This is so interesting. As for the nouns becoming verbs. My daughter informed me this morning that ‘her hair is not hairing’ to expressed how her hair wouldn’t go right….
@@everythingisfine9988 Simplification is not always a good think, that's reverting to caveperson days. It displays a lack of intelligence. The modern day need to speed everything up for productivities sake is actually a huge negative. Hence Gen Z's massive epidemic of anxiety over everything. I had a traumatic childhood and I've lived my entire life with a level headed mindset, why, because I understand that something need time and thought.
@@childrenoftheinfinite that is a bit of a stretch don't you think? Languages are evolving all the time. Shortening in simplification on one end leads to expansion and diversification on the other. So many professions have their own intrinsic communication standards. So much so it can be viewed as another language. Why double down on only one, when I can expand my knowledge in several different directions simplifying things
We have been doing this for centuries in Brazilian Portuguese all nouns can become verbs it's up to each individual if they find it convenient to the meaning they want to say at some moment or to express some idea
Same with me lol. I know a kid who's 11 years old, and she'd always tell me she wished we were born in the same year (2004) because her generation sucks and she doesn't want to be called that she's this age and that she's categorized as being in this generation. It's strangely hilarious lol.
Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind Possessing and caressing me Nothing's gonna change my world
Dream I wonder if Tibetan monks meditate, alone, High in the unreachable Himalayan loftiness, Over how many yak-butter candles it would take To sink the Sun into an Ocean they will never see; Then in the swollen Darkness left by its passage, Do they dream of how many mushroom clouds It would take to melt the last of the glaciers? But then, far below in crude villages Unseeing common people must suffer Mobs of feral dogs, barking incessantly Over some nascent leg-lifting 'CRISIS!', before the awakening Dream comes.
Taught TESL in Cambodia to young adults and the one time I got them up and shouting was a lesson on Street Slang in English and Gangsta' Thug Life. Chinese Hot Money + )oe Lockdown threw their tour guide dream into the dumpster. Does Mandarin have slang?
I have students who can't speak English as a second language, fail in English exams but use English slang and these new created English words perfectly and coherently. That's really astonishing. They use it combined with their native language. A native speaker of Turkish language without any knowledge of English can not understand them. They have newly created words in their native language as well.
Oh my, have some patience, it’s an 18min video, 1 minute is appropriate warm up time and eases one into the video. Not every BBC video should be an opportunity to scrutinise.
I don't know about earlier epochs, but it's ironic that kids nowadays think they're doing something new when in fact their parents and grandparents did the exact same thing. There is nothing wrong or harmful about it; it's just a natural way to distinguish your age group while you have the chance to, before the adulthood gig forces you to play by different rules.
100% if my parents tried to use my generation slang, I would cringe and want to die! Young language is for young people and that's fine. The generation after them will have their own language too. That's how it goes
I think it’s funny when old ppl use the new gen terms ppl should just say whatever they want anyways all these words are so accessible online, no reason to create exclusivity from it
Rename this “how Gen-Z and Tik Tok are changing the way THEY speak” is more accurate. I don’t know anyone outside of that generation who speaks that way.
My 12 years old nephew told me, "oii unc, ma dood gona o you gosh not a you oya o you dood" Her mother told me, he's saying his friend coming home, please welcome him
My favourite language revival story: Czech is spoken in the Czech Republic today thanks to a massive revitalisation effort in the late 1800s. At that point German was the official language in the Czech lands. Czech was mostly spoken in the countryside and by uneducated people because German nobles had most of the influence. Many Czech books were lost during that time and it was pushed out of higher education in favor of German. However, a large scale national identity movement was happening in Europe at the time and the Czechs were no exception. A group of Czech scholars collected the language, unified the grammar, wrote and distributed books, newspapers, founded theatres... All this was done with a focus on improving the general public's education level which helped to spread the language even more. It's noticeable to this day - although Czech did go through natural changes (mostly simplification of grammar), it's still very structured. If you ask "why is XY written like that?" it's nearly always because there's a clear rule for it. (Whereas with English I often have to look into the history/evolution of a word if I want to know more than "because it just is".)
I’m pushing 50, but I’ve been talking like this for a minute. It’s lowkey a skibidi conundrum-like, with the drip I rock, the way I riz up conversations, and my suave Latino looks, nobody can tell if I’m Gen whatever or whatnot.
It’s not a new language but just slang, something we have had for a long time but slang words change with generation! Social media helps people ‘learn’ the new slang which travels much faster around the world/internet. I don’t really like when my pre-teen speaks to me in slang and he knows that. He must use proper vocabulary when he’s at home or speaking to others (teachers, shop keepers etc). But when he is with his friends he then uses what ever words he wishes as they are on his ‘level’.
Slang is how new languages develop. When there is so much slang that only some can understand it, it has evolved into a new language. You making your Pre-Teen speak without slang is a good idea. I remember seeing people try to interview for jobs, and they could not avoid using slang, and it lost them the job. The ability to choose when to use it, and when not to is really a superpower that will give them an advantage later in life. Take that from someone who knows first hand.
Well, a lot of English internet/SMS slang and acronyms got pretty swiftly mixed/added into the French ones ; And into/with the general or youth slang : C'est-la-vie, IMHO (!)
I'm a 50 year old who works with youth and how I understand it is. . . Rizz comes from Charisma. Someone who has lots of charisma is "The Rizzler". Skibidi is just a troll word. Kids love to say it because its fun to say, and its funny watching adults disect it and try to find a definition for it. It all blew up when a kid made a viral video singing a song using nothing but these words.
@@Diana02400 I can't find it, but the song is called "Sticking Out Your Gyat for the Rizzler". There's a million videos on RUclips now with people singing it, but I remember the original being some skinny kid standing in his bedroom singing it. There's also a heavier set kid who calls himself the Rizzler, but its not him.
Yeah, This is classic intellectual stupidity. It really isnt that diffiicult you dont need to be a language expert lol they need a degree in common sense.
