Slang as something other than language

[Laurence Horn]

At 9:41 AM -0500 12/5/08, Grant Barrett wrote:
>I've just run across an interesting use of "slang" from prominent pop
>music personality Britney Spears:
>
>2008 MSNBC (Dec. 4) Andy Dehnart "'For the Record,' Britney reveals
>very little" <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27931958/>: Britney insists
>she is "a very private person" and later says, "I used to be a cool
>chick, you know? And I feel like the paparazzi has taken my whole cool
>slang away from me. Like, going out, and doing stuff, and like seeing
>a guy and hanging out."
>
>It's pretty clear she's not talking about language. It's more like
>slang = personal space or ability to be one's self. Does anyone have
>any other similar uses?

Interesting too that she seems to use "paparazzi" as a mass term (I
assume it's not just one paparzzo she's disturbed by).  Either that
or she's just using 3d sg. unmarked agreement with a plural noun, but
I'd need more evidence to conclude that.

LH

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