Words and Definitions That Didn’t Exist When We Were Young…
The English language is always changing and evolving. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Here, I take a look at some of the language that my tweens and teens have learned in the past few months through social media, school and just growing up in general. Some you may know, some may be new to you. You may have a ‘dictionary’ of your own. It’s been interesting to learn from my kids. Let’s try to decipher a few of these interesting new words and terms.
Swag - Swag used to be stuff you would collect at a conference, or contents in a goody bag. Now, when I asked my kids what it means, they say it means, “hip, cool.” When I asked my daughter to use it in a sentence she said, “That girl has a lot of swag,” or “He was ‘swagalicious.’”
Vine - A vine used to be a piece of vegetation that climbed along a trellis or tree. Now it’s an internet app/sensation where people create six-second videos that grab your attention to make you laugh or shock you. Note: If you have not viewed vines, they are very entertaining, but many of them contain vulgar content and I wouldn’t advise it for younger children. However, they do have categories like ‘cats’ that might be appropriate for the younger set.
Totes - Used to be a bag of sorts. As in ‘tote’ bag, or to carry something. Now it’s short for ‘totally’ as in back in the ’80s, when things were totes ‘awesome.’
Selfie - A ‘self’ gratuitous photo of someone when they think they are looking ‘swag’ and not ‘rachet.’
YOLO - We all know the word all the kids are saying these days when we tell them not to do something: YOLO, You Only Live Once. Ah-Noy-Ing.
Instagram - Another app where people can post ‘swag selfies’ and others can comment on how swag they’re looking.
Hashtag - The symbol looks like a number sign so why don’t they call it ‘pound?’ The best way to define this is to simply say it’s a postscript to a social media commentary. #totesweird
Adorbs - Usually accompanied by ‘totes’ and used by tweens to express something that is ‘totes adorbs’ or in regular language, ‘totally adorable.’
Twerk - A dance performed by ”totes” inappropriate girls. For the record, Miley Cyrus did a lot to bring this less-than-classy dance to our attention.
Viral - Previously a disease, now everyone wants the status of ‘being viral.’
Sketch - Used to be a sketch was an artistic rendering or a pencil drawing one would do in art class. Now, when someone says, “That was sketch,” it means something is ‘shady, dangerous,” or just not right.
Text - Previously a term for language in a book, or words in a larger context. Now, it’s small bits of language sent from one phone to another, and whether it be a smartphone or an iPhone, it’s the preferred method of communication between tweens and teens everywhere. A telephone? No one uses that to TALK with anymore? Puh-lease!
Twitter - It used to be the sound a bird makes, but now it’s another form of communication between people that is quickly overtaking telephones or face-to-face contact. Tweeting someone is the new way to connect with a group of people, and ‘hashtagging’ your tweets is a totes swag thing to do!
Ugg - Formerly a term said when something was distasteful. Now? Coveted boots.
So. What words have evolved in your household? Do you have any new swag words you’ve learned from the tweens in your house that you can share? Speaking of, one word that certainly didn’t exist when I was one, was TWEEN, which I personally LOVE. We were all just called “pre-teens” back then. I love the sound and feel of ‘tween’ and I think it is the perfect way to describe ‘on-the-verge’ teens! That is definitely one word I’m glad that has been created!
It certainly has been a learning experience for our family - this new study of language my children are teaching me. The words, they just keep coming!
About the Author:
Stephanie Elliot, in no particular order, is a wife, writer, blogger, book reviewer, editor and mother to three kids, two who have already been tweens, and one who is right smack in the middle of his tween-ness. Her oldest son is almost driving and her daughter survived her tween years so Stephanie must be doing something right. Find out more at http://stephanieelliot.com
