The Perse School of Cambridge, United Kingdom, studied the seemingly contestable question of whether slang and dialect should be accepted as standard English in essays and more formal writing. Ultimately, they concluded slang should not be accepted in standard English essays. I would agree with the Perse School of Cambridge; slang should not be used in English essays and more formal writing because there is a key separation between slang in text messages versus formal writing in English essays. 

These boundaries of academic language should not be shifted because, while people may use it in their day-to-day interactions, modern slang has no place in academic settings. Slang is supposed to be used in text messages or regular informal conversations with your close friends and family. In an academic setting with a teacher, however, formal English should be expected. For centuries, since record-keeping has existed, academic boundaries have been confined, which is good because academic language is supposed to be refined or more classical.

The reason we have rules for formal writing is to make sure our messages are clear both today and for generations to come. If we lose that clarity, then we lose the opportunity to make our point over time. 

The boundaries of academic language have existed for a long time, even before the existence of schooling or school districts in Indiana. In general, teachers who teach English classes—for example, Advanced Composition—think that modern slang should not be used in academic settings. When you entered your specific school district in kindergarten, it was ingrained that modern slang should not be used in academic settings, because that would make your English essay poor. 

In conclusion, the boundaries of academic language should not be shifted because modern slang should not be welcomed in academic settings. In addition, in regard to the controversy over certain dialects of English, such as AAVE, these dialects should not be used in essays.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Parker Kelso at [email protected].