Do any non-transitive (in a mathematical sense) slang terms exist?
Are there any words that are slang for another word which is itself a slang term for something else, but the secondary slang term is not slang for the original word?
That is, given words Y
and Z
, where Y
is a slang term for Z
, does there exist a word X
such that it is slang for Y
, but not for Z
?
Solution 1:
Wiener and frank are slang terms for a hot dog. A "hot dog" is a slang term for a show-off. Neither wiener nor frank is a slang term for a show-off.
Solution 2:
"Lift" is slang for "ride" ("Give me a lift to the airport.") and "ride" is slang for "automobile" ("That's one sweet ride you're driving.") but "lift" certainly does not mean "automobile".
Solution 3:
It's arguable that what you ask for is impossible, slang or not.
Any example would have to involve a word with multiple meanings.
Strictly interpreted "is synonymous with" is an equivalence relation, therefore by definition transitive.
So if you say:
A wanker is a tosser.
A tosser is a thrower.
But a wanker isn't a thrower.
You are relying on the polysemy of "tosser".
It has two separate meanings: masturbator and thrower.
See also the fallacy of equivocation.