Did you know that the word “serendipity” was once slang? Eighteenth century politician Horace Walpole coined the word based on the fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, who, in their journeys, would often accidentally make discoveries they were not searching for.

The true origin of slang words is not easily traced. Some say slang originated in the Germany in the 13th century with rotwalsch, a list of names of specific types of thieves and vagabonds. Other say European slang traces back to 15th century France with Francois Villon’s “Ballades,” which included nicknames for scaffolds and substituted ordinary French with Greek and Latin.

By the 17th century, a thieves’ cant (slang) and a common person’s slang was indistinguishable, and as it became more popular, different forms of slang were created. “Use your loaf” and “telling porkies” are both examples of Cockney rhyming slang, in which people use the first word of a phrase to replace a word with which it rhymes. In this case, “using your loaf” means to use your head, since “loaf of bread” rhymes with “head.” “Pork pies” rhymes with “lies,” so “telling porkies” means telling a lie.

Slang was once also limited to the underground. Many churches spoke out against its use, and many women aspiring to be respectable and high-class banned such coarse language from their homes. Its incorporation into the vernacular came with the rise of realistic writing during the 19th century, when artists and authors desired to portray more realistic, rather than romanticized, views of life.

Today, slang is an integral part of any language. Rap artists repeatedly use slang in their lyrics, further increasing its popularity. Slang is also common within specialized fields—if you’ve ever been referred to as a “FLK” by a doctor, he just called you a “funny-looking kid.” That’s hot? Not quite. Many linguists also study slang to see how culture evolves, and with the emergence of IMspeak, many believe that our language is regressing.

Lol, g2g kthx bai.