From my perspective, the most perfect scenario would be me speaking in my native language (Portuguese) and you understanding everything - and vice-versa. I believe it’s rather more interesting than the idea of everybody speaking/understanding only one language. First of all, this last option is the laziest one, and we are on a constant need of improving our minds. It’s healthier, it helps to prevent Neuro degeneration. Second of all, diversity improves the cultural quality of our knowledge. Because language IS culture. Think about what Z-ers (and Pandemic-ers) could do on slang innovation if they could use absolutely ALL the languages in the world as tools. It would be mind blowing!! And third of all, technology is so helpful when it comes to simplifying our language learning, so why not to completely dive into this ocean? 😍😍😍😍
I'm a 71 year old American living in Copenhagen and Berlin for last 32 years. I cannot get my Scandinavian colleagues to stop using "Me and so and so are going to..." and these folks are PhDs! ALSO: both native and non-native speakers are now always saying, eg. "Tom gave the book to Sally and I". This drives me crazy! It's so blatantly grammatically incorrect, yet people, even of my own age, who certainly were not saying that 50, 60 years ago and certainly were taught proper grammar, are now speaking this way. I feel that I'm fighting a one woman grammatical battle. OK, I'm an old Boomer, but I'm really curious as to how English teachers deal with this.
I feel your exasperation. _Me for I_ and I for me_ is becoming too prevalent in every corner of the English-speaking world, regardless of age. By the way, do many Scandinavians understand English?
@davidadams2395 Exactly!! 99% of folks in all Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland) understand English and speak it well. They have no dubbed tv or films as is the case in Germany, France, Spain...
This was refreshing to watch. Intelligent and open conversation on an interesting subject, a subject that is usually framed as a battle between between generations no less. Love it.
I think a lot of young people these days are working hard to keep all things hidden and private. They are also very clique driven and seem to purposefully attempt to go out of their way hide or separate themselves from others outside their clique. They are generating brand new words to describe whatever they are talking about. Previous generations simply expanded the meaning of already known words. My only issue with this is that some of them are unable to adequately converse or write with others outside their clique group. This makes it difficult to work alongside them in a work environment.
About 90% of what they are saying is just bits taken from AAVE. Just ask an African American of any age and they will tell you what this so called new secret gen z language is lol!
I'm over 60, and I have to say I've seen new slang words being made throughout my life, as well as new meaning given to already-existing words. I think social media, and especially videos on social media, are introducing so many new words and new meanings than before. I think TV accelerated the process, but Internet and social media accelerated it exponentially.
They are narcissists and bullies, who are the most nastiest ever yet the most “offended “ with”mental health” as their perceived “counter offence. “. Teacher retiring soon.
No, this is just normal, and happens in every generation. The difference is what starhawk says. It is just accelerated and expanded over larger areas due to social media.
"Heavy" (as profound, intense, serious) was very well used back in the 1980s, even here in the Philippines. Whenever I watch Back to the Future, it brings back memories when I hear Marty use it. It was so widespread, but eventually disappeared from the world's vocabulary.
Every generation has its lingo. Only the best words and phrases - the ones that have wider, universal appeal - last. Survival of the fittest…words. A good extension of this conversation would be: what makes a good, long lasting word? There is most certainly a level of je ne sais quoi at play, but there are probably more concrete indicators as well.
I can imagine people digging out this video 50 years from now, remastering it, and them commenting that people were so eloquent "back then." Obviously, by then, teens would have been reduced to using screeches and grunts for communication!
I enjoyed Sophia's contributions. They were outstanding. Beginning the discussion by saying Sophia you don't have kids was totally unnecessary. She isn't learning about language by hearing how her children speak, she has studied this and is an expert.
I came here to say something like this! I loved the interview and topic, but I felt that Sophia was interrupted all the time to ask Neil a question, "So, Neil...?", while I found her inputs really REALLY interesting. In addition to "She isn't learning about language by hearing how her children speak, she has studied this and is an expert.", I also see that she is learning a LOT about languages' evolution by listening to everyone else's children speak and analysing everything around that. So, she has solid credibility in my eyes. And also based on statistics.
Many factors here: IQ is declining, slang is spreading faster than ever before via social media, young people lacking etiquette, manners and respect, digital technology is gleaning information/young people lacking the attention spans to read books. Basically a dumbing down because of 'influencers' AKA bad influences. Disturbing that this generation behave/talk like entitled cartoon characters. Bro.
1. IQ is not declining. bullshit metric 2. Where is the proof that young people especially are lacking manners and respect - the internet allows everybody to lack respect and get away with it 3. Bro
@@carlito6038 IQ is most definitely declining. Behavioral issues and disorders for young people are at an all time high. They no longer have the attention spans to read even short books, let alone large epics. More and more talentless "influencers" are becoming their idols. The future is looking absolutely dim for future generations.
@@carlito6038 IQ is most definitely declining. Behavioral issues and other disorders for young people are at an all time high. They no longer have the attention spans to read even short books, let alone large epics. More and more talentless "influencers" are becoming their idols. The future is looking very dim for future generations.
@@carlito6038 The level of cope here is unreal. All the things he said are true. Gen Z can't watch anything longer than a TikTok let alone read something like Ulysses or War & Peace. Behavioral issues and disorders have skyrocketed since the advent of the internet.
This was an extremely interesting conversation and very enlightening. I wish there was participation from some Gen Z members to get a first-hand perspective on the topic.
Just look at English's phrasal verbs and how we have other words from other languages that have almost the same exact meaning. In addition, phrasal verbs and verb + prepositions are daunting for extremely non-native English learners. For example, "look up" does it mean to find a word in the dictionary, or to physically focus your eyes towards that direction?
We are also seeing a reverse trend with people exploring languages beyond their mother tongue - Americans learning Korean or Japanese due to the rise of popular culture.
The term skibidi exploded in Malaysia cutting across all age groups owing to a most unexpected source - a religion-based cult known by its latest name GISBH. The bizarre cult produced a music video with men clad in Islamic garb singing about their late cult leader using the term skibidi. Now most people in Malaysia have heard of skibidi but have very different ideas about what it actually means.
What disturbs me most is that Gen Z was never taught cursive. They can’t even read well-written cursive, or write it at all. They are cut off from the long history of cursive, even prosaic things like a letter from Grandma. Cursive English is basically a foreign language to Gen Z.
Why is it necessary though? I think that it's a shame as well, but besides writing a fancy title, I NEVER use it in my day to day life. I think that it can be helpful to teach cursive literacy to read past documents written in cursive, but I personally cannot come up with a reason to include it in our curriculums.
