Standard usage indludes those words and expression understood,used,and accepted by a majority of the speakers of a language in any situation regardless of the level of formality.Colloquialisms,on the other hand, are familiar words and idioms that are understood by almost all speakers of a language and used in informail speech or writing,but not considered appropriate for more formal situations.Almost all idiomatic expressions are colloquial language.Slang,however,refers to words and expressions understood by a large number of speakers but not accepted as good,formal usage by the majority.Colloquial expressions and even slang may be found in standard dictionaries but will be so identified.Bothe colloquial usage and slang are more common in speech than in writing.

Colloquial speech often passes into standard speech.Some slang also passes into standard speech,but other slang expressions enjoy momentary popularity followed by obscurity.In some cases,the majority never accepts certain slang phrases but nevertheless retains them in theie collective memories.Every generation seems to require its own set of words to describe familiar objects and events.It has been pointed out by a number of linguists that three cultural conditions are necessary for the creation of a large body of slang expressions.First,the introduction and acceptance of new objects and situations in the society;second,a diverse population with a large number of subgroups;third,association among the subgroups and the mafority population.

Finally,it is worth noting that the terms "standard" "colloquial" and "slang" exist only as abstract labels for scholars who study language.Only a tiny number of the speadkers of any language will be aware that they are using coloquial or slang expressions.Most speakers of English will,during appropriate situation,select and use all three types of expressions.