Slang and Social Media

Slang has been a common part of language for a long time. You’ve probably heard an older relative or someone on TV use a term that had been popular a long time ago. On the flip side, you’ve probably used a term that people our age understand but doesn’t quite translate well to older generations.

Slang has been common for centuries but some have developed for the internet and are even now considered actual words, such as the use of trend as a verb or the word cyberbullying. Other words have developed from the internet, such as acronyms that you might find yourself saying in real-world conversations- LOL, for example. Social media has played an extremely significant role in the spread of internet slang; it’s where most are often started.

Though it’s not quite as commonly used now, the term “on fleek” was extremely popular just a few years ago. It means perfect or on point and first began on a vine from Kayla Newman. Like most slang words, not everyone who used it was aware of its origin. They most likely used it because they saw it circulate online, either through celebrity use or just their friends’ accounts. They would never have been aware of it if it hadn’t crossed over to other platforms, just like no one would’ve ever heard the word “groovy” if it hadn’t spread through people back in the 70s. Instead of depending on word of mouth or television, people have adapted slang with the modern age. It’s always been a way to connect people who don’t live near each other and it’s just getting easier to spread over time.

It’s not just slang that connects people either. Internet and social media is so common for people nowadays that we can reference things to each other without having to explain what we mean- such as memes. This is just on a personal note, but I find this extremely interesting. It feels like there’s something that links our generation together that past ones haven’t had.

Works Cited

https://qz.com/465820/how-brand-new-words-are-spreading-across-america/

Image: https://www.brit.co/2016-teen-slang/

#slang #socialmedia #march #language #communication #connection