· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "41" mean? (The new 6-7)
Kids are shouting "41" and doing a hand motion across their chest. What it means, where it came from, and why there is nothing to decode.
Blog
Plain-English writing on cross-generational communication, modern slang, texting etiquette, and how to actually connect with the people in your life.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "aura farming" mean?
Aura farming means trying to look effortlessly cool on purpose. Where it came from, how kids use it, and why getting caught costs you the cool.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "chat" mean in slang? ("Chat, is this real?")
Kids say "chat" to an empty room as if an audience is listening. What it means, where it came from, and why it is funnier than it sounds.
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· slang, gen-z, parenting
What does "chopped" mean? (It is not about cooking)
In teen slang, "chopped" means ugly. What it means in a text, where it came from, and why it is worth a quiet word if your grandkid says it.
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· slang, gen-z, tech
What does "clanker" mean? (Why kids are insulting robots)
"Clanker" is a mocking word for robots and AI. Where it came from, why young people say it, and the part of the joke that makes some people uneasy.
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· slang, gen-z, parenting
What is looksmaxxing? (And mewing?) A guide for parents and grandparents
Looksmaxxing means trying to maximize your looks, sometimes to extremes. What it is, what mewing means, and which parts are worth a conversation.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "lowkenuinely" mean? (Lowkey + genuinely)
"Lowkenuinely" is lowkey and genuinely mashed into one word. What it means in a text, where it came from, and how sincere it really is.
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· slang, gen-z, parenting
What does "mog" mean? (And what is "mogging"?)
To "mog" someone is to outshine them, usually in looks or height. What mogging means, where it came from, and what grandparents should know.
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· slang, dating, generational
What is "cuffing season"? (It starts about now)
Cuffing season is the fall and winter stretch when single people pair up for the cold months. What it means and why you will hear it at Thanksgiving.
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· generational, gen-z, communication
What is the "Gen Z stare"? (You are not imagining it)
The "Gen Z stare" is the blank, silent look some young people give instead of small talk. What it is, what is behind it, and how to get past it.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "bop" mean? (It's not about music anymore)
"Bop" used to mean a catchy song. Now it is an insult aimed at girls and women. What it means in 2026, how to tell the two apart, and what to do if you hear it.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "chud" mean? (An insult with a long history)
"Chud" is one of the most-searched slang words of 2026. What it means, where the word came from, and why you should know it's an insult before you repeat it.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "locked in" mean? (Why your grandkid went quiet)
"Locked in" means fully focused and committed. What it means in a text, the "Great Lock In" trend behind it, and how to use it without sounding like a coach.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "pop off" mean? (Usually, it's a compliment)
"Pop off" means to do something impressively well. What it means in a text, where it came from, and the one older meaning that still causes confusion.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "say less" mean? (It's a yes, not a shush)
"Say less" means I understand, I am in, no need to explain. What it means in a text, where the phrase came from, and why it is not telling you to be quiet.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "standing on business" mean? (It's about follow-through)
"Standing on business" means doing what you said you would do. Where the phrase comes from, how to use it, and why your grandkids say it with a straight face.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "sus" mean? (The slang word that outlived the game)
"Sus" means suspicious or shady. What it means in a text, how a 2020 video game made it famous, and why your grandkids still say it years later.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "tuff" mean? (It's not a typo for "tough")
"Tuff" means cool, impressive, or good-looking. What it means in a text, why kids spell it that way, and the ironic use that flips the meaning.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "yapping" mean? (And is it an insult?)
"Yapping" means talking too much about too little. What "yap," "yapper," and "yap session" mean in a text, where the word came from, and when it is a joke.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "caught in 4K" mean? (There's no denying it now)
"Caught in 4K" means caught red-handed with undeniable proof. What it means, the comedy sketch it came from, and how it shows up in family group chats.
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· slang, texting, gen-z
What does "crine" mean? (They're not actually crying)
"I'm crine" means something is so funny it hurts. What "crine" means, where the spelling comes from, and why it doesn't mean someone is upset.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "larping" mean? (It's not about costumes anymore)
"Larping" used to mean live-action role-play. Now it means faking a lifestyle for the look of it. What it means, how it's used, and why teens dread it.
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· slang, generational, communication
What does "quiet on the creek" mean? (It started with fishing)
"Quiet on the creek" means keep your business private. Where the viral Saucy Santana phrase came from, how people use it, and why you already know it.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "scuba" mean? (And why kids are holding their noses)
"Scuba" is one of the most-searched teen slang words of 2026. What it means, the nose-pinch dance that goes with it, and whether you should worry.
