3.The main features of colloquialisms in English. The difference between colloquialisms and slang in English.

The word “colloquialism” comes from the Latin colloquium, which means a “conference” or “conversation.” As a literary device, colloquialism refers to the usage of informal or everyday language in literature. Colloquialisms are generally geographic in nature, in that a colloquial expression often belongs to a regional or local dialect. They can be words, phrases, or aphorisms (see below for examples). Native speakers of a language understand and use colloquialisms without realizing it, while non-native speakers may find colloquial expressions hard to translate. This is because many colloquialisms are not literal usages of words, but instead idiomatic or metaphorical sayings. Colloquialism is similar to slang, but the definition of colloquialism has some key differences as described below.

Authors will frequently use colloquialisms to make dialogue sound more authentic. For example, a writer of a contemporary American novel would probably choose the greeting “Hey, how’s it going” rather than “How now.” They may also employ this device to situate the writing more decisively in a specific time period and/or place. When used inappropriately, colloquialisms will often stand out as jarring to the reader. Indeed, writers are cautioned away from over-using dialect, such as dropping the “g” at the end of a continuous verb to create a Southern twang, such as goin’, doin’, bein’, etc. However, when used well readers may feel the writing is very genuine. Authors may also use colloquialisms unconsciously if they are writing in a time and place they know from their own experience.

Ex: What’s the use you learning to do right, when it’s troublesome to do right and it ain’t no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same? Mark Twain’s book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is renowned for its use of colloquialisms. Twain used plenty of accents, slang, and vernacular to make his characters sound like real Americans of the time. This excerpt contains the double-negative “ain’t no trouble” and the colloquial usage of “just the same.”

Slang refers to words, phrases and uses that are regarded as very informal and are often restricted to special contexts or are peculiar to a specified profession, class and the like. There are different kinds of slang such as schoolboy slang, college student slang, sports slang and the like. Sometimes the word slang refers to an impure and an abusive language too. Unlike colloquial, slang is not considered as a major topic for research. Furthermore, slang has a funny part of communication attached to it.

Slang refers to words, phrases and uses that are regarded as very informal and are often restricted to special contexts or are peculiar to a specified profession, class and the like.

These are the differences between slang and colloquial.

• There are different kinds of slang such as schoolboy slang, college student slang, sports slang and the like.

• Sometimes the word slang refers to an impure and an abusive language too.

• On the other hand, colloquial refers to the language or linguistic usage made in a particular region or location.

• Colloquial form of a language is understood only in a particular region or location where it is spoken.

• Colloquial terms and language becomes a topic of research too in the field of linguistics whereas slang is not considered as a major topic for research.

• Slang has a funny part of communication attached to it whereas colloquial is a serious part of communication.