'Slang' or 'Slangs'? Which One Is Correct? | Mastering Grammar

(Last Updated: 9 May 2024)

Slang or Slangs: Which One Is Correct?

Slang refers to the special informal language or non-standard vocabulary used by particular groups of people, such as teenagers, criminals, and soldiers. It is generally treated as an uncountable noun:

✅ Slang is often used among young people.
❌ Slangs are often used among young people.

✅ He uses a lot of slang when he speaks.
❌ He uses many slangs when he speaks.

✅ Slang is often hard to understand if you're not familiar with the cultural context.
❌ Slangs are often hard to understand if you're not familiar with the cultural context.

✅ Learning slang can be very helpful for understanding movies and TV shows that depict everyday speech.
❌ Learning slangs can be very helpful for understanding movies and TV shows that depict everyday speech.

✅ Slang evolves constantly, reflecting changes in society and culture.
❌ Slangs evolve constantly, reflecting changes in society and culture.

It is not standard to use slang as a countable noun. If you want to talk about a specific word, expression, or term within slang, it is more appropriate to say a slang word, a slang expression, or a slang term:

✅ He used several slang words I didn't understand.
❌ He used several slangs I didn't understand.

✅ The slang word 'lit' is often used to describe something exciting or excellent.
❌ The slang 'lit' is often used to describe something exciting or excellent.

✅ He introduced me to some slang expressions commonly used in British English.
❌ He introduced me to some slangs commonly used in British English.

✅ 'Flex' is a slang term that means 'to show off or boast'.
❌ 'Flex' is a slang that means 'to show off or boast'.

Language evolves over time. If enough people start using the word slang as a countable noun, then dictionaries will add a new definition. But for now, it is not correct, at least not in standard English. It is therefore advisable to use the word as an uncountable noun.

The entry for the noun slang in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

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Examples from the Media

It is not uncommon to hear the younger generation quip and moan about boomers and millennials being out of touch, but what if the shoe were on the other foot? How much traditional British slang do gen-zers actually know themselves? —Daily Mail (2024)

Denis said that's a basic function of slang: to demarcate social boundaries and make you feel like you're in the "in-crowd" by knowing the phrases. He said Toronto's lexicon is noteworthy in large part because of its unmatched diversity. As a result, everyday slang words pull from Arabic, Somali and Patois references, among others. —Toronto Star (2019)

Some of our best words and our better slang expressions are no longer in use. What is worse, there are no replacements. —The Washington Post (1980)

"If Australians' tendency to turn one vowel into three doesn't throw you, their quirky expressions might," the article says. It goes on to list 20 slang terms visitors will need – from tinnie to mozzie, fair dinkum to onya, and gone bush to it's my shout. —The Sydney Morning Herald (2004)

Real-World Examples of Misuse

Source: Wall Street English