with, in this thesis, to prove the existence of Canadian slag have proved to be categorized as words not listed anywhere; words listed as American or British, but antedated by Canadian quotations in the files from the Lexicographical Centre; words which may be either Canadian or American in origin, words listed in dictionaries but without date of origin, and words known to be, and listed as, of US origin and use. These words were supplemented by extensive listings in the Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional Language. Are there claims true that Canadian English slang is eighty percent, or nine-tenths American? Are there many Canadian English slang terms of Canadian origin, or are they mostly borrowed Americanisms? Is there a substantial percentage of British English slang in that of Canadian English, or do we, indeed, think and speak in American? Should further attempts be made to claim a separate Canadian English and American English, or should there be a type of English classified as North American English? The results of this thesis will deliver some sorts of solutions to these problems. The problem solved most immediately is whether or not there is a Canadian English slang. Of 4306 lexical items examined, 2540, or fifty-nine percent of the total, proved to be Canadian in origin or in exclusive Canadian use, and 2128 items, or forty-nine percent of the total, proved to be Canadian in origin. As further evidence of the existence of Canadian slang, although the evidence is slight indeed, one can turn to the Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles which labels as slang as small proportion of its entries. Such entries, which are also in the unpublished files as duplicate entries, are marked with an asterisk in List (6)en
dc.format.extent182 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/19344
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.titleA survey of Canadian English slang.en_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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