standard usage includes those words and expressions understood, used, and accepted by a majority of the speakers of a language in any situation regardless of the level of formality. as such, these words and expressions are well defined and listed in standard dictionaries. colloquialisms, on the other hand, are familiar words and idioms that are understood by almost all speakers of a language and used in informal speech or writing, but not considered appropriate for more formal situations. almost all idiomatic expressions are colloquial language. slang, however, refers to words and expressions understood by a large number of speakers but not accepted as good, formal usage by the majority. colloquial expressions and even slang may be found in standard dictionaries but will be so identified. both colloquial usage and slang are more common in speech than in writing.
colloquial speech often passes into standard speech. some slang also passes into standard speech, but other slang expressions enjoy momentary popularity followed by obscurity. in some cases, the majority never accepts certain slang phrases but nevertheless retains them in their collective memories. every generation seems to require its own set of words to describe familiar objects and events.it has been pointed out by a number of linguists that three cultural conditions are necessary for the creation of a large body of slang expressions. first, the introduction and acceptance of new objects and situations in the society; second, a diverse population with a large number of subgroups; third, association among the subgroups and the majority population.
finally, it is worth noting that the terms "standard" "colloquial" and "slang" exist only as abstract labels for scholars who study language. only a tiny number of the speakers of any language will be aware that they are using colloquial or slang expressions. most speakers of english will, during appropriate situations, select and use all three types of expressions.
語言的類型
標準用法包括那些為使用這種語言的大多數人在任何場合下理解、使用和接受的詞和短語，而不論該場合是否正式。 這些詞和短語的意義已很確定並被列入了標準詞典中。 相反，俗語是指那些幾乎所有講這種語言的人都理解並在非正式的口頭或書面中使用，卻不適用于更正規的一些場合的詞和短語。 幾乎所有的習慣用語都屬于俗語，而俚語指的是為很多講這種語言的人理解但大多數人不把它們列入好的、正式用法之內的詞和短語;俗語甚至俚語都可能在標準字典中查到，但是字典中會標明它們的性質。 俗語和俚語辭彙的套用都是口頭較多、筆頭較少。
俗語用法經常地被接受為標準用法。 一些俚語也變成了標準用法，但另外一些俚語隻經歷了短暫的流行，而後就被棄之不用了。 有時候，多數人從來不接受某些俚語，但是他們把這些俚語儲存到集中記憶中。 每一代人似乎都需要獨有的一套辭彙來描述熟知的物體和事件。很多語言學家指出，大量俚語的形成需要三個文化條件：第一，對社會中新事物的引入和接受;第二，一個由大量子群構成的多樣化人口;第三，各子群與多數人口之間的聯系。
最後需要提到的是，"標準語"、"俗語"和"俚語"這些術語隻是對研究語言的專家才有用的抽象標簽。 不論何種語言，隻會有很小一部分使用者能夠意識到他們是在使用俗語或俚語。 講英語的多數人能夠在適當的場合中選擇使用所有這三種語言類型。