Teen Speak: Translating the code

If you spend a day or even a week with your grandkids, you quickly find they seem to be speaking in code.  Every generation has had their version of youthful slang, proudly flaunting it as a right of passage to make the oldies feel like outsiders. 

The current language has evolved from the desire to speed up communications when typing and communicating via email, text message and online.  Most of today’s teens have been speaking their particular version of acronym-based code on phones and emails since they were younger than 8 or 9 years old.  While many might seem irrelevant, ere’s some words you should understand…

And, if you want to have some fun, why not use them in conversation, correctly or incorrectly and see what reaction you get… I dare you.

Please don’t hesitate to add your favourites below in the comments field for everyone to share in.

Like.  This is a word that has been seen as a grammatically disasterous “filler” to older generations, taking the place of “Um” and “Ah” when we can’t think of what we are saying.  But “like” has taken on many different uses in the younger generation… It might seem cringe-worthy to many, but it is used quotatively as  “She was like ‘the use of the word is incorrect”, and I was like ‘I think I am’”.

It is also a major word in the use of Facebook, which if you are on, you will have some familiarity with.  To Like on Facebook is to ‘belong or be a part of a groups, community or connection’.

I’m Chillin.  This is often translated to mean… “Life’s good, I’m relaxing”

Chillaxin.  This is a cross between chillin’ and relaxing.

Cached out.   Extremely tired, as in, “wiped out.”

Deep-dive.  A slang term for exploring a subject in-depth. For example, “For that project we did a deep dive into how crystals are formed and learned a bit.”

Dope.  Means cool or awesome.  If you lived through the 60s you probably worked this out.

Epic Fail.  An epic fail is a fail of giant proportions.

Hater.   A hater is usually someone who feels anger or jealously towards another person because of their success. However, when most teens use it, they just assume they other person is ruining their life on purpose.

Ho.  A whore or person who behaves in the same way.

A Noob.  A noob {a ruder derivation of newby) is someone who doesn’t have the basic knowledge when it comes to pop culture, tech terms or just generally what seems to be “in” that week. (And don’t worry, after you read this article, you will no longer be a noob when it comes to popular words among teens).

Requestion. A request and a question at the same time.  This is something kids have done for years most mothers will lament, and laughably it now has a name… “Mum, where’s my socks” is a hidden requestion meaning “mum, will you go to the laundry or my drawer and find me socks because I can’t be bothered”.

Pwned.   It basically means “to own” or to be dominated by an opponent or situation, especially by some god-like or computer-like force.  “Man, I rock at my job, but I still got a bad evaluation. I was pwned.”

Selfie.  A selfie is a self-portrait photo you take of yourself, often using a mobile device that you post online.  They are commonly commented on on social media sites.

Sick or Ill.  This no longer means someone doesn’t feel well. It’s used as a description of something or someone who is cool or awesome.

Tight.  Tight means close in relationship.  “We were tight right up until she dumped me on Friday”

Tool.  A tool refers to someone who is stupid or a geek.

Wanksta.  Refers to a person trying to act tough, but isn’t really pulling it off

Important texting and social media slang

In addition to new words in use, there is also a whole batch of texting and social media slang that is more acronyms than it is language… but once kids have been using it for a while, it is amazing how they actually start to speak in “text”

Ever heard a kid walk up and say “O…M….G…”.  I have!

Some of the texting slang can be very helpful in trying to understand the expression of the person at the other end.  It is quite amusing that in a world where communication has been dulled by technology, it has been enlivened with these acronyms.

U R.  This one is obvious to most as, ‘You are’.  This has grown out of common shorthand requirements from texting and somehow become a visible part of written communication.  Funnily enough I once received a job application letter from a communications graduate at university written in a mixed way, with some use of full words and some use of this type of abbreviation… It took all my strength not to reply furiously.

WTF    What the F__k

BRB   Be right back (ducking away from the computer for a moment)

LOL   Laughing out loud – (It does not mean Lots of Love to the younger generation)

ROFLMAO Rolling on the floor laughing my arse off

OMG  Oh My Gosh… often used in texting, replies, and now everywhere in everyday language of the young and some older too…

POS    Parents over shoulder – means they know you are watching them text or chat on Facebook and want to communicate this with their friend at the other end.

SMH   Shaking my head

My B   My bad – totally my fault, often used when you forget an appointment

K    When texted to someone means… It’s OK or I understand, or I got the message.

And one you can use… GAB… Getting a beer.

Web sites like www.transl8it.com and www.lingo2word.com translate Web lingo into plain English, and vice versa so you can get a swift handle on a term you hear in conversation but aren’t brave enough to ask about.