--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are surrounded by hundreds of…" description: "\"We are surrounded by hundreds of 'tribes,' each speaking their own distinct slanguage of colourful words, jokes and phrases that together form an idios..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/susie-dent-8218_language_we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes_640957.jpg" --- # We are surrounded by hundreds of 'tribes,' each speaking… ![“We are surrounded by hundreds of 'tribes,' each speaking their own distinct slanguage of colourful words, jokes and phrases that together form an idiosyncratic phrasebook, years in the making.” quote by Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/susie-dent-8218_language_we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes_640957.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/susie-dent-8218_language_we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes_640957.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/susie-dent-8218_language_we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes_640957.jpg) > “We are surrounded by hundreds of 'tribes,' each speaking their own distinct slanguage of colourful words, jokes and phrases that together form an idiosyncratic phrasebook, years in the making.” [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society consists of many sub‑cultures, each with its own evolving slang that forms a unique, collective vocabulary over time. **In simple terms:** Different groups develop their own slang that builds a shared identity. Key Takeaway Recognize and respect the language of each community. Themes culture language identity Mood observational analytical Type sociological informative When to use this quote - marketing - education - social media - community building Key Concepts sociolinguistics group dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does slang shape group belonging? - When might you adapt your language for clarity? A Different Perspective Slang can exclude those unfamiliar with it, creating barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [I have so many people come up to me, 20-some years later, and saying, "I loved you in Jawbreaker!".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/i-have-so-many-people-come-up-to-me-20-some-years-later-and-saying-i/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [I was always surrounded by people that wanted to mentor you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/i-was-always-surrounded-by-people-that-wanted-to-mentor-you/) [Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/) > [When you model, there's no way you can't notice yourself. Do you know what I mean? Because you're constantly surrounded by people saying, 'Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-delevingne/when-you-model-there-s-no-way-you-can-t-notice-yourself-do-you-know/) [Cara Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-delevingne/) > [I am surrounded here by parsons and methodists, but as you will see, not infested with the mania.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/i-am-surrounded-here-by-parsons-and-methodists-but-as-you-will-see/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [I've got a nice core of people around me that I've known for quite some time and they've helped me along the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-ve-got-a-nice-core-of-people-around-me-that-i-ve-known-for-quite/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [The stage is close to being in the middle of the hall, so that the performers are surrounded by the listeners. I feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-ax/the-stage-is-close-to-being-in-the-middle-of-the-hall-so-that-the/) [Emanuel Ax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-ax/) > [Welcome to Clayton county, my house got surrounded. Enemies tryna drown me, but my hood still around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waka-flocka/welcome-to-clayton-county-my-house-got-surrounded-enemies-tryna-drown/) [Waka Flocka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waka-flocka/) > [My family, the support of my friends, the amount of people that have written and come up to me on the street and said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weir/my-family-the-support-of-my-friends-the-amount-of-people-that-have/) [Johnny Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weir/) > [I have a great circle of support.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-larson/i-have-a-great-circle-of-support/) [Jordan Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-larson/) > [We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness... We are the Lord’s hands here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/we-are-surrounded-by-those-in-need-of-our-attention-our-encouragement/) [Thomas S. 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Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-adams/) > [AERIN is saturated with the qualities that have surrounded me my entire life, many of which came from my grandmother, Estee: passion, style, hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerin-lauder/aerin-is-saturated-with-the-qualities-that-have-surrounded-me-my/) [Aerin Lauder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerin-lauder/) > [I've been fortunate to have a lot of great people around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-minshew/i-ve-been-fortunate-to-have-a-lot-of-great-people-around-me/) [Gardner Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-minshew/) > [We are surrounded every day by people who do thankless but important work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kilmeade/we-are-surrounded-every-day-by-people-who-do-thankless-but-important/) [Brian Kilmeade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kilmeade/) > [My family is vital to me - just the sense of being surrounded by no pretension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-nair/my-family-is-vital-to-me-just-the-sense-of-being-surrounded-by-no/) [Mira Nair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-nair/) ## More by Susie Dent > [According to my parents, I've always liked to tune into the conversations of others. But rather than hope for a snippet of salacious gossip,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/according-to-my-parents-i-ve-always-liked-to-tune-into-the/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [As dialect began to be collected in the late 19th century, such words as Yorkshire's 'gobslotch' emerged, revealing the burgeoning association between gluttony and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/as-dialect-began-to-be-collected-in-the-late-19th-century-such-words/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [In the earliest days, make-up and moralising were intertwined. The 'cosmetic slops and washes' of the 17th and 18th centuries aimed to smooth complexions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/in-the-earliest-days-make-up-and-moralising-were-intertwined-the/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [I don't intentionally eavesdrop. I'm not looking for salacious gossip, I'm just looking for vocabulary items.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/i-don-t-intentionally-eavesdrop-i-m-not-looking-for-salacious-gossip/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Above all, Jane Goodall continues to teach us that, as humans, we are no more entitled to our glorious planet than the chimps she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/above-all-jane-goodall-continues-to-teach-us-that-as-humans-we-are-no/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [The notion of 'Queen's English' is usually applied to our pronunciation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-notion-of-queen-s-english-is-usually-applied-to-our-pronunciation/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Slang has different functions: many of the words we use are playful and a lot are tribal - we speak the same way as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/slang-has-different-functions-many-of-the-words-we-use-are-playful/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [English has always been a mongrel tongue, snapping up words from every continent its speakers encountered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/english-has-always-been-a-mongrel-tongue-snapping-up-words-from-every/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [As a nation we love our dialects, and there is a lot of regional variance in the names for different foods - barmcake, bap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/as-a-nation-we-love-our-dialects-and-there-is-a-lot-of-regional/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [The one thing - apart from assumptions about German - that I have to challenge frequently is people assuming that lexicographers are fierce protectors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-one-thing-apart-from-assumptions-about-german-that-i-have-to/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [The character of our language defines us, and dictionaries say as much about us as about the way we speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-character-of-our-language-defines-us-and-dictionaries-say-as-much/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Almost half the adult population finds discussing the subject of money difficult. 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Most are old words revived and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-extraordinary-thing-about-new-words-is-that-probably-only-about/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) [Explore all 83 Susie Dent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) ## More Language quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. 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Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The words for what I want to say right now don't exist. Everything sounds…so cliché.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/the-words-for-what-i-want-to-say-right-now-don-t-exist-everything/) [Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Words can kill you trust towards someone, mind you language people, every reaction had its consequence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/words-can-kill-you-trust-towards-someone-mind-you-language-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Finxerunt animi, raro et perpauca loquentis. (To action little, less to words inclinded.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/finxerunt-animi-raro-et-perpauca-loquentis-to-action-little-less-to/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) [Browse all 21,951 Language quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are surrounded by hundreds of 'tribes,' each speaking their own distinct slanguage of colourful words, jokes and phrases that together form an idiosyncratic phrasebook, years in the making.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susie Dent" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes-each-speaking-their-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Language" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes-each-speaking-their-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/susie-dent-8218_language_we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes_640957.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/susie-dent-8218_language_we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes_640957.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/susie-dent-8218_language_we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes_640957.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are surrounded by hundreds of 'tribes,' each speaking their own distinct slanguage of colourful words…” — Susie Dent", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Susie Dent", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are surrounded by hundreds of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes-each-speaking-their-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/we-are-surrounded-by-hundreds-of-tribes-each-speaking-their-own/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```