Speaking in slang terms is natural for most of us. Skirting around proper English at any cost, we toss out slang expressions without a second thought. Slang has become its own vernacular, one that is picked up in daily conversation and requires translation for those unfamiliar with its terms (see: adults). As a language, slang is subject to distortion and ambiguity. Here are some examples of how it has faced both its own self-destruction and evolution in the hands of millennials.
1. LOL
Think about slang used for texting, like LOL or LMAO. First of all, words like this are not always capitalized; they have evolved to be more commonly used, and have the same meaning, in the lowercase form. But when you type terms like “lol,” are you actually laughing out loud? How often do you use “lol” truthfully? I cannot count how many times I have typed “lol” when I simply cracked a smile. Think about it – if a text does make you laugh out loud, would you really respond with “lol”?
“Lol” does not mean what it stands for, but rather represents a feeling. When you type “lol,” you use it as a phrase to convey the way you feel, giving it myriad uses unrelated to laughing out loud. For instance, you may not be laughing, but you still think that gif is funny. You can tack on an “lol” to diffuse the tension of a situation, to make a statement sound less serious, or to emphasize that you are making a joke. In this way, “lol” has faced a self-destruction: its rampant usage in texting has destroyed its meaning. By being so frequently used in other ways, it has colloquially adopted a variety of new connotations and no longer represents its own acronym.
2. I’m dying, good, TBT
Other slang terms are subject to similar effects. Consider the phrases “I’m dying” or “that kills me.” When we say these, we do not literally mean that we are dying, but that something is so amusing that it could potentially kill us. How about when we sardonically say “good” when something unfortunate or embarrassing happens? “I completely forgot to turn in that assignment!” your friend might say, to which you reply with a slow head shake, “Good.” Another example is the trend of throwing out the phrase “Throwback Thursday!” to signify nostalgia or reference a past event – even when it is not Thursday.
3. No, totally!
Like a language, slang has not just self-destructed, but also evolved. Many slang terms are subject to amelioration, which is when a word that usually has a negative connotation develops an alternative, positive meaning. For example, the slang term “sick” has ameliorated a positive connotation meaning good or cool. Think about the phenomenon of saying, “No, totally” or “No, of course.” Such contradictory phrases are used to emphasize the extent to which you agree with something, as if the initial negation adds weight to the subsequent corrected agreement. Thus the “no” is a placeholder, just like “lol” is in certain conversations. "Totally" conveys a sentiment, rather than a linguistic meaning.
4. Literally
Perhaps the best example of slang’s simultaneous destruction and evolution is the word “literally.” Due to frequent slang usage, “literally” is an auto-antonym: it can mean the opposite of its definition. Merriam-Webster defines “literally” as both “in a literal sense” and “virtually.” So when you say “this class is literally going to kill me,” even though you mean that the class will figuratively kill you, the use of “literally” is still correct!
Slang is ever-changing. Subject to the shifting tides of conversation and social media, it is impossible to keep up with yet always relevant. And thanks to the digital age, slang is simultaneously distorting and evolving as we speak. Literally.
