Amer. Slang with bits of Br., Scot. and Aust. Eng

Generally in casual conversation, on the radio, on TV, in songs, in the movies and in many magazines and popular books, very rarely is the standard form of many basic words used.  For many native-speakers of English, the standard word for an object or activity does not always fully express one’s feelings toward or for that activity or object.   Much more frequently, it is the idiomatic and  slang term and expression, rather than the standard one, which is used.  However, unlike the idiomatic term and expression, the slang counterpoint can not spoken casually; the opposite is true.  They must be used with a great deal of caution.  Even though slang is normally limited to informal situations, even in those circumstances slang, which does at times contain vulgarities, must be used very carefully.

Taking all of the above into consideration, American, British and Australian slang can not be ignored; it is spoken widely..  So much so that it would not be an exaggeration to say that a large part of English will remain close to anyone who does not have at least a basic understanding of slang.  Americans not knowing British and Australian slang and informal speech, and vice-versa, is one reason that speakers of only American English do not easily understand British and Australian movies, radio or television programs, informal literature and songs.   Because slang is an integral part of any version of the English language, a lot of Non-American English casual conversation is Greek to a lot of American English-speakers.  The opposite is also true.  Although American English is, because of the exportation of American culture through the mass media, is much more familiar than other versions of English, there are parts of English, especially in the area of slang, that are very unfamiliar to non-American speakers of English.