Interpersonal Communication- A Mindful Approach to Relationships, 2020a

efers to words that are employed by certain groups, such as young adults and teens. 26 Slang is
more common when speaking to others rather than written. Slang is often used with people who are
similar and have experience with each other. Here is a list of some common slang terms you may use in
your day-to-day life:
• BAE (baby / before all else)
• On Fleek (looking perfect)
• Bye Felica (saying goodbye to someone you don’t like)
• The Tea (gossip)
• Bro (typically a male friend)
• Cash (money)
• Cheesy (cheap or tacky)
• Ship (wanting people to be in a relationship, whether real or fictional)
• Frenemy (someone who is both a friend and an enemy)
• Thirsty (being overly eager or desperate)
• Throw Shade (to insult another person)
• Woke (being acutely aware of social injustice within society)
How many of these slang words do you use? What other slang words do you find yourself using? When
it comes to slang, it’s important to understand that this list is constantly evolving. What is common slang
today could be completely passé tomorrow. What’s common slang in the United States is not universal in
English speaking countries.
Idioms
are expressions or figures of speech whose meaning cannot be understood by looking at the
individual words and interpreting them literally. 27 Idioms can help amplify messages. Idioms can be used
to provide artistic expression. For instance, “knowledge is power!”
Idioms can be hard to grasp for non-native speakers. As such, many instructors in the English as a
Second Language world spend a good deal of time trying to explain idioms to non-native speakers. Table
4.2 presents a wide array of different idioms.
IDIOM
MEANING/SENTENCE
ish
a basket case
a breath of fresh air
a change of heart
a blessing in disguise
a dead end
a gut feeling
a matter of opinion
a piece of cake
a ripoff
a pain in the neck
About. I’ll meet you at 4ish.
A wreck. He was a basket case after he was
thrown off the basketball team.
Refreshing/fun. She’s a breath of fresh air.
Change my mind. I’ve had a change of heart.
Something bad that turns out good. Losing his job turned out to be a blessing in
disguise.
That’s a dead end job–time to find a new one.
Feeling in my stomach. I have a gut feeling that everything is going to turn out all
right.
It’s a matter of opinion whether eating fried tarantulas is a gourmet treat.
That test was a snap–it was a piece of cake. (easy).
You spent $500 for a watermelon! What a ripoff! You were cheated.
A pest. His little brother is a real pain in the neck.
Interpersonal Communication 138