Pupils and linguists are like ‘allow it fam’, after a school banned slang terms including ‘bare’ and ‘long’ to raise literacy standards.

Ark All Saints Academy in Camberwell, south London has also forbidden ‘fillers’ to punctuate conversation, such as ‘like’ and ‘basically’ and ‘ermmmm’.

Other phrases that could get pupils baited include ‘that’s long’ (tedious or not worth the effort) and ‘that’s a neck’ (you need a slap for that).

The list also includes ‘oh my days’ and ‘he cut his eyes at me’ – an expression originating from the Caribbean meaning to look rudely at someone then turn away while closing one’s eyes.

But linguists say the move is a bit peak still – as slang has ‘always been at the forefront of linguistic innovation’.

Ark All Saints Academy principal Lucy Fame told the Guardian: ‘None of the words or phrases listed is banned from general use in our school or when our students are interacting socially.

‘But this list is used in some formal learning settings to help students understand the importance of expressing themselves clearly and accurately, not least through written language in examinations.’

A 2019 survey found slang was the most common reason for English GCSE failures.

However youth slang and use of accent and dialect is becoming increasingly popular as a subject among English A-level students.

Senior lecturer in English language and literature at Aston University, Dr Marcello Giovanelli, said: ‘Slang has always been at the forefront of linguistic innovation.’

He said dismissing students’ use of language could have ‘negative effects on identity and confidence’.

Language consultant at King’s College London and director of the Slang and New Language Archive added: ‘It shouldn’t be about good or bad language, it should be about appropriate language for the context.

‘You don’t want to make them feel they have to reject the cultural aspects of their own language.’

Banned expressions at Ark All Saints Academy

Slang and Idioms
• He cut his eyes at me (he shot a sidelong glance at me)
• Oh my days (my goodness)
• Oh my God
• That’s a neck (you deserve a slap for that)
• Wow
• That’s long (that’s boring, tough or tedious)
• Bare (very, extremely, a lot of)
• Cuss (insult, abuse or swear)

Fillers
• Ermmm…
• Because…
• No…
• Like…
• Say…
• You see…
• You know…
• Basically…

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