Shorthand doesn’t benefit everyone. It only benefits those so familiar with the language that the shorthand was devised for easier communication.
Slang is the same. These are localized words adopted because of a particular quirk in the community of that area. Even if part of the same larger language set, a native speaker from another region could feel lost in conversation.
There are two extreme views here:
- The efficiency of shorthand and the variance of slang are helpful and beautiful and should be celebrated and adopted.
- The barrier to communication that both impose is harmful.
I believe there is a third way. We can be mindful of who we are speaking with. When needed, we can explain shorthands or slang that would be cause for confusion.
The identity of our language should not be held in higher regard than the purpose of language in the first place – that is to communicate.