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· etiquette, family, gen-z
Your grandkid sent you a meme. Here's how to respond.
How to respond when someone sends you a meme you don't get - what a meme with no message means, five replies that work, and the two that kill the conversation.
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· iphone, how-to, texting
How to schedule a text on iPhone (so it sends at a decent hour)
How to schedule a text message on iPhone with Send Later in iOS 18, how to change or cancel a scheduled text, and why it only works with blue bubbles.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "W" mean in a text? (And "L," and "big W")
What "W" means in a text, what "L" means, and how to read "big W," "W rizz," "take the L," and a lone W reply from your grandkid. With examples.
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· iphone, how-to, texting
How to unsend or edit a text on iPhone (and what they'll see)
How to unsend a text on iPhone and how to edit a text message, the 2-minute and 15-minute windows, and exactly what the other person sees.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "glazing" mean? (Nothing to do with donuts)
What "glazing" means in slang, where it came from, what a "glazer" is, and the useful thing it tells you about how younger people hear praise.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "unc" mean? (Yes, they might mean you)
What "unc" means in slang, where the word actually comes from, what "unc status" is, and why being called it is friendlier than you'd think.
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· etiquette, communication, family
What to text someone who's grieving (and what not to)
What to text someone who is grieving - why a text is often the kindest first move, the four things to include, the phrase to retire, and examples to copy.
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· iphone, how-to, texting
"Delivered" vs "Read" on iPhone — what the words under your text mean
What "Delivered," "Read," "Sent as Text Message," and no status at all actually tell you about your message on iPhone, and how read receipts work.
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· family, texting, generational
How to text your grandkids (so they actually text back)
Seven habits that get grandchildren to reply — what to send, what to leave out, how often to reach out, and what a one-emoji answer really means.
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· slang, texting, gen-z
What does "fr" mean in a text? (Plus "frfr" and "ong")
A quick guide to "fr" — what it means, why it shows up at the end of so many texts, and how to tell the agreement version from the emphasis version.
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· texting, communication, gen-z
What "lol" means now (it's usually not laughing)
"lol" stopped meaning "laughing out loud" years ago. Here's what it does in a text today, why people put it after bad news, and what to use instead.
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· slang, generational, gen-z
What does "OK boomer" mean — and should you be offended?
Where "OK boomer" came from, what it actually means when someone says it, and the one response that ends it instead of feeding it.
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· slang, gen-z, parenting
What does "skibidi" mean? (Honestly, not much)
A plain-English explanation of "skibidi" — the YouTube toilet series it came from, why kids say it constantly, and what it means when they say it to you.
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· slang, dating, gen-z
What does "the ick" mean?
"The ick" explained — the sudden turn-off younger people talk about, where the phrase came from, and why it isn't the same as a dealbreaker.
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· texting, etiquette, communication
How to end a text conversation without being rude
Text conversations don't have goodbyes — they have landings. Here's how to end one warmly, and why just stopping is sometimes correct.
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· iphone, how-to, texting, etiquette
How to react to a text on iPhone — hearts, thumbs, and the rest
A practical guide to iPhone message reactions (Tapbacks) — how to send one, what each icon signals, and when a reaction is enough.
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· generational, family, phone, communication
Why younger people will FaceTime for an hour but won't call for five minutes
The phone call is dying and FaceTime is thriving. The difference isn't the camera — it's what each one signals about the conversation.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "aura" mean now? (And what are aura points?)
The new meaning of "aura" — effortless cool as a scoreboard — plus how aura points work and why losing them is funnier than gaining them.
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· slang, gen-z, communication
What does "in my ___ era" mean?
Why your granddaughter is "in her villain era" — where the era template comes from, what it signals, and how to use it about yourself.
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· slang, gen-z, communication
What does "ate" mean — as in "she ate that"?
Why "she ate" is a compliment, where "ate and left no crumbs" comes from, and how to tell it apart from actual eating.
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· slang, gen-z, mental-health
What does "crash out" mean?
What "crashing out" means, how serious it is, and how to tell a dramatic joke from a kid who's actually at the end of their rope.
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· slang, gen-z, social-media
What does "brainrot" mean?
A plain-English guide to "brainrot" — the word for what too much low-quality internet does to your head, and why kids use it about themselves.
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· slang, gen-z, generational
What does "NPC" mean when it's about a person?
