Question

Read the following research paper excerpt and answer the question.

According to Mario Pei, slang is common to English as well as to foreign languages (80). Many words that were once considered slang are now words of full, legitimate standing in our language. Some of these words are strenuous, spurious, clumsy, and bogus. Even Shakespeare introduced into current usage such slang terms of his day as hubbub, fireworks, fretful, (to) bump, and (to) dwindle. Pei estimates that about 90 percent of all slang words eventually become permanent (Johns 12).

What is the connotation of slang in the second sentence?
It is harsh.
It is negative.
It is positive.
It is informal language.

Answer 1

The term slang refers to informal language and it is usually considered to carry negative connotation, because it stands out from the standard, formal language.

So the answer here is that the connotation of slang in the second sentence is that:

• It is negative.

The word legitimate helps us understand this, that even though slang was considered a bad thing, through time those words gained full meaning and are now commonly used.