That's simply not true in many other countries. Cursive is becoming obsolete because of the Internet and handwriting in general becoming obsolete. Unless some Gen Zs need to know cursive, they won't. Disclaimer: I am part of Gen Z and was taught cursive before print.
1:19 in, literally just as the conversation started, the presenter referred to her children as kids. Now, this may be a an example of language changing from one generator the next, but my grandparents would've corrected the presenter at this point and stated the correct word would be indeed be children (with a kid being a young goat). Another point that I remember being picked up by my grandparents when they watched TV was 'bin', instead of 'been', with most media presenters these days falling foul to that. The pronunciation of the letter 'T' can be significantly lacking too.
Fantastic discussion with a very broad coverage in just 18 minutes. Neighbours (uptalk) 11:58 and now Bluey (brekky, barbie, dunny, mate) interestingly, are having an influence on kids and how they talk, particularly in the US where the later show is very popular. Everybody: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, oi, oi! I wonder if I can get that back into the wider lexicon. It is very heartwarming to hear that the Māori language seems to be thriving in NZed, a contrast to linguicide, and more an example linguoecology, which refers to preserving languages in danger of extinction. Perhaps our smaller world made more so by technology can help their preservation. Thank you for a great video.
The simplification of language in the UK has some deep roots, how tabloid newspapers are written for an 11 year old comprehension level to allow for quick reading, and how all public services aim for plain English so that it can be inclusive to all. So the only time people interact with more complex vocabulary is in formal education.
The Portuguese are mad because their kids are speaking Brazillian Portuguese because the kids watch too much Brazillian RUclipsrs and because of that they started speaking with our accent and grammar and also the slangs. For me this is funny!
As a Portuguese, that's simply people showing their prejudice and even racism as these people look down on Brazilians. Ignore the nonsense. These people, that speak a variant used by 10M people believe they own the language and think they can impose their variant to the other 200M speakers.
The evolution of English isn't just about new words entering the vocabulary-something that's been happening for centuries-but also about changes in intonation and vocal patterns. Two notable examples are upspeak and vocal fry. Upspeak, with its rising intonation at the end of statements, can create confusion as it often makes definitive statements sound like questions. Meanwhile, vocal fry, characterized by a low, creaky tone, not only grates on some listeners but may even pose risks to the speaker’s vocal health over time. These shifts highlight how language evolves in ways that impact not just meaning but how communication is perceived and received.
“Skibidi” is a secret language nonsense word similar to saying “hip” in the 70s or “radical” in the 80s or “gnarly”in the 90s. Older generations were befuddled by these expressions then and that was the point.
When I was a teenager here in germany, finding anything to watch in english was sooooooo difficult. Now, my son watches english RUclips videos and he has not even started it in school. He has been using „cringe“ without knowing it is a real word. Just so fascinating.
I'm German but haven't lived in Germany since 1990. When I visited last in 2007 I was amazed how many English words were used everywhere - it must be so much more now. Another thing I noticed, my cousin who is in his 60s doesn't speak English but his son, now 30, speaks the language like a native because he grew up with the Internet.
🇨🇦When I was growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s, my dad’s job took us around the world. At that time, French was the “diplomatic” language and my parents made sure we learned it (not Quebecois but 🇫🇷); English just wasn’t seen as a global option. Fast forward to 2024 and my Austrian cousins’ grandchildren visiting us are completely fluent in English. I did not see that coming lol😂
These changes are a generational fad. I notice that Gen X terms are not used widely anymore because they’ve gotten older and mainstream culture has moved on from saying, “hella, gnarly, bitchin, fly, rad, etc”
What I love about Skibidi is that it's not even remotely new. In relatively recent history, "Scat Man John" sang it in 1995, but even he would say that it has been part of Jazz scat vocalization for decades before he used it. But that's the best part... It's old, but it's new, but in the new way it's being used as a thrown-in word that doesn't have a distinct meaning, which is EXACTLY how it was used in scat vocalizations in jazz for as much as 100 years.
it happened 2000 years ago, it happened 5000 years ago it happened after 19th century and 20th century. it will happen again. For anyone is concerned, your language would exist in some form, but the meanings of words would change, in some cases completely, taking over some different meaning completely.
As for "verbing", it's really common these days, and it works with not only nouns but abbreviations or TLAs also. F.e. "Can I DIY it?" - " Can I do it myself?". Moreover, we can observe that we tend to TLA as many expressions as possible
Just a fun factoid: While “LOL” was first developed to denote “laughing out loud” (which it doesn’t mean anymore), the word for fun in Dutch is, in fact, “lol.” (Has been for hundreds of years.)
My first babysitter gave me all her 45’s and one had a George Jetson song where the teenage daughter started by saying, about the crooner, “He’s the living end!” My favourite slang: Zappa’s daughter imitations in “Valley Girl”. “That is sooooo grody!”
As a Hungarian my perspective is an “external one” not being native speaker. The English took and spread their language throughout the globe when they colonized everything they touched. Now that it has an effect on you it seems to be a problem? Just be happy and proud that your nation won the “language” contest in a way that everyone on earth uses your language to communicate.
You can simplify what the person was trying to say by turning to the argument of colonisation if you really want to. Again, our IQ is declining, you’re a great example.
I remember when hot was so wonderful became cool to another generation and then changed into bitchin, before morphing into righteous. Each generation does this. What’s so fascinating is how social media has hastened this trend.
Intonation with a drop at the end gives a vibe of demanding, direction, disdain, and disapproval. Where as the up turn at the end implies suggestion of option, possibility of negotiating, openess to suggestions or alternatives and thoughts?
I'm surprised Neil didn't mention the shift in British English in younger people choosing not to use present perfect when describing experiences, they use past simple instead (as in American English) so for example: Did you see the film yet? rather than Have you seen the film? Or I broke my leg rather than I've broken my leg.
Prescriptivism and descriptivism argument to language is still relevant I think! Most linguists take the approach of ‘descriptivism’ (allow change) as resistance to the evolution of language (something that should be ‘prescribed’) is considered quite an old-fashioned take
What is interesting about artificial intelligence and language is there is a broader definition structure when a meaning or value of something is defined within a framework through use in multiple languages. The diversity of languages in this context derive precision and accuracy in specific use.
