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How do new slang words take root?
Do they simmer, or do they explode through virality? In the past, slang took time to break out from tight-knit local social groups, spreading through word of mouth before the media picked it up. Today, with the digital wildfire effect, new words can go viral overnight, leaping from TikTok, YouTube, Instagram right across the ‘anglosphere’ and go global.
Why do some slang words last while others fade?
There aren’t any rules that govern it. Some think that words which convey important social or technological innovations or that reflect current ‘moods’ are likely to have a longer appeal, but there’s no real proof of this. Words relating to social behaviour or relationships: insults, terms of endearment, dating, complaining, identity labels, are reinvented for each successive generation.
Do we have more slang than ever, or it seems like that because everything is amplified online?
It’s hard to say if the total ‘volume’ of slang has increased. What is true is that slang has become more accepted by mainstream media, where it would be censored or ignored. We also have a very new phenomenon whereby influencers deliberately create, promote and spread new terms, so slang is no longer just coming ‘up from the streets’.
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Parents, teachers and ‘authority figures’ generally start by decrying younger people’s language and avoiding or ignoring it or trying to ban it. But if a term is adopted by the media (‘woke’ is an example) they may, in a few cases, start to use it themselves. Technological terms (‘spam’, ‘troll’ etc.) and lifestyle jargon may be invented or used by older speakers. I always warn parents, though, not to try and imitate their kids by borrowing their slang. In the kids’ own language this is extremely ‘cringe’.
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The Time Machine: A quick look at how the same meaning is conveyed by different generations:
When something is cool
- Boomers: Groovy – “That car is groovy!”
- Gen X: Rad – “Sick – that trick was sick!”
- Millennials: Sick – “That trick was sick!”
- Gen Z: Fire – “These sneakers are fire!”
- Gen Alpha: Rizzy – “Bro’s got a rizzy fit today!”
- Boomers: Square – “Don’t be such a square.”
- Gen X: Bouys – “That movie is totally bougs.”
- Millennials: Basic – “Pumpkin spice lattes are so basic.”
- Gen Z: Mid – “That song is mid.”
- Gen Alpha: Ohio – “That game is so Ohio.” (Used to mean lame/weird)
- Boomers: Bread – “I need to get some bread, man.”
- Gen X: Bucks – “I got the top specs for just ten bucks.”
- Millennials: Bag – “Secure the bag, always.”
- Gen Alpha: Racks – “She spent racks on her new iPhone!”
- Boomers: Pal – “He’s my pal from college.”
- Gen X: Buddy – “Hey buddy, what’s up?”
- Millennials: BFF – “She’s my BFF!”
- Gen Z: Bestie – “Bestie, what are we doing tonight?”
- Gen Alpha: Slime – “That’s my slime fr.”
