The digital language can be a complex world, but many use it to find laughter and meaningful connection with others. For people older than 25 (or anyone who is not chronically online) digital slang can be bizarre and hard to keep up with.
Many of today's most popular internet slang terms originate from African American Vernacular English. AAVE is a dialect of American English that is often used in the Black community. This language has created community and is an integral part of African American identity.
Because of social media platforms, AAVE terms spread quickly and often become mainstream, though their origins are sometimes overlooked which has led to the appropriation of AAVE. Many incorrectly call this language Gen Z slang, which can be harmful.
Christina Carrasquilla, an associate professor in graphic information technology, said the concept of slang has always existed.
Ancient Egyptians had their own inside jokes and cultural things which did not spread to the next village because there was no way to get it there, Carrasquilla said. In American history, classic sayings like "daddy-o" were used in the '50s among jazz musicians to denote friendship according to Dictionary.com.
The difference now is technology which facilitates the widespread use of new language, Carrasquilla said. The internet language is extensive, but to simplify, there are three main categories of slang.
Here is a breakdown of the most common internet slang that has culturally changed younger generations.
Acronyms
ONG – on God
PMO – piss me off or put me on
TS – This s---
OOMF – one of my friends/followers
IRL – in real life
IYKYK – if you know, you know
NGL – not gonna lie
LMFAO – laughing my (you can figure "f" out) off
ICL – I can't lie
Serena Sangster, a freshman studying English literature, said she considers herself to be chronically online. Sangster uses "on God" frequently and said that she finds a majority of her slang words through TikTok.
However, Sangster said she still finds posts with a paragraph of abbreviated words and the word "sigma" to be annoying.
Carrasquilla said there is a difference in how generations respond to internet slang. Baby Boomers generally do not want to hear about skibidi toilet rizz, they do not understand it and can be annoyed by it. Generation X tends to lean toward a traditional boomer or millennial sense of humor. Millennials tend to stick to their preexisting language and they are OK with that, Carrasquilla said.
On the other hand, Gen Z is flexible and willing to understand all of these things and know they are not for everyone, whereas other generations kind of don't, Carrasquilla said.
"These help differentiate kind of who we are as a culture and as a generation," Carrasquilla said.
Phrases
Lowkey – an adjective that means moderately: of low emotional intensity or secretly to show that something should be kept discreet.
Cooked/Cooking - When someone says they are cooked it means they know something bad is coming. But when someone says they are cooking, it means they are doing good.
Reheating nachos – Refers to someone who has used an existing concept or idea instead of creating something new. They have reused or "reheated" it.
Ate – This means someone did something in an exceptional way.
Mid – This means something is average, neither good nor bad.
Stan – refers to a very obsessed fan of a celebrity/band/movie, etc. Can be a noun or verb.
Bet – To acknowledge something, used as a synonym for OK.
Slay – To denote something was done in a fabulous way. Versatile word that can be used for people or objects.
Fine shyt – Used to call a person attractive or hot.
It's giving — A way to say that someone or something reminds you of a certain style, mood or energy. A way to say that something embodies something else.
Type s--- — Arguably the most versatile slang. It is used to emphasize or agree with something. Another way of saying "like that" or "you know what I mean?" It can also add extra meaning or context to a statement.
Sydney Glass, a senior studying business and sociology, also finds her internet slang on TikTok. She said she uses "purr" and "slow playing" in everyday conversation, though occasionally has to explain her words.
"It's so old now," Glass said. "Everybody should know what 'slow playing' means. That is a part of culture."
Brain Rot
She = Onika Ate = Burgers – A meme that started from an X reply suggesting that Nicki Minaj, legal name Onika, eats burgers, playing on the slang term "ate."
Originally meant as a hate comment, the phrase turned into a meme within social media making jokes about the absurdity of the original post. Ultimately the user who posted this was saying why Onika burgers.
Hyperpigmentation – This phrase came from a video of a mother reacting to a portrait drawn by her child. The mother tries to hide her laughter and hype up her kid's drawing. The drawing has a large circle dot on the check and the mother asks "Is that hyperpigmentation?" The phrase has been adopted into brain rot TikTok language.
Raise your ya ya ya – This term refers to a TikTok trend that came from a video posted by a vocal coach teaching a student how to correctly belt out the words "raise your right finger" by replacing them with "raise your ya ya ya." The sound became viral on TikTok in 2024 and users began making their own content with the sound.
Erm ... what the sigma? – This came from a viral video with a voice that sounded like Squidward from SpongeBob SquarePants saying, "What the sigma?" The phrase plays on the saying "erm ... what the deuce?" which is a saying Stewie Griffin from "Family Guy" often says.
While the internet language may feel like random words and memes, it reflects how people are connecting, laughing and shaping digital culture.
Carrasquilla said platforms like TikTok can provide a mix of everything: a place to see cute babies and animals, breaking news and moments of genuine laughter.
Whether it’s a viral joke or a niche phrase that only makes sense to a certain group, internet slang will continue to evolve, reminding us that digital spaces are just as dynamic and expressive as the people who use them.
Edited by Senna James, Sophia Ramirez and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at nrodri74@asu.edu.
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Natalia is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication with a minor in creative writing. This is her second semester at The State Press.