I'm in my mid-30s, and I've heard all of these words for several years now. I do have a theory, which is that since i was born and raised in LA, where a lot of the global culture originates from these days, i have always felt like language as fluid in this way. I guess the rest of the world is just now getting that LA experience?
If your teenagers ever do something really bad, change the WiFi password and insist they watch this entire video with you before you switch it back on.
Came on here to say this but I'm glad someone beat me to it. I understand gen z just fine because 90% of the words are words I've been hearing my whole life. Just a little weird that when they use these words, they don't use the right sentence structure. Admittedly, skibidi is entirely unique. I'll give them that.
Very interesting. Here in Italy the young people when talking of videogames use a language where the english words that are shown on they display (like "kill" or "shop" or "skin") are used and even verbalised as italian words, so you have "shoppare" or "killare" (italian infinite verbs ending in -are are the most common ones)
I feel the English language has an extremely high level of linguoplasticity. And its feature makes it fairly applicable when it comes to expressing your feelings and thoughts. We know that a language is the mirror of a culture, and in the case of English it's a mirror of the modern world
I’ve noticed dramatic pronunciation shifts by younger people here in the U.S. For example, if you take the word “important”, instead of it being pronounced as written, I’m hearing it sound like “impor-ENT.” It’s a bit like a cockney pronunciation in the U.K. but here I think it has a Latino influence.
Using nouns as verbs was always something the English language had an ease of doing and it was always happening to some new nouns. We notice that only when a new one is turned into a verb.
As a foreigner living in the uk with czech heritage i can confirm this is happening also abroad as well. I understand them because i speak english. Also having older kids helps. Skibidi is used by my 7 yo 😂
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Gen Z = the Z represents the gap between their ears.
@@davidaston5773 😂😂
This is so interesting. As for the nouns becoming verbs. My daughter informed me this morning that ‘her hair is not hairing’ to expressed how her hair wouldn’t go right….
I like this one, x is not x-ing, it’s a really concise way of saying x is doing what I want it to be
That's how I used to talk in elementary school. It's now part of the young adult lexicon? Crazy... But it does simplify the language
@@everythingisfine9988 Simplification is not always a good think, that's reverting to caveperson days. It displays a lack of intelligence. The modern day need to speed everything up for productivities sake is actually a huge negative. Hence Gen Z's massive epidemic of anxiety over everything. I had a traumatic childhood and I've lived my entire life with a level headed mindset, why, because I understand that something need time and thought.
@@childrenoftheinfinite that is a bit of a stretch don't you think? Languages are evolving all the time. Shortening in simplification on one end leads to expansion and diversification on the other. So many professions have their own intrinsic communication standards. So much so it can be viewed as another language. Why double down on only one, when I can expand my knowledge in several different directions simplifying things
We have been doing this for centuries in Brazilian Portuguese all nouns can become verbs it's up to each individual if they find it convenient to the meaning they want to say at some moment or to express some idea
I laughed when a 12-year-old piano pupil of mine told me how the generation below her(age 9 etc) spoke in a language she couldn’t understand. 😂
LMAO. Oh god every generation is doomed now I guess.
@@danielwhyatt3278 😱😂😂
Same with me lol. I know a kid who's 11 years old, and she'd always tell me she wished we were born in the same year (2004) because her generation sucks and she doesn't want to be called that she's this age and that she's categorized as being in this generation. It's strangely hilarious lol.
She’s gen alpha
Panic, was a word my mom said in the 60s. I meant Epic Fun
Neil, you are here, one of my favourite person of 6 minutes english
And he looks great ❤
Just what I wanna say, I always hear his voice, too!
The same ❤❤
Hi Saliha. This is Neil from BBC Learning English. Thanks for your comment. We're glad you like the video!
I love this breakdown of how the English language is evolving over time. Internet culture has definitely accelerated this. Very fascinating!
Definately stretching the word 'evolution' there skibidi
Depressing
Him saying “the skibidi rizzler” has got me on the floor 😂😂 thanks bbc
Could you explain please what it means?
Hi Elias - Neil here from BBC Learning English. My kids thought that was hilarious too!
@@bbclearningenglish HAHAH that’s awesome, those kids are gonna dominate the etymology field one day
elias only because you’re young still. If you’re lucky, you’ll grow older too and then you’ll be uncool or whatever to those new kids.
@@yvettetorres7829 I sure hope so, it’s the circle of life
Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup
They slither wildly as they slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my opened mind
Possessing and caressing me
Nothing's gonna change my world
Dream
I wonder if Tibetan monks meditate, alone,
High in the unreachable Himalayan loftiness,
Over how many yak-butter candles it would take
To sink the Sun into an Ocean they will never see;
Then in the swollen Darkness left by its passage,
Do they dream of how many mushroom clouds
It would take to melt the last of the glaciers?
But then, far below in crude villages
Unseeing common people must suffer
Mobs of feral dogs, barking incessantly
Over some nascent leg-lifting 'CRISIS!',
before the awakening Dream comes.
I love how this starts with proper articulate English and then ends with "gonna"
I’m a teacher of English in Costa Rica and love BBC English, specifically Six -Minute English. Thank you.
Taught TESL in Cambodia to young adults and the one time I got them up and shouting was a lesson on Street Slang in English and Gangsta' Thug Life. Chinese Hot Money + )oe Lockdown threw their tour guide dream into the dumpster. Does Mandarin have slang?
I have students who can't speak English as a second language, fail in English exams but use English slang and these new created English words perfectly and coherently. That's really astonishing. They use it combined with their native language. A native speaker of Turkish language without any knowledge of English can not understand them. They have newly created words in their native language as well.
Interspersed? Hmmm… big word, but adults don’t commonly use it to mean combined.
Why is it astonishing? This is expected.
Every older generation: ‘These youths and their slang’
The fact that the content doesn’t begin until 1:03 says a lot about BBC’s understanding of modern social content and this generation‘s attention span
This distraction of discussing the messenger rather than the message, is transparent, and used when the cause is lost.
@@marketads1 what does that even mean? Sounds like a weird Google translate
Oh my, have some patience, it’s an 18min video, 1 minute is appropriate warm up time and eases one into the video. Not every BBC video should be an opportunity to scrutinise.
This is the new paywall
@@lian1238genius.
