More curiosity about current slang

[LSLGuy]

@bordelond

I can’t speak for the OP. But my experience is that if you aren’t on social media a lot, don’t do online gaming, and generally maintain a Year 2005-style Internet existence … the first time you start hearing 2015’s teenage slang is in 2026 when late-twenty-somethings enter your workplace (or other meatspace social domain).

That totally nails my life. And my slang experience.

@bordelond

In sports, “filthy” to describe “a great play, esp one that embarrasses an opponent” goes back at least to the 1980s.

I can’t speak to basketball at all. But in baseball, an exquisite pitch that bamboozles the batter is “filthy”. And has been for decades. Knuckleballers throw lots of filthy pitches.

Now in any sport, part of the point of “filthy” is that what looks excellent from the pitcher’s POV looks awful from the batter’s. And it’s often the batter’s team describing a pitch as filthy. It’s respect, but it’s rueful “Gee; you really shouldn’t have.” respect.

I’m not sure how “filthy” in non-sporting contexts can capture that duality. I at least would not choose “filthy” to describe something that’s inherently excellent for both sides. e.g. “That was a filthy meal; cooked perfectly and great to the last bite!” just doesn’t make sense to me at all. Not that slang ever really makes sense.

[HeyHomie]

@echoreply

Lately they’ve switched to “bet”.

“Bet” has moved to a completely opposite meaning (within slang) from how it was used when I was a teen.

HOMIE BACK IN THE 80’s: This is gonna be a great game. The Cubs are going to murder the Cardinals.
HOMIE’S FRIEND WHO’S A CARDS FAN: Bet me (as in, fuck that, I don’t believe you).

Now

HOMIE IN THE PRESENT DAY: Christ, it’s fucking hot.
RANDOM TEEN EVEN THOUGH HOMIE DOESN’T KNOW ANY TEENS: Bet (as in, I agree with you).

[Beckdawrek]

The one I liked and could never quite understand it’s context is “mood”.

Example…“wanna go out and shoot some baskets?”

Other teen doesn’t feel like it, he responds “Mood”

I assume it meant “I’m in a mood, leave me be”. I could be way off.

[solost]

@HeyHomie

Bet me (as in, fuck that, I don’t believe you).
[…]
Bet (as in, I agree with you).

I don’t think it’s changed all that much. I think of the modern usage of ‘bet’ as a short form of “(you can) bet on it”. “For sure”, in other words. As opposed to “bet me” which means “I’m willing to bet money that you’re wrong”.

I found this glossary of modern teen slang online-- one expression that has done a 180 is “ate that”, as in “you really ate that look” meaning “you really pulled that look off”. In my day, it was negative: “did you see him wipe out on his bike? He really ate it!”.

2026 Teen Slang Meanings Every Parent Should Know

[AlsoNamedBort]

@solost

I found this glossary of modern teen slang online-- one expression that has done a 180 is “ate that”, as in “you really ate that look” meaning “you really pulled that look off”. In my day, it was negative: “did you see him wipe out on his bike? He really ate it!”.

From someone who was once on the teen side of this, I think it’s safe to say that any “parents guide to teen slang” is inaccurate at best.

[echoreply]

I asked about “disgusting”, but did not receive a conclusive response.

“If you and a friend happened to hear some music, and the friend said that song was disgusting, what would that mean?”

“What are you talking about? Why are you existing, give me food and more time on my phone.”

They clearly know the dictionary definition of disgusting, and understood I was asking if there was a different meaning among kids. I expect the hesitance to answer was based on both teen surliness and concern about looking uncool for not knowing some new slang usage.

Based on the trash talk I overheard from a nearby street basketball game, the kids these days still use all of the classic swear words.

[Frodo]

@echoreply

if there was a different meaning among kids. I expect the hesitance to answer was based on both teen surliness and concern about looking uncool for not knowing some new slang usage

Also reluctance to provide information to the enemy.

[Son_of_a_Rich]

Hey, did you get a haircut? It looks like a pile of dogshit that’s sat out in the sun too long.

Thanks!

[bordelond]

@LSLGuy

I can’t speak to basketball at all. But in baseball, an exquisite pitch that bamboozles the batter is “filthy”. And has been for decades. Knuckleballers throw lots of filthy pitches.

Right on – the baseball usage should have come to my mind when I posted upthread. I’d buy that this usage of “filthy” probably started in baseball. Wouldn’t surprise me to hear an old wax cylinder of the word coming off of Cap Anson’s lips.

