Sharing Good Practice
WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH TEENS? LEARN THEIR LANGUAGE
By Simon Noakes
fleek. How do you get them like that? I’ m well jel "
Padlock( emoji)
Someone in your life you consider locked down and loyal to you. Can be used for both friendships and relationships
" ILYSM Abbie, you’ re my Bæ for life "
The Language of Teens: A Glossary
Wagwan Piff Ting( don’ t worry, it’ s not an insult!)
Language is always changing. If it didn’ t evolve we’ d still be talking like we’ re out of a Chaucer tale!
Trends in language today are largely down to the surge in technology. 20 years ago we didn’ t Tweet news or Google everything! There were no concerns about losing Wi-Fi, we didn’ t speak in hashtags(# JustSaying) and we certainly didn’ t write entire sentences using cartoon faces and vegetables.
Today’ s younger generation- our true digital natives- are influenced heavily by this. New terminology is pulled directly from social media channels like Instagram and Snapchat. It makes for some very confusing times as adults; as if understanding teens wasn’ t already hard enough!
You may have seen worlds come crashing down when streaks are lost or wondered what, or who, a bæ is? But don’ t worry, through some revolutionary undercover work, we’ ve compiled a handy guide on teenage slang. It’ s pretty sick … yanno!
You can view the full glossary at: http:// blog. interactive-schools. co. uk / blog / the-language-of-teens-a-glossary, but below are some of my favourite words.
Aired
When someone ignores you, they are said to have ' aired you '
Bæ
Your best friend or person you are in a relationship with. The person or people you put before anyone else
" Abbie, you’ re totes my Bæ for life "
Chirps
Chatting someone up. Contextually more relevant to chatting up a female. i. e Chirpsing the birds from the trees
" Gwarn Ethan, chirpsing the girls "
Creasing
Laughing very hard. Finding something really funny
" Oml! That video you sent me in History got me creasing so bad "
Insta
Short for Instagram
" He’ s liked so many photos on my Insta. I wonder if he likes me?"
Linking
When you repeatedly talk and flirt with someone specific with a view to them becoming your boyfriend or girlfriend
" It’ s pretty obvious that you’ re gonna go out... you’ re proper linking "
On Fleek
Something that looks really good. Something that has turned out exactly the way you wanted
" Chloe your eyebrows are totally on
Peak
Something that is considered bad, not good
" Ahhh man this weather is peak. I wanted to go out with my Faves but the rain will ruin my hair "
Peng
Something that is considered sexy or good
" Oi oi! You’ re well peng "
Piff Ting
Someone who is considered an attractive person
" Wagwan piff ting. You is looking peng!"
Sick
Something that is considered good
" Had such a sick weekend round my Bezzo ' s house. Same time next week, yeah?"
Streaks
Streaks are on Snapchat and represent the streak someone has with a friend. Streaks are produced after snaps are sent between two people for three or more days
" I ' m not coming out tonight or I ' ll lose my phone privileges again- not losing my streaks again!"
Wagwaan
Literally means‘ What is going on?’,‘ What’ s up?’, or‘ Hello’
" Wagwaan G! You coming down the park today?"
" Can you believe Sophie? She totally aired me back there. I swear I ' m done with her peakness "
| 18 | Sep- Oct 2017 Class Time
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Simon is the CEO and Founder of Interactive Schools. A father of 4, he founded Interactive Schools in 2006. He utilizes his experience and passion for strategic marketing, thought leadership, social media, brand values, technology and innovative thinking to assist schools in telling their unique # SchoolStories. Tweet him @ SimonNoakes