Good to see you all, but specially Neil, because I listen all the podcasts from bbc learning english and always wonderered how you look like!
What you lool like
Thanks Nanci - Neil from BBC Learning English here. I hope you continue to enjoy our podcasts!
I don't know about earlier epochs, but it's ironic that kids nowadays think they're doing something new when in fact their parents and grandparents did the exact same thing. There is nothing wrong or harmful about it; it's just a natural way to distinguish your age group while you have the chance to, before the adulthood gig forces you to play by different rules.
100% if my parents tried to use my generation slang, I would cringe and want to die! Young language is for young people and that's fine. The generation after them will have their own language too. That's how it goes
Hot diggigidy dog !
Spot on mathmatrucker 😊
yes but now its borderless! thats the thing
I think it’s funny when old ppl use the new gen terms ppl should just say whatever they want anyways all these words are so accessible online, no reason to create exclusivity from it
Rename this “how Gen-Z and Tik Tok are changing the way THEY speak” is more accurate. I don’t know anyone outside of that generation who speaks that way.
My 12 years old nephew told me, "oii unc, ma dood gona o you gosh not a you oya o you dood"
Her mother told me, he's saying his friend coming home, please welcome him
They become the “we” you are referring in fairly short order.
Literally came to type this very comment.
We’ve progressed only to regress. I miss natural selection. The days when the dumb didn’t survive past puberty.
And let's thank god / whatever greater entity one believes in for THAT.
My favourite language revival story:
Czech is spoken in the Czech Republic today thanks to a massive revitalisation effort in the late 1800s. At that point German was the official language in the Czech lands. Czech was mostly spoken in the countryside and by uneducated people because German nobles had most of the influence. Many Czech books were lost during that time and it was pushed out of higher education in favor of German.
However, a large scale national identity movement was happening in Europe at the time and the Czechs were no exception. A group of Czech scholars collected the language, unified the grammar, wrote and distributed books, newspapers, founded theatres... All this was done with a focus on improving the general public's education level which helped to spread the language even more. It's noticeable to this day - although Czech did go through natural changes (mostly simplification of grammar), it's still very structured. If you ask "why is XY written like that?" it's nearly always because there's a clear rule for it. (Whereas with English I often have to look into the history/evolution of a word if I want to know more than "because it just is".)
That is so interesting and so cool that they revived the language
I’m pushing 50, but I’ve been talking like this for a minute. It’s lowkey a skibidi conundrum-like, with the drip I rock, the way I riz up conversations, and my suave Latino looks, nobody can tell if I’m Gen whatever or whatnot.
😂
Straight off the chain, bra
😂😂😂
please, i'm begging you, just stop. its like watching a world war 2 vet don a backwards baseball cap and a skateboard
Speaking of neologisms, shouldn't that be 'latinx' looks? ;)
It’s not a new language but just slang, something we have had for a long time but slang words change with generation! Social media helps people ‘learn’ the new slang which travels much faster around the world/internet.
I don’t really like when my pre-teen speaks to me in slang and he knows that. He must use proper vocabulary when he’s at home or speaking to others (teachers, shop keepers etc). But when he is with his friends he then uses what ever words he wishes as they are on his ‘level’.
They use it because you hate it. Start using all the words that they use, they will stop.
Slang is how new languages develop. When there is so much slang that only some can understand it, it has evolved into a new language. You making your Pre-Teen speak without slang is a good idea. I remember seeing people try to interview for jobs, and they could not avoid using slang, and it lost them the job. The ability to choose when to use it, and when not to is really a superpower that will give them an advantage later in life. Take that from someone who knows first hand.
@@phill6859The child is testing out treating you like an equal. The fact that you get pissed off at that makes me sad, I feel bad for the kid.
I’m a Canadian living in Paris and what surprised me is that some french young men use “goat” even when speaking french
It has surprisingly made its way into Korean as well, used more as an adjective than a noun
Well, a lot of English internet/SMS slang and acronyms got pretty swiftly mixed/added into the French ones ; And into/with the general or youth slang : C'est-la-vie, IMHO (!)
I only learned about the Ancronym goat when Inoxtag was using it😂
Oh wow, that's quite a surprise to hear. Thanks for sharing!
Yeah we're using a lot of English "New" words while speaking french. "T'es le goat" is now a common sentence to cheer someone in France
I'm a 50 year old who works with youth and how I understand it is. . . Rizz comes from Charisma. Someone who has lots of charisma is "The Rizzler". Skibidi is just a troll word. Kids love to say it because its fun to say, and its funny watching adults disect it and try to find a definition for it. It all blew up when a kid made a viral video singing a song using nothing but these words.
What is the name of the video?
@@Diana02400
I can't find it, but the song is called "Sticking Out Your Gyat for the Rizzler".
There's a million videos on RUclips now with people singing it, but I remember the original being some skinny kid standing in his bedroom singing it.
There's also a heavier set kid who calls himself the Rizzler, but its not him.
Yeah, This is classic intellectual stupidity. It really isnt that diffiicult you dont need to be a language expert lol they need a degree in common sense.
This was entertaining to watch and it had me wondering of the chances that the world will be speaking the same language ages down the road.
From my perspective, the most perfect scenario would be me speaking in my native language (Portuguese) and you understanding everything - and vice-versa. I believe it’s rather more interesting than the idea of everybody speaking/understanding only one language. First of all, this last option is the laziest one, and we are on a constant need of improving our minds. It’s healthier, it helps to prevent Neuro degeneration. Second of all, diversity improves the cultural quality of our knowledge. Because language IS culture. Think about what Z-ers (and Pandemic-ers) could do on slang innovation if they could use absolutely ALL the languages in the world as tools. It would be mind blowing!! And third of all, technology is so helpful when it comes to simplifying our language learning, so why not to completely dive into this ocean? 😍😍😍😍
I've noticed similar the convergence of US and Australian slang among people 12-29, undoubtedly due to social media like IG and TIkTok
7:22 I’m happy this was brought up. Black and Latino Queer cultures have LONG been a huge source for a lot of slang or new words in the mainstream.
Its not just English , all other languages are evolving
Devolving*
What about using the word "like" several times randomly sprinkled into every sentence? It drives me crazy!
That has been a thing way before social media
That's US vernacular English. Nothing to do with social media, British have even more annoying habits like omitting glottal stops, like ya o wha I een
It's an intrinsic part of every language.
