Do you know what it means to "mack on" somebody? How about what it means to be "dissed"? Perhaps you need some context. Here is our TV writer's summary of a new show titled "Teachers" (I added the emphasis): NBC dissed the great "Scrubs" once again by moving it to make room for this sitcom that centers on a misfit high school teacher trying to mack on hot women when he's not teaching a classroom of apathetic kids who'd probably rather be watching "MTV's Spring Break" on their iPods. If you like shows where cute people say witty little things, this one will do you right.
I have become familiar enough with "dissed" in the past few years to understand that it is short for "disrespected," a word that itself wasn't in my vocabulary. To "dis" someone is to insult him. But "mack on"? I could understand from the context that it involved interpersonal relationships, but I wasn't quite sure what it meant. I turned to the Urban Dictionary, a Web site that explains slang, often, I must warn, in graphic, earthy terms. I found out that, among other things, "mack on" is a term for high-powered flirting. I wanted to translate the term for our readers who, like me, might not be familiar with it. The writer objected. I left it alone.
What do you think? Should newspaper writers use ANY slang at all? Should writers use only old and familiar slang, like cool? Should writers pick up slang that is familiar among the readers who might be particularly interested in a specific story? The sitcom in question is probably aimed at the 18- to 34-year-old viewers, a group perhaps familiar with "mack on." Should writers try to connect with readers by using terms that the readers will understand right away? What if we use a term that has several meanings, some of which are obscene? Where do we draw the line?
As a copy editor, I allow feature writers much more leeway in using slang, but I know that sometimes we are leaving our readers confused or even irritated. The key is providing context, I suppose.
One good thing is that when we venture into slang we all -- old copy editors and our dear, devoted readers -- learn a new word. Cool.
Longtime N&O journalist Pam Nelson dishes on language use and misuse and answers questions about grammar and style. Readers can weigh in on what annoys them, too. Think of this as your online grammar class.
