Students and teachers explain common slang words for their generations

From “ralph” to “rizz,” generations of slang is defined and comapred

Maddie Martin and Ian Chern

February 15, 2024

GENERATION Z SLANG

(By Liz Summa)

“[Fire means] really good, better than good like you would say ‘thats fire’”

“If you say lowkey, I’ll use it like ‘this is lowkey good.’ when you first see it, it’s not the best thing in the world but after a little while it starts to grow on you.”

“Slaps or hits is usually about food. For example ‘that pizza slaps’”

(By Liz Summa)

“My favorite word is ‘purr’ because I feel like it’s funny and I use it a lot and it’s just means like ‘yay.’”

“Another one of my favorite words is probably ‘sus’ because I also find it really funny. It just means ‘suspicious.’”

“I think people learn about them over social media and I feel like they were born by people just cutting words in half”

PAST GENERATIONS’S SLANG

(By Liz Summa)

“Fox was what guys would call girls and then hunk was what we would call some cute guy, like ‘He’s a hunk, look at that hunk.”

“People would say ‘Man, you’re trippin’ like you’re acting foolish [or] you’re acting ridiculous.”

“Ralph was if somebody’s about to get sick. ‘Hey, don’t don’t ralph in my car,’ don’t throw up in my car. “

“Some of our slang came from movies, at least some of your [slang] too, because we didn’t have social media.”

(By Olivia Peters)

“Rizz, in my day, we would call it game. I don’t know if kids still say game. Because you say game in that context, like ‘Oh, he’s got some serious game.’ Now they say rizz. I find that word amusing.”

“I still said things like cool. I remember there were people that said things like cool beans.”

“I know lots of slang terms. I try to stay current and know what the youths are saying. I go to the Gen Z Wikipedia dictionary, just to check out what’s new and different.”

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About the Contributors

Maddie Martin, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief and JagWire copy editor

This is junior Maddie Martin’s second year on the JagWire staff, she is excited to be taking on the role of Mill Valley News editor-in-chief as well as working for the JagWire as copy editor. Along with journalism she is a member of the Mill Valley golf team, as well as, NHS, French Club and is an ELT for Relay for Life. Outside of school she volunteers as a part of the National Charity League and works at Pinnacle Gymnastics as a coach. On her weekends she can be found reading a new romance book, listening to Zach Bryan or hanging out with her friends.

Ian Chern, Mill Valley News editor-in-chief

This is senior Ian Chern’s third year on the JagWire staff. This year he is taking the role of the Mill Valley News editor-in-chief while also being a writer and photographer for the JagWire. When he is not working on journalism, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, hanging out outside, working, volunteering and helping out at local food banks. Along with being involved in journalism, Ian is involved in the NHS, Spanish NHS, Relay for Life and Science Olympiad.

Quin Peters, JagWire reporter/photographer

This is junior Quin Peters’ second year on the JagWire staff. This year she is excited to continue her role as a writer and designer on staff. Beyond newspaper, Quin is the media manager for Youth for Refugees as well as being involved in NAHS, Scholars Bowl, French Club, Crochet and Knit, Creative Writing club and Model UN. Outside of school, she spends her free time crocheting, drawing, hanging out with her friends and listening to music.

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