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Teenage Urban 'slang'

Is it me, or do teenagers today have a very confusing vocabulary? How can ‘sick’ mean ‘good’ and ‘pull’ mean ‘snog’! I think I need a dictionary! Does anyone else have the same challenge of interpretation that I do??


Created By on 14/07/2012

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Sally Lock
16th Jul 2012 10:17:58
0
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I do think that for the most part, I am on the same wave length as my grown up children, but I do draw the line at using some of their teenage 'slang' words ... If in doubt I always try and clarify what new random words mean! I know that their grandparents have difficulty understanding some of what they are talking about, and get very irritated by the word "like" which seems to be used in most sentences!!
Response from MaxLenny made on 15th Dec 2021 13:21:50
I was recently informed of a website called urban dictionary, thinking I could use this to get ahead of the game and ensure I know what my kids are referring to, when I hear them shouting down their phones at friends, behind closed doors - not sure why they always need to shout, but that's another topic altogether 😉 I very quickly realised that the urban dictionary website is very much built for kids and quickly exited - a shame!
nancyj1950
20th Dec 2019 17:49:24
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Ditto. I feel like I need a dictionary when I hear young people talk nowadays!
Yogafan
20th Feb 2019 06:58:13
1
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I'd like to know what "fly"means...as in "You're so fly"?lol I heard a young guy yesterday saying "Innit"which annoys me.I don't like slang words myself.I especially dislike white people talking like non white people.Why???
John Selwyn
12th Sep 2012 11:05:09 (Last activity: 19th May 2017 08:10:54)
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I worked for a well known retail outlet on Oxford St before I retired and the younger staff when on the shop floor spoke very plainly and very precisely because It was a high class outlet. but once In the canteen they adopted their "street" as they called It. I used to sit there amazed at the change In their attitude. from open and friendly to menacing . once In the canteen one of these people approached and asked why I was "bad facin" him. and If I "bad faced" him again he would "cuff" me
Response from CarolinaGirl made on 19th May 2017 08:10:54
OMG remind me not to bad face anyone! That's kind of funny when it isn't my personal experience. Sounds like something that would happen to me. I'm a flight attendant, some of my coworkers are young enough to be my grandchildren. I enjoy it most of the time, they keep me young. Sometimes the communication does tend to be an interesting issue. A few weeks ago I flew with an adorable young new hire. At the end of our four day trip she told me that I was "one of the most dope 0ld people she had ever met"! Ummm--I wasn't quite sure if I had been complimented or insulted. LOL
gailyp63
10th Mar 2017 05:39:42
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yo bro your all looking fresh today and have you seen that bro hes penga, but I though he looked hench lol. How on earth are we supposed to know what they are up to . I fostered a 14 year old it definitely was an eye opener. I didn't know if his friends were people or places . But didn't we have our slang when we was growing up I know I did cos if I saw a stonking man I was in my element tidy id think hes not buzzing dap .haha
ecarg
19th Feb 2017 04:53:48
1
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When text speak finds it's way into written report writing that requires to be understood by people of all ages and in the future. It is difficult to understand and will the message stand the test of time?
At least in conversation you can query any word you don't understand.
But as we have managed to make sense of documents that are hundreds of years old I'm sure we will continue to do so especially with goggle at our fingertips.
Slang gives expression to our speech a sense of identity and is fun when it;s not causing
offence,
BalearicSunshine
26th Sep 2016 13:18:56
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Wicked knocked me for 6 first time I heard it used in conversation as a positive.

