Slang/Dialects

BRITISH, IRISH, AUSTRALIAN, AND NEW-ZEALANDER SLANG

The English-to-American Dictionary is a relatively comprehensive dictionary of words which are common in Britain, but unused (or differently defined) in the U.S.. The site is organized both alphabetically and by topic, and the definitions show a good sense of humor.

Peevish is an extensive dictionary of UK colloquialisms whose only drawback may be its inclusiveness; some of its terms are very obscure while others are so common that they can barely be considered slang. Organized alphabetically; includes a search engine.

London Slang tries to focus solely on slang which is currently used in England's capital. The layout is a little hard on the eyes, but the definitions are good and the list is fairly comprehensive. Particularly amusing is the "just heard" section, which lists new phrases that may or may not catch on. Includes some Cockney rhyming slang. Organized alphabetically.

Cockney Rhyming Slang is a guide to the rhyming language spoken in the East End of London. The site translates both English to Cockney and Cockney to English, and includes an amusing "Cockney Alphabet". Although the site notes that some Cockney terms date back to the 16th century, its definitions fail to include the dates of usage. Organized alphabetically.

Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue and the Canting Dictionary are repositories of British underworld slang ("thieves' cant") from 1811 and 1736, respectively. Although these books can also be found through Project Gutenburg, the above websites provide more accurate transcriptions. Organized alphabetically.

Some Irish Slang is just what it claims to be: a list of Irish slang terms, definitions, and examples of their use. It is perhaps best used in concert with The Barking Lizards, a page which compares and contrasts slang used in the cities of Dublin and Limerick. Both sites are organized alphabetically.

Koalanet is a thorough but no-frills site of slang specific to Australia. The editors do their best to exclude slang which is also British or American. Organized alphabetically; includes a search engine.

NZ English to US English Dictionary is intended primarily as a guide to Americans travelling in New Zealand; many of the terms are also in common use in Britain and Australia. Kiwi Words and Phrases is a less thorough guide, but provides some phrases overlooked by the other site. Both are organized alphabetically.

NORTH-AMERICAN SLANG

The Academy is a dictionary of slang which is commonly used in both the U.S. and Canada. Unless a definition refers to a specific location of origin, you can safely assume the word is common useage. Organized alphabetically.

Canadianisms is a dictionary of terms which are used in Canada but not the U.S.. These are usually not so much slang as regional brand names, holidays, and foods. The page is organized by topic, but can only be navigated with the scroll bar (or page down).

Canadian American Dictionary is a short but useful list of Canadian idioms and their American counterparts. Organized alphabetically.

Alaska Slang is a brief and disorganized list of Alaskan slang terms and idioms, presented affectionately but with humor.

Carleton County Colloquialisms is a lexicon of terms and phrases unique to the area around New Brunswick, Maine. The site is well cross-linked and attractively presented; the definitions are clear and provide examples. However, the site is difficult to navigate quickly, especially for someone with a dial-up internet connection. Organized alphabetically.

Wicked Good Guide to Boston English focuses as much on Bostonian accents as on terms unique to the area. Its often-phonetic spellings are irritating, and may particularly frustrate non-native English speakers. Nevertheless, it's a decent resource, and includes a guide to pronouncing unusual place names. Organized alphabetically.

Las Vegas Lingo is a short list of words and phrases which are commonly used in casinos, but have little to no meaning outside them.

Texas Talk is a long page of words and phrases used in the Lone Star State. The editor and associate editor of Reflection's Edge are both from Texas, and they can vouch that they have heard every one of these terms at least once. Some of them are now used mostly by the elderly, but others are so common we were surprised to learn they were regional. Organized alphabetically.

CoalSpeak proclaims itself the "official" dictionary of the coal-mining region that encompasses most of eastern Pennsylvania, but it shows a strange contempt for its subject matter. Many entries focus on mocking regional pronounciations instead of defining area-specific terms. However, other entries give insight into the area's culture and traditions. Organized alphabetically.

AFRICAN AND JAMAICAN SLANG

Surfrikan is a dictionary of South African slang, with a focus on surfer culture. Nicely-written definitions include example sentences and their translations. Organized alphabetically.

Jamaica Phrase Dictionary is a bare-bones but extensive list of words in the Jamaican and Rastafarian patois. The site includes a list of phrases and proverbs. Organized alphabetically.

SUBCULTURE SLANG

Wizard's Gay Slang Dictionary is an alphabetical list of almost any word that has ever been used in gay culture from the 1950s to the present day. It's a long list, one which includes terms for almost every sexual fetish imaginable. When possible, definitions include the years in which the term was common, and available synonyms. Given the amount of information, the site suffers from an abominable lack of cross-linking, and one desperately wishes for a search function. For a site which restricts its data to recent widely-used terms try Gay-MART.

