youthspeak
Adolescent linguistic trends
Youthspeak is the slang, vocabulary, and speech patterns characteristic of young people at any given time.
The term often carries a dismissive tone, used by older generations puzzled or annoyed by unfamiliar expressions: I can't understand half of what they say—it's all youthspeak to me.
What counts as youthspeak constantly shifts as each generation coins new terms and the previous generation's slang ages out.
Started burning
- slayDestroy or impress greatly
- no capSlang for genuinely
- bussinSlang for excellent
- rizzFlirtatious charm, slang
bet · snatched · fire · lowkey · highkey · vibe · stan · simp
Alternating between linguistic varieties
- neologismNewly created expression
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
- jargonSpecialized professional vocabulary
- catchphraseSignature line of words
coinage · portmanteau · irony · hyperbole · sarcasm · tone · register · informal
Sending typed mobile messages
- memesSelf-propagating cultural units
- hashtagsMetadata labels for posts
- emojisSmall digital symbols
- abbreviationsTruncated word forms
Post-millennial demographic cohort
- Gen AlphaPost-2010 birth cohort
- millennialConcerning thousand-year cycles
- zoomerPost-millennial generation member
- teenYoung person, 13-19
adolescent · peer group · clique · squad · tribe · subculture · aesthetic · cottagecore
lit
Started burning
rizz · bet · snatched · fire · lowkey · highkey · vibe · stan · simp · flex
code-switching
Alternating between linguistic varieties
- neologismNewly created expression
- vernacularEveryday regional speech
- jargonSpecialized professional vocabulary
catchphrase · coinage · portmanteau · irony · hyperbole · sarcasm · tone · register · informal · casual
texting
Sending typed mobile messages
abbreviations · LOL · BRB · IMO · GOAT · FOMO · IRL · AFK · SMH · OOTD
Gen Z
Post-millennial demographic cohort
- Gen AlphaPost-2010 birth cohort
- millennialConcerning thousand-year cycles
- zoomerPost-millennial generation member
teen · adolescent · peer group · clique · squad · tribe · subculture · aesthetic · cottagecore · dark academia
TikTok
Short-form video service
- InstagramPhoto-sharing social platform
- SnapchatDisappearing multimedia messenger
- DiscordGaming communication platform
Twitter · YouTube · Twitch · Reddit · Threads · influencer · content creator · streamer · vlogger · reels
youthspeakQueen's English
Standard British formal speech
proper English · formal language · legal language · officialese · legalese
speak, speech, youth, speaker, spoken, speaking, youthful, youngster, speaks