USU students discuss their uses of millennial slang words

Often to be heard on Utah State University’s campus are various slang words thrown about in everyday conversation. These words are often popularized by social media and viral videos.

A poll taken on the Utah Statesman’s Twitter page asked students which slang word they used most often out of “woke,” “salty,” “lit” and “basic.” Out of the 95 students who voted, 46 percent chose “salty” as their favorite and most often used word.

A follow-up poll, also on the Utah Statesman’s Twitter page, asked which of those slang words students were the most sick of. From the 66 students who participated, 50 percent voted that their least favorite word was “woke.”

A few students weighed in their own personal favorite slang words to use.

Joshua Blake, Bekah Bednar, and Starlee Anne are all regular users of the word “dope.”

Various takes on the word “bro” are also popular with Makena Mcmullin, a freshman.

“Broseph. Broham,” she said, “Broheme.”

Reed Collins said he liked the saying “Abroham Lincoln.”

Chase Bruggeman gave one phrase has been becoming more and more popular on campus thanks to a series of viral memes.

“Wot in tarnation?” he said.

Bradley Vernon, a freshman, gave a few example sentences in which these slang words would be used.

“Squad up it’s litty. Hoes trippin’ we on that slaughter gand in this bih,” he said. “We be out here fam level 10000.”

Kimber Stamps, a music education major, is a fan of using the word “rad.”

“All day long,” she said. “No shame.”

Bruggeman added his favorite.

“Radically doogular,” he said.

Many of the slang words used are abbreviations used in texting and on social media networks.

Monica Esparza and Starlee Ann, both freshman, are fans of “LOL.”

Caleb Sessions, a freshman, said “AF.”

“Fam this assignment is lit AF,” he said.

Alex Young said he often uses “dude, chick, homie, ma dawg, ma boy, balla” and more.

“Dang and flip,” he said, “are the only ones I feel like I should stop.”

Unhappiness with some slang words used on campus has been expressed.

Words like “gay” and “retarded” are often used as a way to describe things that the user is unhappy with. Though some believe that these words are harmless, others take offense due to the possibly pointed association between a group of people and something bad.

“They should not be used as derogatory terms,” said Abby Shemkunas, a business major, “ever.”

Lottie Anne Roberts, an elementary education major, is not a fan of using those words as slang either.

“If the best humor you can come up with is using language that mocks people who are different from you,” he said, “you’re not that funny.”

She said people who use those words are adding to the discrimination towards marginalized groups.

“You’re contributing to the idea that those people are synonymous with negative terms like ‘stupid,’” Roberts said.

Carson Woods, a mechanical engineering major, agreed.

“It’s an annoying trend I’ve noticed here that people like to use as insults,” he said.

Matthew William, a freshman, sees no problem with the use of “gay” and “retarded” as slang words.

“I can use the English dictionary how I want without being homophobic or against those with mental disabilities,” he said.

He said this was an issue of the first amendment and the right to freedom of speech.

“If we are to censor every offensive word,” William said, “we’d have a much smaller vocabulary.”

—savannah.lund@aggiemail.usu.edu

@savannah_lund