Internet slangs are short forms of expression that gained popularity during the dot-com bubble era. Also known as the tech bubble, dot-com boom or Internet bubble, this was a period of massive growth. With the advent of the Internet, chat boxes and other social forums gained huge popularity among the public during the 1990s. Thus began the usage of short, crisp, and sometimes funny Internet slang and jargon.
One might often hear criticism from baby boomers about the improper grammatical usage of Internet slang. A recent survey found that nearly 80% of Americans found it important to learn and use proper English in general. But baby boomers felt the strongest about it and Gen Z cared the least. Interestingly, Gen Z were more optimistic about the future of the English language than baby boomers. This mindset could also be attributed to the increasing use of Internet slang in everybody’s life.
The hopeful mindset towards a progressive English language also mirrors the progressive mindset of millennials and Gen Z. Their internet slang is more inclusive of the community around them. For example, ‘folks’ is a term we generally use to address a group of people. The new internet slang ‘folx’ is now used to address a group of people who belong to marginalized communities such as women of color and LGBTQIA+.
‘Bougie’ is the Short Form for Which French Word?
- A. Bourgeois
- B. Bonaparte
- C. Bonsoir
- D. Bordeaux
For generations presiding over baby boomers such as Millennials and Gen Z, Internet slang and jargons are the way of life. So much so that even dictionaries have started adding Internet slang and jargon such as flex, TL;DR, vacay, LoL, bougie, wtf, bae, NSFW, etc. to their list.
Irrespective of your generation, coming across Internet slang and jargon is the new normal. Let us test your knowledge with this latest Internet slang quiz.