Unpacking a New Wave of Internet Lingo

Tamara Bradley and Nicole Ferguson

Similarly to millions of people across the globe, sophomores Hiba Laique and Coco Marshall find enjoyment in slang found on the internet. On social media and the internet, roughly 89% of Americans find themselves learning slang from these sources, according to Preply.

A phrase that everybody was saying at one point may be considered cringey in a few years, or sometimes even months. The constant change of trends and slang (now through the internet) has made the evolution of slang fast-paced.

This year, a newfound growth of technology developments such as artificial intelligence encouraged overconsumption of trends and social media more than ever before.

Words run through very quickly within the new generation of technology and social media. Every click and scroll has the potential to contribute to the shaping of new vocabulary. Due to social media words are moving around the world within weeks or months when before it may have taken years, according to Southern Tide Media.

“I think there’s an opportunity for young people to find themselves, to establish a new kind of culture,” math teacher Ran Gu said. “And I think that’s important.”

Before the internet, slang spread and linguistically influenced populations through in-person conversations or artistic features like music and other creative works. It is said that it would take 30+ years for a word to be recognized by the dictionary, yet now, it has minimized to 10 years as the pace of our linguistic growth is sped up according to CBS News.

“I believe that slang has changed over time,” Sophomore Hiba Laique said. “If we were to use a few words [from] a few years in the past, people would pin it as cringy now, especially as a high schooler who is constantly around teenagers and people who are always on TikTok and Instagram.”

While internet slang greatly influences a new digital cultural landscape, those same terms are also heavily incorporated into real life conversations. Certain habits including word abbreviations and informality have begun to appear not only in casual interactions, but also in settings that require more serious vocabulary, such as emails to teachers and writings in assignments, according to American Research Journal of Humanities Social Science.

“I don’t think I could go a day without hearing someone using slang,” said sophomore Coco Marshall. “But also, I don’t think I can do a single text message without using some sort of slang, [whether] it’s an abbreviation, or not.”

Internet slang has become majorly popularized among todays’ youth, where many find that it allows them to laugh and have fun. Although slang can often be complicated to understand, shortening words provides comfort and an easy way to communicate.

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About the Contributors

Tamara Bradley, Staff Writer

Tamara Bradley is a staff writer for her first year on the Portola Pilot. In this new school year, she is eager to work together with her team members to produce electrifying stories that will compel readers. When she is not fretting over mounds of schoolwork, you can spot her blasting some of her favorite tunes, hanging out with her friends or catching up on the latest true crime podcasts.

Nicole Ferguson, Staff Writer

Nicole Ferguson is a staff writer for her first year on the Portola Pilot. When she isn’t with her friends, she plays flag football, which she joined this year and enjoys. Other times, she is working at the martial arts studio that she attends (helping with the younger kids). Some of her home hobbies are reading and listening to music. She really hopes she can contribute to a plentiful amount of eye-catching stories this year.