Street Terms: Drugs and the Drug Trade is the most comprehensive list of drug terms I ever expect to find. Over 2300 entries are organized alphabetically, by topic, and by drug. However, the site is mainted by the American Office of National Drug Policy, and their goal is to make sure parents and law enforcement officials know every term that could possibly allude to drug use; they do not focus on the derivations or origins of those terms.

Slang Search: Military is separated into U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army slang. (The Navy section of the site does not work.) The Air Force section includes the U.S. military alphabet (a = alpha, b = bravo, etc.). Organized alphabetically.

Haze Gray & Underway does not primarily focus on slang, but it does provide an extensive dictionary of British Naval jargon and slang here and here. Organized alphabetically.

Prison Wall provides a dictionary of slang used within the prison system. Definitions are precise and include the place of origin when relevant. Organized alphabetically. For a companion to this site, try Slang Search: Crime, a list of police terms.

Amateur Radio is a dictionary of slang and jargon used by CB radio operators (particularly American long-haul truckers). Organized alphabetically.

Rap Dictionary is a well-organized and extremely thorough dictionary of slang particular to rap, hip hop, and gangsta culture. When possible, definitions quote a rap to provide an example. The site additionally contains a dictionary of "artists" - extremely useful in an industry where participants regularly change pseudonyms. Organized alphabetically.

Bay Area Hip Hop Dictionary is a dictionary of rap and gangsta slang commonly used in San Francisco. Although much of the slang is also used on a national level, some of it is solely regional. A few of the definitions are cryptic, but most are clear. Organized alphabetically.

Strafe's Guide is a cyberpunk dictionary. The site is lovingly maintained by someone who obviously cares about the subject, someone with a background in William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and the hacker community. In other words, this is not just a Shadowrun fansite. Organized alphabetically.

The Dictionary of Mountain Bike Slang is a guide to the slang used by off-road cyclists. Much of the slang was adopted from skaters, snowboarders, and motorcycle gangs, but the definitions don't list the word derivations. Organized alphabetically.

The Online Dictionary of Playground Slang compiles schoolyard slang, rhymes, and games from across the English-speaking world. Definitions are thorough and do a good job of noting where the slang is (or was) used, but not always when or by whom. An excellent reminder that children can be creatively cruel. Organized alphabetically. Ongoing.

HISTORIC SLANG

Civil War Slang is a short list of a few terms used by soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. It is poorly organized, and the definitions are brief and often confusing. Certain listed terms were used solely by soldiers from a particular region, but their definitions fail to note this fact. Please e-mail the editor if you know or operate a better site on the subject.

Cool Western Slang is of only limited use as a resource; it is merely a short list of cowboy terms which amuse the site's owner. Still, it's someplace to start. Please e-mail the editor if you know or operate a better site on the subject. Organized alphabetically.

Dictionary of Victorian London is much more than a dictionary; it is an extensive resource which includes dozens of period documents, including political cartoons and articles by Charles Dickens. The wealth of information makes the site difficult to navigate; be prepared to spend a few hours looking around. It should give you a good feel for the language of the period, but is even more valuable for its insights into Victorian culture. Organized by topic. (Uses frames)

Askew's Glossary of Victorian Colonial Terminology is a dictionary of the words used by American and British settlers in Africa, India, and the Old West. Many of these terms are jargon, or foreign words which were absorbed into English. The site is targeted at gamers, but the definitions are excellent, and often include the word's origin and the year it came into use. Organized by region.

1920 Slang is a brief list of words and phrases used in America in the era of the flapper. This is by no means a complete list, and the definitions leave something to be desired. Please e-mail the editor if you know or operate a better site on the subject. Organized alphabetically.

Cab Calloway's Hepsters Dictionary is an online version of a book which dates back to 1944. It's a guide to the slang used by Harlem jazz and swing musicians and imitated by the kids who loved their music. The site is barebones, organized by alphabet, but its data is unquestionably accurate.

Twists, Slugs and Roscoes is a dictionary of the lingo of hardboiled detectives from the 1940s noir. This is the slang of Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, James Cagney, and Humphrey Bogart. Comprehensive. Organized alphabetically.

Cougartown is a dictionary of American slang from the 1960s. A surprising number of the terms deal with automobile culture. As a side note, this page focuses not on hippie slang, but on more mainstream coloquial terms. Organized alphabetically.

VietVet is a dictionary of the language used by American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Much of it is period jargon describing vehicles, weapons, and military tactics, but slang terms and intriguing euphemisms are scattered throughout. Organized alphabetically.



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