An Analysis of Slang Language Used in English Students’ Interaction

The slang is one of the language variations recently used mostly in the English students’
daily interaction. The students use this language variation in various types and reasons.
This paper reports the results of a qualitative study which is aimed at finding and
exploring the types of the slang language and the reasons of using slang in students
interaction. It is used as the method to describe the result of a process based on the
category that has been determined. The data are collected from document analyses and
close-ended questionnaires and are analyzed by using the interactive model of data
analysis: data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusion/verification. The study
finds that the types of the slang language used in the students’ interaction show various
results in each type. The first highest result is the acronym (33 words or 39.75%). The
second is clipping 23 words or 27.71%). The third is fresh and creative coining (16
words or 18.39%). The fourth is compounding (eight words or 9.19%). The lowest is
imitation (five words or 5.74%). In relation to the reasons for the language slang use,
seven reasons are found. The first reason is to enrich the language by inventing new
words (Freq=15; 17.85%). The second reason is to induce friendliness (Freq=14;
16.70%). The third and fourth reasons are to be different and easing social intercourse
(Freq=13; 15.47%). The fifth reason is to reduce seriousness of conversation (Freq=11;
13.09%. The sixth reason is to have fun (Freq=10; 11.90%. The last reason is to have
delights in virtuosity (Freq=eight; 9.52%).