A plain-English guide to "NPC" — where the video-game term came from, what it means as an insult, and when it's just a joke.
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· slang, gen-z, communication
What does "touch grass" mean?
What "touch grass" means, why it's the internet's favorite way to say "log off," and how to tell the joke version from the jab.
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· slang, texting
What does "bet" mean in a text? (No one is gambling)
Why a one-word "bet" reply means "sounds good," where it came from, the challenge version to watch for, and how to reply without confusion.
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· texting, dating
What does "ghosted" mean — and why do people do it?
What being ghosted means, how it's different from a slow reply, why people disappear, and what to send (or not send) when it happens to you.
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· slang, gen-z
What does "sigma" mean? A field guide for confused parents
What "sigma" means, where the lone-wolf meme came from, why kids say "what the sigma," and how to tell sincere use from ironic use.
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· texting, gen-z, etiquette
What "/s" and "/j" mean at the end of a text
A short reference for tone indicators — the little slash-letter tags young people add to mark sarcasm, jokes, and seriousness so text can't be misread.
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· slang, gen-z
What does "cooked" mean?
A plain-English guide to "cooked" — how a kitchen word became the way young people say they are out of options, and the one case where it means the opposite.
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· slang, texting
What does "IYKYK" mean?
A plain-English guide to "IYKYK" — the four letters that mean "if you know, you know," why people use them, and what to do when you don't know.
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· tech, iphone, texting
Why some of your texts are green instead of blue
What the green bubble on your iPhone actually means, why it isn't a sign anyone blocked you, and which features quietly stop working when it shows up.
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· texting, etiquette
"Left on read": what it means and what to do about it
What "left on read" means, why it stings more than a missed call ever did, and what to send (and not send) when the receipt says Read and nothing comes back.
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· slang, generational
What does "6-7" mean? (Nothing. That's the point.)
Kids keep saying "six-seven" and doing a hand gesture. Here's where it came from, why it won Word of the Year, and why asking what it means is the joke.
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· slang, gen-z
What does "delulu" actually mean?
A plain-English guide to "delulu" — where the K-pop nickname for "delusional" came from, and why it's usually a joke, not a diagnosis.
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· emoji, gen-z
Why the 💀 emoji means "that's hilarious"
The skull emoji isn't morbid — it means "I'm dead from laughing." How 💀 quietly replaced 😂, and how to read it when it shows up in your texts.
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· texting, family, generational
Why your kids send voice memos instead of texting
Voice notes are how younger people do phone calls now — on their own schedule. Why they send them, why this isn't voicemail, and how to reply.
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· emoji, etiquette, family
Is a 👍 reaction rude? Depends who you ask
Why the thumbs-up tapback reads as efficient to one generation and dismissive to another — and when to type actual words instead.
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· family, etiquette
"We need to talk" — and other texts that terrify
Some texts trigger panic before the conversation even starts. What the scary openers do wrong, and what to send instead.
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· etiquette, texting
The double text, decoded — when texting twice is fine
Texting again before they've replied feels desperate to some and normal to others. Here's when a double text helps and when it hurts.
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· family, gen-z, parenting, etiquette
Why your kid texts back "k" — and what they're actually saying
A short essay on the most-misread one-letter text of all time. Spoiler — it's usually not anger.
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· texting, etiquette, generational
"haha" vs "hahaha" — and other laugh signals decoded
A short reference for what each version of digital laughter actually means — from the cold "ha." to the very-much-alive "💀" and "😭."
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· family, etiquette, generational
"I'll text you back later" — what it actually means
A short guide to reading the most slippery promise in texting — when "later" means later, when it means never, and how to tell the difference.
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· emoji, generational, texting
Why emoji use changes with age — a generational walk-through
A short tour of how each generation actually uses emoji, from the silent generation through Gen Alpha — what each pattern means and why it shifts.
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· communication, conflict, family
How to respond to a passive-aggressive text without escalating
A five-step playbook for responding to "fine.", "whatever", or any text that's clearly upset but pretending not to be.
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· family, mental-health, communication
When your kid says "I'm setting a boundary" — what they mean
What "I'm setting a boundary" actually means when your adult kid says it — what's real, what's borrowed therapy-speak, and how to respond well.
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· family, texting, etiquette
How to text "thinking of you" without overdoing it
A short playbook for sending warm, low-pressure check-ins to your adult kids — when to send, what to say, and how often is too often.
