If you’ve spent any time on-line lately, you’d be forgiven for pondering there’s one thing within the water. Some grown adults – normally of the millennial, gen Z selection, although not solely – have regressed to a type of cutesy, child language, even whereas discussing severe subjects. On this language, the price of dwelling disaster is the “cozzie livs”; the upcoming basic election is the “genny lec”, and a psychological breakdown is a “menty b”. In the meantime, holidays are “holibobs”, and the wine previously referred to as sauvignon blanc is “savvy b”– finest paired with a jacky p (jacket potato) for a comforting dinner that’s not too “spenny” (costly).
This linguistic phenomena of, effectively, very foolish abbreviations, has created a lot confusion, notably from North American social media customers, that decoding British slang is now its personal style in US superstar interviews (they’ve all finished them – Billie Eilish, Emma Stone, Halle Bailey and extra). In the meantime British social media customers frequently share their ideas on the most recent language in posts starting from pleasure to derision. “If I am re-elected,” joked Labour MP Stella Creasy, “I promise legislation to ban the terms ‘genny lec’ and ‘snappy gen’.” (“Snappy gen” was briefly within the operating for the election abbreviation du jour, earlier than being outdated by the overwhelming reputation of “genny lec”.)
If you happen to’re discovering all of this cringe, offensive, or simply plain unremarkable – I perceive. I did, too. However now there is just one phrase for the way I really feel about this quirky pursuit of daft nicknames: patriotic.
Slang is subjective. One particular person’s cringe is one other particular person’s intelligent, and it isn’t for me to go judgment on what comes off as smug or honest. I definitely have my very own preferences: “innit” and “babe” really feel pure to me, however I’d not say “totes”, or “drinkypoos”, which I’m nonetheless baffled anybody says, given it seems like gastric irritation after a giant night time out.
But though slang is probably going as outdated as language itself, I’m satisfied that this tradition of contractions is one thing new. The novel factor is simply how supercharged the pace of word-innovation has grow to be, and the aggressive but democratic component to the phenomenon. New phrases are created and submitted to the net populus for its approval quicker than you possibly can say panny d (sure, for “pandemic”). It’s virtually grow to be a nationwide sport of collective wordplay. My favorite in the intervening time? Though I by no means a lot appreciated “holibob”, I’m slightly having fun with the working vacation spin-off: “holijob”.
Past the plain silliness and camaraderie behind the craze, there’s something else at play right here. Generally even unserious phrases serve a severe want.
Take “cozzie livs”, first popularised after a screengrab of a dialog on procuring platform Depop went viral. “I can’t go that low sorry babe,” responds the vendor to a purchaser’s provide. “Especially with the cozzie livs and all that jazz.” Given the taboo round speaking about cash, and the shaming, blaming and basic nastiness that occurs to those that discover themselves with out cash, presumably citing “cozzie livs” is less complicated than telling a complete stranger you’re counting on this sale to make ends meet. That’s the facility of informality – of slang – it has a approach of bringing individuals collectively, placing individuals relaxed and in flip destigmatising sure conversations.
I’ve seen a “cozzie livs” optimistic impact amongst my very own pals. The place beforehand WhatsApp teams discussing hen events or meet-ups have been fraught with anxieties round cash, now the easy phrase makes it clear: “Sorry girls, can’t afford it. Cozzie livs,” which is promptly heard and understood with no additional have to justify how or why, nor open oneself as much as judgment. It’s seemingly comparable for “menty b”: will probably be simpler for some – notably youthful individuals – to sort “I’d better go home before I go full menty b,” than say, “I don’t think I can keep a lid on these feelings much longer”.
Sure, it might be higher if individuals may converse actually with out having to decorate their troubles up in a joke. And there’s no denying that fluffy language can minimise slightly bleak conditions. I feel again to my very own childhood in poverty and I can’t think about ever utilizing the phrases “cozzie livs” to assist me open up about, say, an eviction discover. However then once more, I by no means stated something in any respect about cash – that was how sturdy the disgrace, taboo and in the end isolation was. Certainly this one thing is healthier than nothing? I prefer to assume there may be some good rising from this fledgling behavior of sharing emotions.
And so I say, lengthy dwell the humorous little phrases! Put them on flags, and weave them into the anthem; rejoice in these daft expressions from a nation of punmakers and wordplayers. Savour the crowdsourced clauses of pleasure, in pursuit of a extra open society. They’re a supply of nationwide pleasure. Or ought to I say nashy p?
-
Coco Khan is a contract author and co-host of the politics podcast Pod Save the UK
-
Do you could have an opinion on the problems raised on this article? If you need to submit a response of as much as 300 phrases by e-mail to be thought-about for publication in our letters part, please click on right here.