Something about it drives me mad as well.
“Ohhhh my gawdddd,like literallyyyy,like” in that sing song valley girl voice 🤬
Like, I totally understand like...what you're like...saying..like. 🙂
I'm a 71 year old American living in Copenhagen and Berlin for last 32 years. I cannot get my Scandinavian colleagues to stop using "Me and so and so are going to..." and these folks are PhDs!
ALSO: both native and non-native speakers are now always saying, eg. "Tom gave the book to Sally and I". This drives me crazy! It's so blatantly grammatically incorrect, yet people, even of my own age, who certainly were not saying that 50, 60 years ago and certainly were taught proper grammar, are now speaking this way. I feel that I'm fighting a one woman grammatical battle. OK, I'm an old Boomer, but I'm really curious as to how English teachers deal with this.
I feel your exasperation. _Me for I_ and I for me_ is becoming too prevalent in every corner of the English-speaking world, regardless of age. By the way, do many Scandinavians understand English?
@davidadams2395 Exactly!! 99% of folks in all Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland) understand English and speak it well. They have no dubbed tv or films as is the case in Germany, France, Spain...
Yes, it’s so weird! Also, the dangling prepositions. “Where do you live at? Where did you buy that from?”
I was very glad to hear Neil's familiar voice. My favorite in 6 minutes english
Hi, it's Neil here. So happy you like 6 Minute English!
This was refreshing to watch. Intelligent and open conversation on an interesting subject, a subject that is usually framed as a battle between between generations no less. Love it.
I think a lot of young people these days are working hard to keep all things hidden and private. They are also very clique driven and seem to purposefully attempt to go out of their way hide or separate themselves from others outside their clique. They are generating brand new words to describe whatever they are talking about. Previous generations simply expanded the meaning of already known words.
My only issue with this is that some of them are unable to adequately converse or write with others outside their clique group. This makes it difficult to work alongside them in a work environment.
About 90% of what they are saying is just bits taken from AAVE. Just ask an African American of any age and they will tell you what this so called new secret gen z language is lol!
I'm over 60, and I have to say I've seen new slang words being made throughout my life, as well as new meaning given to already-existing words. I think social media, and especially videos on social media, are introducing so many new words and new meanings than before. I think TV accelerated the process, but Internet and social media accelerated it exponentially.
They are narcissists and bullies, who are the most nastiest ever yet the most “offended “ with”mental health” as their perceived “counter offence. “. Teacher retiring soon.
No, this is just normal, and happens in every generation. The difference is what starhawk says. It is just accelerated and expanded over larger areas due to social media.
@@shakeyj4523and across the world. Same slang.
"Heavy" (as profound, intense, serious) was very well used back in the 1980s, even here in the Philippines. Whenever I watch Back to the Future, it brings back memories when I hear Marty use it. It was so widespread, but eventually disappeared from the world's vocabulary.
Of course! Heavy D and the Brand New Heavies were popular musical artists.
It has no disappeared at all in North America, eg. "Heavy" subjects like divorce, or psych or calculus, etc, was never slang.
Every generation has its lingo. Only the best words and phrases - the ones that have wider, universal appeal - last. Survival of the fittest…words. A good extension of this conversation would be: what makes a good, long lasting word? There is most certainly a level of je ne sais quoi at play, but there are probably more concrete indicators as well.
I can imagine people digging out this video 50 years from now, remastering it, and them commenting that people were so eloquent "back then." Obviously, by then, teens would have been reduced to using screeches and grunts for communication!
I enjoyed Sophia's contributions. They were outstanding. Beginning the discussion by saying Sophia you don't have kids was totally unnecessary. She isn't learning about language by hearing how her children speak, she has studied this and is an expert.
I came here to say something like this! I loved the interview and topic, but I felt that Sophia was interrupted all the time to ask Neil a question, "So, Neil...?", while I found her inputs really REALLY interesting. In addition to "She isn't learning about language by hearing how her children speak, she has studied this and is an expert.", I also see that she is learning a LOT about languages' evolution by listening to everyone else's children speak and analysing everything around that. So, she has solid credibility in my eyes. And also based on statistics.
Sophia was insightful to be sure, and the interviewer gave her due respect, I thought.
Stop trying to make "fetch" happen!
“IT’S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.”😂😂
Still the best teaching moment for linguistic change 😂
Many factors here: IQ is declining, slang is spreading faster than ever before via social media, young people lacking etiquette, manners and respect, digital technology is gleaning information/young people lacking the attention spans to read books. Basically a dumbing down because of 'influencers' AKA bad influences. Disturbing that this generation behave/talk like entitled cartoon characters. Bro.
1. IQ is not declining. bullshit metric
2. Where is the proof that young people especially are lacking manners and respect - the internet allows everybody to lack respect and get away with it
3. Bro
@@carlito6038 IQ is most definitely declining. Behavioral issues and disorders for young people are at an all time high. They no longer have the attention spans to read even short books, let alone large epics. More and more talentless "influencers" are becoming their idols. The future is looking absolutely dim for future generations.
The Q in IQ is a quotient, but you can speak for yourself about it's decline🤦
@@carlito6038 IQ is most definitely declining. Behavioral issues and other disorders for young people are at an all time high. They no longer have the attention spans to read even short books, let alone large epics. More and more talentless "influencers" are becoming their idols. The future is looking very dim for future generations.
@@carlito6038 The level of cope here is unreal. All the things he said are true. Gen Z can't watch anything longer than a TikTok let alone read something like Ulysses or War & Peace. Behavioral issues and disorders have skyrocketed since the advent of the internet.
This was an extremely interesting conversation and very enlightening. I wish there was participation from some Gen Z members to get a first-hand perspective on the topic.
Do you have any questions lol
Just look at English's phrasal verbs and how we have other words from other languages that have almost the same exact meaning. In addition, phrasal verbs and verb + prepositions are daunting for extremely non-native English learners. For example, "look up" does it mean to find a word in the dictionary, or to physically focus your eyes towards that direction?
Wow this is my first time hearing a BBC world service presentation. I'm surprised how professional this was.
We are also seeing a reverse trend with people exploring languages beyond their mother tongue - Americans learning Korean or Japanese due to the rise of popular culture.