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· slang, gen-z, texting
What does "no cap" actually mean?
A short, plain-English guide to "no cap" — what it means, where it comes from, and the three contexts where it actually fits in a text.
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· work, generational, perspective
Quiet quitting, explained for parents
It's not laziness. A short reference and essay on what quiet quitting actually means, where it came from, and how to talk to your kid about it.
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· social-media, family, parenting
Why your kid posts vague sad stuff online
Vaguebooking, sad-posting, "manifesting" — what it is, why they do it, and how to tell a cry for help from an aesthetic.
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· mental-health, generational, family
Why younger people see therapy differently
Therapy went from taboo to default in one generation. A short essay on what changed, why, and how to talk about it without fumbling.
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· generational, history, perspective
The myth of "kids these days"
Every generation has said it. A short essay on what's actually different about young people in 2026 — and what's exactly the same as it ever was.
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· communication, dating, gen-z
Why younger people ghost — and how not to take it personally
Ghosting feels like a personal verdict. It's almost never one. A short essay on what it actually is and what to do with the silence.
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· communication, generational, phone
Why your kids don't listen to voicemails
A short essay on the voicemail's quiet death — why younger people skip it, what they do instead, and how to be heard anyway.
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· communication, etiquette, family
Group chat etiquette for boomers
When to mute, when to reply, when to stay quiet, and why "Reply All" is rarely the move. The unspoken rules of the family thread.
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· communication, generational, phone
Why younger people don't answer unknown calls
It's not rudeness. The phone has stopped being a phone — and the math on picking up has changed for an entire generation.
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· tech, texting, accessibility
Voice-to-text — when it works and when it doesn't
A practical guide to iPhone dictation. The four situations where it's faster than typing, and the four where it will embarrass you.
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· tech, iphone, how-to
How to use the iPhone share sheet (and why you should)
A plain-English walkthrough of the little box-with-an-arrow icon that's hiding in almost every iPhone app — and the four things it makes faster.
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· communication, etiquette, phone
How to leave a voicemail in 2026
Voicemail still exists, but the rules have changed. A short playbook on when to leave one, how to open, and how to close.
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· communication, etiquette
When to call vs text — a simple decision rule
A clear rule for choosing between a call and a text, plus the four cases where each one is obviously right.
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· communication, family, conflict
How to bring up a hard topic in a text
A playbook for raising a difficult subject over text — what to say first, how to frame it, and how to end without leaving the other person hanging.
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· communication, apologies, conflict
How to apologize over text
A six-step playbook for writing a real apology over text — what to say first, what to leave out, and when to switch to a call.
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· family, communication, parenting
How to text your adult kids without being clingy
A short playbook on frequency, content, and tone — how to stay close to your grown kids over text without smothering them.
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· texting, etiquette
What three dots mean in a text message
A field guide to the ellipsis in texting — what it signals, how to tell the typing indicator from the punctuation, and how to read each kind.
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· texting, gen-z, etiquette
Why younger people text in all lowercase
An essay on the unwritten rule of lowercase texting — what it actually signals, and why "Hi honey!" can feel louder than "hi."
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· texting, etiquette, generational
Why a period at the end of a text reads cold to younger people
The full stop became a tone marker somewhere around 2010. Here is what happened, and how to text without it sounding like a slammed door.
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· slang, gen-z
What does "mid" actually mean?
A plain-English guide to "mid" — the new word for mediocre, where it came from, and how it differs from "meh."
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· slang, gen-z, lgbtq
What does "slay" actually mean?
A plain-English guide to "slay" — what it means, where it comes from, and where it lands sincerely versus ironically.
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· slang, millennial
What does "salty" mean?
A short, plain-English guide to "salty" — what it means, where it came from, and how to tell when someone's joking versus actually upset.
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· slang, gen-z
What does "it's giving" mean?
A plain-English guide to the "it's giving ___" construction — what it means, where it came from, and how it actually works in a sentence.
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· slang, millennial, gen-z
What does "lowkey" mean? (And "highkey"?)
A short, plain-English guide to "lowkey" and "highkey" — both meanings of each, where they came from, and how to tell them apart in a text.
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· slang, gen-z
What does "based" actually mean?
A plain-English guide to "based" — what it means now, where it came from, and why context matters more with this word than most.
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· slang, gen-z, dating
What does "rizz" actually mean?
A short, plain-English guide to "rizz" — what it means, where it came from, and how to tell when it's a compliment versus a roast.