Do you ever use words with your friends that your parents don't know the meaning of? Or do you use words that someone in another country (or even city) wouldn't understand? This is where our good friend slang comes into play. Chances are, everyone uses some type of slang when they talk to different people; it has become a part of the way we socialise with others. But what actually is slang, and why do we use it?
In this article, we will explore the meaning of slang and look at some examples. We will also consider the reasons for people using slang and the effects it can have in different situations.
Slang meaning in English language
Slang is a type of informal language comprised of words and phrases that are generally used within specific social groups, regions and contexts. It is used more frequently in spoken conversation and online communication than in formal writing.
Why do people use slang language?
Slang can be used for a variety of reasons:
To communicate more efficiently
Slang words/phrases take less time to say or write out, so it is a quicker way to communicate what you want to say.
To fit into certain social groups
Within a group of friends, slang can be used to create a sense of belonging and closeness. You can all use similar words/phrases to relate to one another and express yourselves, and you are all familiar with the language you use together.
To create your own identity
Slang can be used to reflect who you are and which social groups you belong to. It can help to distinguish yourself from others. The slang you use to communicate and express yourself can be understood by people you associate with but won't always be understood by outsiders.
To gain independence
In particular, slang can be used by teens and young adults to separate themselves from their parents and create more freedom in how they communicate. It is a good way to show the differences between generations. For example, your parents may not understand the slang you use with friends and vice versa. It's like each generation has a secret language that distinguishes them from others!
To show belonging to or an understanding of a certain region or country
Depending on where you are from, different slang words are used that are often only understood by the people in those particular areas.
Examples of slang and colloquial language
Now, let's take a look at different types of slang and some examples of them.
Internet slang
A common type of slang in today's society is internet slang. This refers to words or phrases that have been made popular or have been created by people who use the internet.
It is worth noting that because internet slang is so popular, it is sometimes used in daily life outside of online communication.
Who uses internet slang the most?
Compared to older generations who didn't grow up with the internet, younger generations are more likely to use social media and the internet to communicate, and they are more familiar with internet slang as a result.
Fig. 1 - Younger generations are more likely to be familiar with internet slang.
Do you recognise any or all of the icons in the picture above?
Examples of internet slang
Some examples of internet slang include letter homophones, abbreviations, initialisms, and onomatopoeic spellings.
Letter Homophones
This refers to when a letter is used in the place of a word that is pronounced in the same way. For example:
| Slang | Meaning |
C | See |
U | You |
R | Are |
B | Be |
Y | Why |
Abbreviations
This refers to when a word is shortened. For example:
| Slang | Meaning |
Abt | About |
Rly | Really |
Ppl | People |
Min | Minute |
Probs | Probably |
Approx | Approximately |
Initialisms
An abbreviation that is made from the first letters of several words which are pronounced separately. For example:
| Slang | Meaning |
LOL | Laugh out loud |
OMG | Oh my God |
LMAO | Laughing my ass off |
IKR | I know right |
BRB | Be right back |
BTW | By the way |
TBH | To be honest |
FYI | For your information |
Fun fact: 'LOL' has been used so much that it is now recognised as its own word in the Oxford English Dictionary!
Onomatopoeia
This refers to words that are used to mimic sounds. For example:
| Slang | Meaning |
Haha | Used to replicate laughter |
Oops/whoops | Used when a mistake is made or to express an apology |
Ugh | Often used to show annoyance |
Eww | Often used to show disgust |
Shh/shush | Used to tell someone to be quiet |
Fun fact: The way to write 'haha' in Korean is ㅋㅋㅋ (pronounced like 'kekeke')
Do you know of any other ways to write or say 'haha'?
As we have explored internet slang, we will now take at some newer slang words created and commonly used by the younger generation.
Gen Z slang words
Gen Z refers to the generation of people born from 1997 to 2012. Gen Z slang is used mostly by young adults and teenagers, both on the internet and in real life. It is a way to create an identity and sense of belonging between people in the same generation, as they can relate to one another. At the same time, it gives a sense of independence from the older generations, who are seen as outsiders as they are not familiar with the slang of younger generations.
Fig. 2 - Teenagers on their phones.
Examples of Gen Z slang
Have you heard of any of the examples listed below?
Word/phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
Lit | Really good/exciting | 'This party is lit' |
Stan | An excessive/obsessive fan of a celebrity | 'I love her, I'm such a stan' |
Slaps | Cool | 'This song slaps' |
Extra | Overly dramatic | 'You're so extra' |
Sus | Suspicious | 'That looks a bit sus' |
On fleek | Look very good | 'Your eyebrows are on fleek' |
Spill the tea | Share the gossip | 'Go on, spill the tea' |
Mood | Relatable | 'Getting out of bed at 1 pm? Mood' |
It is also important to be aware of AAVE, a dialect that is not gen z slang but could be wrongly mistaken for it. AAVE stands for African American Vernacular English; it is an English dialect influenced by African languages and is widely used in Black communities in the US and Canada. It is an important part of African American culture, but it is often appropriated by non-Black people. Have you heard of phrases such as 'Chile, anyways' or 'we been knew'? These have roots in AAVE but are widely used by non-Black people on the internet.
What are your thoughts on non-Black people using AAVE on the internet? Do you think it's important we understand the roots and history of a dialect to avoid appropriation?
Regional English slang words
Slang can be region and language-based, meaning that people from different regions in the same country and people from different countries altogether use different slang words.
We will now compare English slang used in different regions by looking at some examples and their meanings. Although England is small, there are many different dialects, resulting in the creation of new words in each region!
Word: | Meaning: | Example sentence: | Commonly used in: |
Boss | Great | 'That's boss, that' | Liverpool |
Lad | A man | 'He’s a handsome lad' | Northern England |
Dinlo/Din | A foolish person | 'Don’t be such a dinlo' | Portsmouth |
Bruv/Blud | Brother or friend | 'You alright bruv?' | London |
Mardy/Mardy bum | Grumpy/whiny | 'I'm feeling mardy' | Yorkshire/Midlands |
Geek | To look at | 'Take a geek at this' | Cornwall |
Canny | Nice/pleasant | 'This place is canny' | Newcastle |
Which of the above words are the most interesting or unusual to you?
Slang - Key Takeaways
Slang is informal language used with specific groups of people, regions and contexts.
Slang is used more in speech and online communication than in formal writing.
Internet slang refers to the words used by people on the internet. Some internet slang is also used in daily life.
Gen Z slang refers to the slang used by people born from 1997 to 2012.
Slang is dependent on region and language; different countries use different slang.
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