Some terms and words seem to come and go in popularity. As parents, our kids may appear to have their own language, words, and phrases that we’ve not heard before or acronyms we don’t understand. With kids growing up with the internet, texting, and other shorter forms of communication, there’s a blurring of mainstream language and subculture. And this often leads to terms that teens are using where they may not understand the full context or the history behind the word.
If anyone has spent any time scrolling on younger social media platforms like TikTok or Snapchat, they’ve likely seen a melding of these different subcultures — primarily AAVE and drag slang. AAVE stands for African American vernacular English and might seem like “slang” to people outside the Black community, but it’s certainly not.
According to StudyBreaks, there’s a big difference between slang and AAVE, explaining, “slang suggests that the word usage is an informal or taboo language used between young people. It also suggests the language is of a lower standard.” But this isn’t true for AAVE, “its own language. AAVE has its own grammatical rules and is an entire system of communicating,” the site continues.
And like all language, it evolves, and with easier access to people all over, thanks to social media, there’s a melding of AAVE into communities and cultures that probably have zero idea of what the word means its context or history, and probably just think it “sounds cool.”
But, as parents, it’s not only important for us to understand what our kids are saying but to open up the conversations about language. This includes why it might not be appropriate for all teens to use all the words they think are “just trendy” and just part of the Gen Z terminology. According to AAVE Card, if you are white or a non-Black person of color, AAVE terms should not be in your vocabulary.
Sus
Sus exploded in popularity with teens after the video game “Among Us” catapulted into their lives. Sus is a short form of the word “suspicious,” to describe someone who is “shady” or not trustworthy. The history of the word, and not how teens are using it, was also used in Wales and England in sus law, a stop-and-search law from the 1820s.
Cheugy
According to Instagram account cheuglife, cheugy refers to “a person who currently follows out of date trends usually stemming from things that were popular in middle school & high school.” It tends to be used to talk about people who are off trend so much that it’s kind of cool again in a nostalgic way.
Finsta
Finsta is a short word for “Finstagram” which means “fake Instagram.” The term is used to describe a fake account that’s been made so the user can share more private or secret photos they don’t want attached to their main social media account. This can be especially important to parents if they have social media rules for their teens.
Bop
The word “bop” has several different meanings and so hearing it in context may be important for fully understanding what it means. In teens, the term is typically used to describe a pop song that is fun or easy to dance to. An example would be, “Listen to this song, it's a bop!”
Facts
We all know the word “facts” means exactly that — a statement that’s true. And when it comes to the phrase we may hear our teens say, it’s used in that context but more informal. If someone says, “it’s so hot out here I want to cry,” someone answering back with, “facts,” is basically saying, “that’s true.”
Stan
Stan, according to Dictionary.com, comes from the name Stan and its use as meaning someone who is overzealous fan of someone or liking something a whole lot. The site points its originally use to the rapper Eminem’s song “Stan” that spoke about a celebrity fan who took his obsession to a dangerous point.
Slaps
Chances are if a teen says that something “slaps” they’re not meaning hitting someone with an open fist. Instead, it’s often used to define a song that really “hits” them and makes them want to move or dance. “Wow, this song really slaps,” is how it may be used in this context. Slaps is a good thing. Who would have known?
Lowkey
The term low-key seems to be derived from music and in terms of today it means “quiet” or having a low intensity. It can also mean doing something in a low-energy kind of way or something that’s a secret. A few examples may include “I lowkey love this movie,” or “Let’s just stay home and have a lowkey night.”
Drag Them
The word “drag” has a variety of different meanings. To move something across the floor, to dress up in drag, but in this context, the term “drag them” means to call someone out or “roast” them. It could mean to be brutally honest, or to speak about something that will get someone in trouble.
Wig Flew
The term “wig” or “wig flew” is used to describe something that took someone by surprise, according to Urban Dictionary. It’s supposed to signify that something was so shocking or surprising that the person’s wig flew off. It’s a term that’s often used in RuPaul’s Drag Race, too. Millennials probably would have used “dope” in the same situation.
Go Off
To “go off” on someone means to tell them how one really feels, without holding anything back. It can mean unleashing a whole lot of deserved anger. But in the right context, it can also be used to hype someone up or help them feel good about themselves, according to Urban Dictionary. So it's important to listen to the context it's used in.
Simp
Simp has been around for a long time, according to Dictionary.com, but it’s become more mainstream thanks to TikTok. The term was meant as an insult to men who are too attentive to their partner. But it’s starting to evolve away from the insult and more to mean more like a term of liking someone — similar to stan.
Read
Not talking about the typical meaning of the word “read” as in reading a book, this term means to “read” someone, like what would be done in a roast. It’s become more mainstream thanks to shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race who also coined the phrase, “reading is what? Fundamental" during the challenge in every season to roast fellow castmates.
Snatched
Traditionally, snatch means “quickly seize (something) in a rude or eager way” or “steal (something) or kidnap (someone) by seizing or grabbing suddenly.” It has a different meaning these days. Most teens using the phrase mean it to describe someone who looks amazing, fashionable, and has their whole look together, according to Dictionary.com.
Beat Your Face
The term sounds like it would be a bad thing — like someone is threatening to hit someone else. But it’s one that doesn’t mean what it sounds like. “Beat your face” or “your face is so beat” is used to compliment someone on their makeup. It’s to praise a transformation from plain or boring to diva, drag superstar type of makeup look.
