does slang make you sound stupid?

'Slang' is a word I think it's safest to avoid using. There are several different things it could mean, so you run the risk of misunderstanding when you use it. Following Emma Thompson's comments on schoolgirls using 'slang', there was an interesting discussion in the Observer between Doc Brown and Robert McCrum. They agreed with each other to a fair extent, but I think the article could be a useful starting point for work which aims to sort out the different things someone could mean when they talk about speakers using 'slang'.

Billy