Slang refers to a type of informal, non-standard language that is often characterized by its creativity, playfulness, and use of words and phrases that are not typically found in formal or standard speech. Slang terms and expressions are usually specific to particular groups, subcultures, or generations and can vary significantly by region, age, or social context.

Plain Jane Tagalong and the Magic Diary

This ESL workbook contains a description of slang terms used in Plain Jane Tagalong and the Magic Diary novel. Specifically, the slang words used here were common in Canada in the 1980s. Many of the slang terms and speech used in the book (e.g., “totally tubular,” and inserting “like” and “Oh my God” into many sentences) are “Val speak” from the San Fernando Valley in Southern California. Val speak was picked up by Canadian teenagers and young adults from watching television shows and listening to a song, “Valley Girls” that was popular in the early 1980s.