This is a devolution of language and minds . Language is a very important part of mental development.
The term skibidi exploded in Malaysia cutting across all age groups owing to a most unexpected source - a religion-based cult known by its latest name GISBH. The bizarre cult produced a music video with men clad in Islamic garb singing about their late cult leader using the term skibidi. Now most people in Malaysia have heard of skibidi but have very different ideas about what it actually means.
Thankyou for that gloriously random nugget!
What disturbs me most is that Gen Z was never taught cursive. They can’t even read well-written cursive, or write it at all. They are cut off from the long history of cursive, even prosaic things like a letter from Grandma. Cursive English is basically a foreign language to Gen Z.
Why is it necessary though? I think that it's a shame as well, but besides writing a fancy title, I NEVER use it in my day to day life. I think that it can be helpful to teach cursive literacy to read past documents written in cursive, but I personally cannot come up with a reason to include it in our curriculums.
Cursive is antiquated like shorthand or stone carvings. Communication changes every generation as the world changes
@@edwinguerrero4073gen z 😂 broken and confused generation
That's simply not true in many other countries. Cursive is becoming obsolete because of the Internet and handwriting in general becoming obsolete. Unless some Gen Zs need to know cursive, they won't.
Disclaimer: I am part of Gen Z and was taught cursive before print.
@@Pleoryocursive is still taught in schools.
Very interesting. Thank you
1:19 in, literally just as the conversation started, the presenter referred to her children as kids. Now, this may be a an example of language changing from one generator the next, but my grandparents would've corrected the presenter at this point and stated the correct word would be indeed be children (with a kid being a young goat).
Another point that I remember being picked up by my grandparents when they watched TV was 'bin', instead of 'been', with most media presenters these days falling foul to that.
The pronunciation of the letter 'T' can be significantly lacking too.
Do you use "gay" as "happy"?
😂@@TinLeadHammer
It's giving BBC world service
Fantastic discussion with a very broad coverage in just 18 minutes. Neighbours (uptalk) 11:58 and now Bluey (brekky, barbie, dunny, mate) interestingly, are having an influence on kids and how they talk, particularly in the US where the later show is very popular. Everybody: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, oi, oi! I wonder if I can get that back into the wider lexicon. It is very heartwarming to hear that the Māori language seems to be thriving in NZed, a contrast to linguicide, and more an example linguoecology, which refers to preserving languages in danger of extinction. Perhaps our smaller world made more so by technology can help their preservation. Thank you for a great video.
The simplification of language in the UK has some deep roots, how tabloid newspapers are written for an 11 year old comprehension level to allow for quick reading, and how all public services aim for plain English so that it can be inclusive to all. So the only time people interact with more complex vocabulary is in formal education.
The Portuguese are mad because their kids are speaking Brazillian Portuguese because the kids watch too much Brazillian RUclipsrs and because of that they started speaking with our accent and grammar and also the slangs. For me this is funny!
It's amazing how the internet has made these changes to the way people speak possible.
It's like in my country when kids started sounding like Dora the explorer & Peppa Pig. They are S.African. 😂😂😂
As a Portuguese, that's simply people showing their prejudice and even racism as these people look down on Brazilians. Ignore the nonsense. These people, that speak a variant used by 10M people believe they own the language and think they can impose their variant to the other 200M speakers.
The evolution of English isn't just about new words entering the vocabulary-something that's been happening for centuries-but also about changes in intonation and vocal patterns. Two notable examples are upspeak and vocal fry. Upspeak, with its rising intonation at the end of statements, can create confusion as it often makes definitive statements sound like questions. Meanwhile, vocal fry, characterized by a low, creaky tone, not only grates on some listeners but may even pose risks to the speaker’s vocal health over time. These shifts highlight how language evolves in ways that impact not just meaning but how communication is perceived and received.
English will DEVOLVE in the minds of the ignorant and lazy.
All I have to say is, that's Groovy ☮
Far out, man.
Neil… his my favorite
News flash: every generation had their own jargon. But ok, you’re special
Hello from Uzbekistan everyone especially to Neil
“Skibidi” is a secret language nonsense word similar to saying “hip” in the 70s or “radical” in the 80s or “gnarly”in the 90s. Older generations were befuddled by these expressions then and that was the point.
Hi Sorcha. This is a good point. Every generation has its own vocabulary for excluding older people!
Thank you so much for these interesting videos with latest trends. I learn a lot from your Channel: English, news...
When I was a teenager here in germany, finding anything to watch in english was sooooooo difficult. Now, my son watches english RUclips videos and he has not even started it in school. He has been using „cringe“ without knowing it is a real word. Just so fascinating.
I'm German but haven't lived in Germany since 1990. When I visited last in 2007 I was amazed how many English words were used everywhere - it must be so much more now.
Another thing I noticed, my cousin who is in his 60s doesn't speak English but his son, now 30, speaks the language like a native because he grew up with the Internet.
🇨🇦When I was growing up in the ‘60s and ‘70s, my dad’s job took us around the world. At that time, French was the “diplomatic” language and my parents made sure we learned it (not Quebecois but 🇫🇷); English just wasn’t seen as a global option. Fast forward to 2024 and my Austrian cousins’ grandchildren visiting us are completely fluent in English. I did not see that coming lol😂
These changes are a generational fad. I notice that Gen X terms are not used widely anymore because they’ve gotten older and mainstream culture has moved on from saying, “hella, gnarly, bitchin, fly, rad, etc”
English is a refined language & has an appeal worldwide.Appealing language....English is a mother of all language...
What I love about Skibidi is that it's not even remotely new. In relatively recent history, "Scat Man John" sang it in 1995, but even he would say that it has been part of Jazz scat vocalization for decades before he used it.
But that's the best part... It's old, but it's new, but in the new way it's being used as a thrown-in word that doesn't have a distinct meaning, which is EXACTLY how it was used in scat vocalizations in jazz for as much as 100 years.
it happened 2000 years ago, it happened 5000 years ago it happened after 19th century and 20th century. it will happen again. For anyone is concerned, your language would exist in some form, but the meanings of words would change, in some cases completely, taking over some different meaning completely.