Think much of the txt speak originated from people trying to fit in as many words as possible into a set amount of characters - say 100 characters per text message then the provider would charge for another one. Would like to see more standard writing used again really. (Personally find the more annoying thing is the over the top use of these emoticon things - half the time I don't have a clue what people are trying to say!)
anf1408
19th Jun 2016 10:33:49
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This is not a new thing. Not just young people, but other sectors of society (e.g.business people) have introduced new phrases, words or definitions of words generation after generation as language evolves. I recently watched the Beatles film, A Hard Day's Night, in which George Harrison introduces the word 'grotty'. The reaction of older viewers to youth creating its own words and meanings at the time was similar to those expressed by Martin. As I say, this is not a new thing.
Silversurfers Editor
16th Jul 2012 21:29:11 (Last activity: 19th Jun 2016 09:58:53)
1
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"CBA" is one that is used on a regular basis. Can't be arsed! I like to use it on occasions when I can't be! 🙂
Response from jeanmark made on 19th Jun 2016 09:58:53
Thanks, didn't know that one.
TheFatController
19th Apr 2016 10:47:29 (Last activity: 19th Jun 2016 09:56:51)
1
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Hi Mart, you not the only one with problems understanding teenage urban slang, I just get told I'm old and will never understand it. If you come out with a slang word the kids hate it especially if they are yours. 🙁
Response from jeanmark made on 19th Jun 2016 09:56:51
That's what makes it so groovy............
stephaniejabber
12th Nov 2012 09:58:30 (Last activity: 19th Jun 2016 09:51:15)
1
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Come on every generation has it's own slang. 1970's ; Skinny, pysche. dream on, don't be a spaz,to the max and many more. 1980s amped, bangin',bite me,dag. So don't blame the kids for doing exactly what we all did.
Response from jeanmark made on 19th Jun 2016 09:51:15
I find it difficult to understand why some words we found to be highly offensive and derogatory are now in common use. However I agree with you stephaniejabber, why are we criticising younger people for developing their own slang when we did the same and our parents and grandparents criticised us?
Speeednet
19th Apr 2016 09:42:24 (Last activity: 18th Jun 2016 23:29:56)
1
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When I hear a youth repeating "you know what I mean" or "you get me" in every sentence, I just want to punch them square in the face.
Response from TheFatController made on 19th Apr 2016 10:50:27
Agree I too hate it and end up correcting them, but then you learn new words that you didn't know which are quite offensive and that's when I want to punch them, bit of course I don't.
Response from MorrisandDoris made on 18th Jun 2016 23:29:56
Its because they don't know enough words !
tearsofbloodinmyheart
1st Aug 2013 12:57:47
0
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I'd just like to add that mother ****** has been going since the 70's......... my kids don't use a lot of street slang.... and neither use txt language either which i think is looked down on by some groups, i've actually heard kids say omg mom sent me a text and it was full of abbreviations , what.is.that.all. about? lol
DavytheHibby
25th Oct 2012 16:43:53
0
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Sally Lock said

I do think that for the most part, I am on the same wave length as my grown up children, but I do draw the line at using some of their teenage 'slang' words ... If in doubt I always try and clarify what new random words mean! I know that their grandparents have difficulty understanding some of what they are talking about, and get very irritated by the word "like" which seems to be used in most sentences!!


Perhaps my biggest current hate! Ironically I was looking for the "like" button when I read this 🙂 Many slang words and curse words annoy me. Like is really annoying because how can you say "and I was a like, yes I understand" so did you understand or were you just like someone who understood but you didn't have a clue what was said?
Oh my god, oh my days, etc you get the picture...just sounds pretentious. Mother F*******, speaks for itself, just not nice! But the youth of today do not have a stranglehold on useless or silly phrases, from my growing up in a housing estate in Edinburgh here is just a few

"Bag off" a one off date usually
"Barry" good, brilliant...eg That film was barry
"black man" that was what is now commonly known as a chocolate wafer in most places, and black man is totally politically incorrect nowadays
"slider" was just a 2 wafers with ice cream in middle like above but without the chocolate and fondant part.

Was plenty more but cant think right now
Silversurfers Editor
19th Sep 2012 19:46:33
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I love YOLO!! (you only live once) ... one of or family favorites!! 🙂
Maggy
19th Sep 2012 11:08:56
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John Selwyn said

The word I find most Irritating Is "Innit" An example. ( ello blud wair u bin Innit. and another one Is the accent teenager's use. they try to sound like they come from Africa Innit,

And yet another one is "yeah" during a conversation, I'm afraid it really does make me irritable. 'yeah'?

I've only just learned what YOLO means! 🙁
Silversurfers Editor
13th Sep 2012 05:54:33
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Never judge a book by it's cover eh?! 😮
Silversurfers Editor
11th Sep 2012 11:31:17
1
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Nice observation John! I too find it hard to comprehend why English speaking teenagers adopt accents from different cultures .. seems to be quite common, wherever they come from ... and Innit seems to be some sort of punctuation at the end of a sentence, invented to be an irritant to adults!
John Selwyn
11th Sep 2012 11:17:21
0
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The word I find most Irritating Is "Innit" An example. ( ello blud wair u bin Innit. and another one Is the accent teenager's use. they try to sound like they come from Africa Innit,
Silversurfers Editor
14th Jul 2012 16:34:58
0
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I remember when "fit" meant someone who did a lot of exercise, and now it means that someone is good looking! 🙂

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