@LSLGuy

I’m not sure how “filthy” in non-sporting contexts can capture that duality. I at least would not choose “filthy” to describe something that’s inherently excellent for both sides. e.g. “That was a filthy meal; cooked perfectly and great to the last bite!” just doesn’t make sense to me at all. Not that slang ever really makes sense.

I can conceive of non-sports usage of “filthy” meaning “awesome, kick-ass”. Not spoken in an uptight, stuffy manner: “I say – Buffy and I most enjoyed that especially filthy roast of lamb”. But spoken very informally? Sure.

Consider a few guys hanging out in one of their kitchens. The host is preparing a pot of chili. But not just any chili – his secret mega-awesome hint-of-ghost-pepper award-winning recipe. Once ladled out and sampled, it would make perfect sense in situ for one of the buddies to blurt out “Man, this chili’s always slammin’ … but this pot here is filthy!”

[solost]

@AlsoNamedBort

@solost

I found this glossary of modern teen slang online-- one expression that has done a 180 is “ate that”, as in “you really ate that look” meaning “you really pulled that look off”. In my day, it was negative: “did you see him wipe out on his bike? He really ate it!”.

From someone who was once on the teen side of this, I think it’s safe to say that any “parents guide to teen slang” is inaccurate at best.

Well, I’m far from an expert, but I did raise two Gen Z kids, and from what I remember, the list is mostly no cap, bet.

The list was too vague on ‘bruh’ which they defined simply as a variation of:

“Bro”; can be used to address anybody.

I believe It’s more of a negative term, said to somebody after they do or say something stupid or embarrassing.

[Whack-a-Mole]

@bordelond

But my experience is that if you aren’t on social media a lot, don’t do online gaming, and generally maintain a Year 2005-style Internet existence … the first time you start hearing 2015’s teenage slang is in 2026 when late-twenty-somethings enter your workplace (or other meatspace social domain).

Well…there is still TV/movies/music. That is usually where I pick it up.

[tilteddriveway]

@solost

“Bro”; can be used to address anybody.

I believe It’s more of a negative term, said to somebody after they do or say something stupid or embarrassing.

It can be used that way but “bro” also is used to address anybody. I work at a university and hear it all the time (even groups of women referring to each other in casual conversation use ‘bro’, so the term has become non-gendered).

[solost]

What I was saying was that the teen slang list I linked to said ‘bruh’ was simply a synonym for ‘bro’. But I think ‘bruh’ is used differently than ‘bro’, at least the way my kids used it. ‘Bro’ is more of a neutral callout to a peer (of any gender), whereas ‘bruh’ is only used if someone says or does something dumb or embarrassing.

[Yodalicious]

My 15 year old uses “fire” to mean good, “bet” to mean agreeable, and “buns” for something he doesn’t like.

[We_re_wolves_not_werewolves]

@solost

whereas ‘bruh’ is only used if someone says or does something dumb or embarrassing.

yes! or disappointing to that person. When I texted my son that I was going to be late picking him up from school, he just texted back “bruh”, and I knew what he meant (albeit annoyed by it)

[tilteddriveway]

@solost

What I was saying was that the teen slang list I linked to said ‘bruh’ was simply a synonym for ‘bro’. But I think ‘bruh’ is used differently than ‘bro’, at least the way my kids used it. ‘Bro’ is more of a neutral callout to a peer (of any gender), whereas ‘bruh’ is only used if someone says or does something dumb or embarrassing.

oh yeah, “bruh” is definitely different than “bro” lol

[Hari_Seldon]

I don’t have much contact with teens these days, so they are all new to me. Today I was doing a crossword puzzle and there were two slang terms used. The first was defined as “ta-ta in a text” and the solution was CYA, which to me means cover your ass. But the clue was the “in a text” meaning it is phonetic for see ya. The other one, I still find odd was clued as “Outlandishly over the top in modern slang” and the answer was simply EXTRA,

[Beckdawrek]

Oh..I’m extra all the time. (Ivy said so)

Now do you get it?

[Elmer_J.Fudd]

@LSLGuy

But in baseball, an exquisite pitch that bamboozles the batter is “filthy”. And has been for decades. Knuckleballers throw lots of filthy pitches.

In pickleball, a “rotten” serve is one that can’t be returned. Granted, pickleball players lean geriatric.

[Chronos]

@Hari_Seldon

The other one, I still find odd was clued as “Outlandishly over the top in modern slang” and the answer was simply EXTRA,

So far as I can tell, that’s only used of people, not anything else that might be over-the-top.

But I think that’s already up to the 30somethings. I’ve definitely heard other teachers using it.