As for "verbing", it's really common these days, and it works with not only nouns but abbreviations or TLAs also. F.e. "Can I DIY it?" - " Can I do it myself?". Moreover, we can observe that we tend to TLA as many expressions as possible
I like how Sophia pushed the word Genocide at the start of the conversation, then looked 😮, remembered that this is BBC, not Tik-Tok
“Wicked!” has been used as a positive exclamation in Boston for at least 60 years…
Embracing the change. Not only for language is this a smart decision/ way.
Brilliant as always the 3 of you .. Neil a master!!! thanks..
Thanks Mercedes!
Social media is a disease.
This comment will make so much sense in few years.
lmao in a few years you'll be 20 years late to the conversation...
You are writing incorrectly while pretending to correct. The donkey correcting the mule...
Just a fun factoid: While “LOL” was first developed to denote “laughing out loud” (which it doesn’t mean anymore), the word for fun in Dutch is, in fact, “lol.” (Has been for hundreds of years.)
What does 'LOL' mean now?
Nope. It meant Lots of Love before laughing out loud.
@ I have one friend who uses it to mean “just kidding.” So, that’s my best guess.
LOL in the internet context has ALWAYS meant laughing out loud. Your ignorance, and ability to fabricate reality out of whole cloth is incredible.
@ You know there was life before the internet, right? 🙄
the whole conversation was giving😂🤣
it was fun😄😄
Kia Ora hoa ma! Kapai to mahi Tera . Great to see and hear an NZ interviewer there in the UK. Kia Kaha!
My first babysitter gave me all her 45’s and one had a George Jetson song where the teenage daughter started by saying, about the crooner, “He’s the living end!”
My favourite slang: Zappa’s daughter imitations in “Valley Girl”. “That is sooooo grody!”
13:30 Please don't change the British English because of the US TikTok slang! 😶 Don't follow the decline of the English language!
As a Hungarian my perspective is an “external one” not being native speaker.
The English took and spread their language throughout the globe when they colonized everything they touched.
Now that it has an effect on you it seems to be a problem?
Just be happy and proud that your nation won the “language” contest in a way that everyone on earth uses your language to communicate.
You can simplify what the person was trying to say by turning to the argument of colonisation if you really want to. Again, our IQ is declining, you’re a great example.
Language evolves mixing foreign words, technical words and regionalisms.
I remember when hot was so wonderful became cool to another generation and then changed into bitchin, before morphing into righteous. Each generation does this. What’s so fascinating is how social media has hastened this trend.
My son is 5 will see how it goes 😊.
😂😅
I really love The Global Story series!!!!!
Intonation with a drop at the end gives a vibe of demanding, direction, disdain, and disapproval. Where as the up turn at the end implies suggestion of option, possibility of negotiating, openess to suggestions or alternatives and thoughts?
Super great Lucy👍👍👍 keep it right keep it tight
This was wicked!
Such a fun video!
From The Bay Area, CA, love your
I'm surprised Neil didn't mention the shift in British English in younger people choosing not to use present perfect when describing experiences, they use past simple instead (as in American English) so for example: Did you see the film yet? rather than Have you seen the film? Or I broke my leg rather than I've broken my leg.
I have teenagers so spend a lot of time talking to teenagers. They use both.
Skibadee, was a British recording artist and drum and bass MC
Thank you for this insightful content
Prescriptivism and descriptivism argument to language is still relevant I think! Most linguists take the approach of ‘descriptivism’ (allow change) as resistance to the evolution of language (something that should be ‘prescribed’) is considered quite an old-fashioned take
What is interesting about artificial intelligence and language is there is a broader definition structure when a meaning or value of something is defined within a framework through use in multiple languages. The diversity of languages in this context derive precision and accuracy in specific use.
Totally fascinating 🧐
Loved this ❤
Excellent, thanks for posting, that's really interesting and useful.
I'm in my mid-30s, and I've heard all of these words for several years now. I do have a theory, which is that since i was born and raised in LA, where a lot of the global culture originates from these days, i have always felt like language as fluid in this way. I guess the rest of the world is just now getting that LA experience?
If your teenagers ever do something really bad, change the WiFi password and insist they watch this entire video with you before you switch it back on.
90% of the words are AAVE for them to be linguistics and not know that is baffling.
💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
Came on here to say this but I'm glad someone beat me to it. I understand gen z just fine because 90% of the words are words I've been hearing my whole life. Just a little weird that when they use these words, they don't use the right sentence structure. Admittedly, skibidi is entirely unique. I'll give them that.
Sorry to be dumb but what does AAVE stand for?
They start discussing this in the “Where does this new vocabulary come froM? Section of the video about 7 minutes in.
@@tabby73African American Vernacular English i guess
Very interesting. Here in Italy the young people when talking of videogames use a language where the english words that are shown on they display (like "kill" or "shop" or "skin") are used and even verbalised as italian words, so you have "shoppare" or "killare" (italian infinite verbs ending in -are are the most common ones)
I feel the English language has an extremely high level of linguoplasticity. And its feature makes it fairly applicable when it comes to expressing your feelings and thoughts. We know that a language is the mirror of a culture, and in the case of English it's a mirror of the modern world
very interesting topics covered by very interesting experts and interviewer
I’ve noticed dramatic pronunciation shifts by younger people here in the U.S. For example, if you take the word “important”, instead of it being pronounced as written, I’m hearing it sound like “impor-ENT.” It’s a bit like a cockney pronunciation in the U.K. but here I think it has a Latino influence.
Using nouns as verbs was always something the English language had an ease of doing and it was always happening to some new nouns. We notice that only when a new one is turned into a verb.
Every generation has brought new language influencers
Yes love how Māori is flourishing 👏
As a foreigner living in the uk with czech heritage i can confirm this is happening also abroad as well. I understand them because i speak english. Also having older kids helps. Skibidi is used by my 7 yo 😂
upspeak used in a sentence without a question being asked is generally off putting to me, not pulling me into the content.
It's giving! No cap!❤
I used the word "keystroke" at work and no one knew what it meant.
dovetail, bandwidth
horrible pretentiousness.
Are you typing this from 1972, because I remember having "computer hour" with an Apple and learning the word "keystroke," and that was 1980
@@BrockSamson-i1i Being confused by people using outdated terminology isn't age discrimination 🤦♀🤦♀🤦♀ Talk about a persecution complex
@@kezia8027 true that, preach! loved the term "persecution complex" !!