If you don’t understand the title, don’t worry—most people of our generation don’t. In today’s blog post, we hope to bring you closer to the terminology and vernacular phrases young Gen Z digital media users use (and abuse) to help you bridge this communication gap.
We wrote this guide to Gen Z Slang for teachers in the hopes that you, as an educator, will be better equipped to deal with the challenges of today’s digital-first generation. One thing worth mentioning is that slang evolves, and some of these phrases might mean something different in a couple of months or years.
One significant aspect of communication with Gen Z is that the generation grew up completely immersed in digital media and culture, and their primary method of communication and interfacing with the world around them is a tablet or phone screen.
Additionally, you can watch this video for a visual breakdown of some of the more popular terms:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=EkHoJqJwDkY
Teacher Communication with Gen Z Students
Teachers should at least learn the basics of slang and internet terminology to communicate with and understand these younger generations effectively. This is a pretty exhaustive list, but by all means, it’s not a complete one. Also, since we are in the European Union, there will be a mish-mash of words used, with English-first slang being the primary language and your local language being the secondary. This means that students in your classroom might not use the English versions but have some derivative or completely different versions of this slang. Still, they will probably depict similar emotions, moods or concepts.
The Visual Representation of Internet Terminology
Some of these terms don’t have a clear visual definition, a meme or an image source that ties to them, but for some, it is their core identity (like the Skibidi Toilet meme). The visual medium of some might be disturbing, so we’ve decided to omit parts of these visuals and keep this guide as clean as possible. While this article will be as comprehensive as possible, we’ll focus mainly on the verbal aspect. Suppose you’d like to learn more about the visual element, specifically how it influences and is influenced by digital and meme culture. In that case, we invite you to join our Erasmus+ Course: Usage of Photography and Visuals in Teaching. In the course, you will learn the origins of some of the most popular internet memes and their usage. If you’d like to learn more about it, contact us, and we will help guide you through enrolling in the course.
Understanding The Origins and Usage of Gen Z Internet Slang
Most of the content consumed by Gen Z comes from memes, viral videos and online challenges (mostly TikTok challenges). This represents a cultural phenomenon that, at some point, breaches the small niche communities and becomes mainstream. This process leads to a more widespread adoption of slang but also creates an origin barrier; as more people use this slang, it might lose its initial meaning. Ok, boomer, but what does that mean? Simply put, it means that by the time you hear about something, it very well might be considered “old” or not in use by Gen Z. We have to understand that due to the sheer amount of content posted on the internet daily, we as teachers, parents and educators can’t keep up with it all.
Another factor to consider is the overuse of ironic humour and sarcasm. The meaning of something might be false. Gen Z often uses a different intended meaning from the literal interpretation of the used slang.
One potential concern here is the use of inappropriate terms and language, and we’ll try our best to show in the list below which phrases might mean something offensive. Another point to emphasise is the importance of standard English, as opposed to vocabulary, from which most of these phrases originate. Another topic that this guide doesn’t tackle is the cultural differences. As we mentioned, please be mindful of cultural and language differences in each European country. With all that said, we hope our guide to Gen Z slang for teachers will be a resource you, as a teacher, can benefit from.
Breaking Down the Gen Z Lexicon
We’ll start with the few terms that we used in the title, which is an entirely made-up concept but can be read as:
Skibidi Gyatt Got Rizz? Don’t Be a L Sigma.
=
Skibidi – nonsensical, humorous word, originated from the Skibidi Toilet video series
Gyatt – excitement or surprise
Got Rizz – got charisma?
L – loser
Sigma – independent person, lone wolf, but also a leader
Loosely translated, the title can mean:
Do you have charisma? Don’t be a bad leader.
Skibidi Gyatt: This term, popularised by the viral YouTube series “Friday Night Funkin,” refers to a monstrous, alien-like creature. Gen Z slang has come to symbolize something intimidating, scary, or simply out of the ordinary.
Rizz: This term, derived from the word “charisma,” refers to a person’s ability to attract and impress others, particularly romantically. Someone with high rizz is charming, confident, and skilled at social interactions.
L Sigma: This term, a combination of the letters “L” (for “loser”) and “Sigma” (a Greek letter often associated with leadership), refers to someone who is perceived as a loser or a social outcast. “L” is frequently used as a derogatory term or insult, loser, loss, etc.
Fam: A shorter word for family, used to describe friends or acquaintances.
Glow up: A makeover or transformation from bad to good.
CEO: Acronym “Chief Executive Officer”. A pro or master of something.
Cancel Culture: Shaming the actions or opinions of a public figure, company, or organization.
Stan: An obsessed fan.
E-boy or E-girl: A person who uses the internet to express themselves in a style similar to emo or goth culture of early-mid 2000’s.
W: A win.
Dank: Excellent or of very high quality.
Ghosting: Ignoring or stopping texting someone.
Salty: Feeling jealous.
Big Yikes: A term used to express extreme embarrassment.
Boujee: Extravagant or fancy.
Finna: A shortened term for “I’m going to.”
Cap: To lie.
High-key: The opposite of being low-key.
Cheugy: Not at all trendy.
Simp: Someone who does too much for their crush.
Camp: Ironically trendy.
Snack: A person you find attractive.
TFW: Acronym: “That feeling when”.
Woke: Politically aware.
Sip tea: Listening to gossip without participating.
Spill tea: Starting or sharing a gossip.
L: A loss.
Take several seats: A way to tell someone to go away.
Drip: A cool or sexy trend or style.
Bop: An exceptionally good song or album.
Sheesh: A term used to hype someone up.
Iykyk: Acronym: “If you know, you know”.
Living rent-free: Thinking about something constantly.
Hits different: Unique or better than usual.
Bet: Yes.
Vibe check: Checking someone’s energy or mood.
Periodt: Adding emphasis or intensity to a statement.
Catch these hands: To start a fight.
Drag: Criticizing or making fun of someone.
Finesse: Tricking or manipulating someone.
I’m weak: Finding something hilarious.
Main character: A well-liked and charismatic person.
Sis: A shortened version of “sister.”
Sending me: Finding something particularly funny.
Slaps: Exceptionally good.
Bussin’: Delicious.
Sus: Suspicious.
Snatched: Looking really good.
Guap: Money.
Smol: Small and adorable.
This ain’t it, chief: A way to give disapproval.
Extra: Flamboyant.
Clapback: A response or comeback after being “called out.”
G.O.A.T.: Acronym “The Greatest of All Time”.
Let him/her cook: Show patience and let the person finish saying/doing what they started.
This article was written by educator Ivan (Generation Millennials) who deals with Gen Z present and upcoming “secret” language, thus their culture and communication trends which includes prevailing visuals, that shift so quickly that this list above is probably out-of-date tomorrow. OK, if not tomorrow, it is pretty soon, for sure!
So, not to be lost in translation, or to “hit different”, join our leading educator Ivan, whose expertise is photography and use of visuals, in the course in Split, Croatia.
Register here: https://linaedu.eu/erasmus-course-photography-and-visuals-with-ai/