Alumna Elizabeth Ashleigh George reasons that while Gen Z’s slang fosters generational camaraderie, its overuse risks alienating others and hindering clear communication.
I’ve noticed something. Gen Z, aka my generation, is struggling when it comes to effective communication.
From using slang in work emails to arguing in real life as though we are sub-tweeting each other, it feels as though we’re relying too much on shortcuts. How we communicate is like an inside joke, in which only those from my generation understand what we’re trying to say. As someone in the communication field, this is starting to worry me.
Let me give you some examples of how we talk: “That’s so slay.” or “I’m in my flop era”. If you’re scratching your head right now, don’t worry – you’re not alone. And that’s the point I’m trying to make here.
Gen Z loves using slang that only Gen Z understands. It is like a secret language. And if you don’t get it, then you’re not in on the ‘joke’.
Take “brat summer”, for instance. It’s everywhere, but good luck finding someone over 30 who can explain what it means. Even millennials, those who are only a few years older than us Gen Zs, are often flabbergasted by what it means. Fun fact – the term was coined by Charlie XCX, who herself is a millennial.
As I’ve gotten older (I’m on the older end of generation Z), I’ve started noticing a shift in the language I hear, and it’s honestly a bit jarring. Suddenly I’m hearing words I don’t understand. Gyatt? Genny neutch? And what in the world does ‘dap someone up” mean? Oh! And did you know about Michael Bay and ‘Skibidi Toilet’?
For the first time, I feel like I’m being left behind by a ‘younger crowd’. I look at my 6-year-old nephew and all I see is myself as the main character in the movie ‘The Adam Project’ – I’m left behind by (time-travel) tech and the era is Gen Z culture. It’s a weird feeling, and honestly, I get why older coworkers must feel like they’re stuck in a time warp when they hear us talking in the office.
Imagine sitting in a meeting where someone says, ‘No cap!’ or ‘This is giving me the ick,’ and you have no idea what that means. For the record, ‘no cap’ means ‘that’s the truth,’ and ‘the ick’ refers to something that makes you feel uncomfortable or repelled. But like, why not just say that?
No Cap
The thing is, while slang can be fun, it’s also a barrier.
When we communicate using these inside jokes and references, we miss out on having meaningful conversations. Millennials, for all their quirks (in the eyes of the Gen Z), at least tried to make communication accessible. They embrace conversations that are designed to help others understand them better.
Gen Z, on the other hand, seems to thrive on exclusivity. A lot of these slang words come from African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) and ball culture, where they’ve been a way for this community to connect subtly, and privately. But now? We are using it everywhere – office emails, ZOOM calls, even LinkedIn posts.
The issue is that when your whole communication is about shutting others out, it’s hard to build real connections. Sure, it’s fun to drop a slang word or two, and then see who gets it. But it doesn’t lead to meaningful conversations either.
For example. Twitter (now X) of the 2010s in comparison to today’s TikTok. Back then, Twitter was filled with those who shared their actual thoughts and daily musings. Now, if I open Tiktok, I’m hit with videos and images with the captions “POV: You’re in your Roman Empire era” or “This is so sigma male energy,”, or phrases that make me wonder: Did I miss out on something?
The L
This trend, even to me, a Gen Z, is annoying, to say the least. It’s affecting how we communicate in real life. Be it using slang at work, avoiding phone calls, or struggling to have constructive arguments, Gen Z’s communication habits are evolving – and not always for the better.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we should stop using slang altogether. It’s fun, I don’t deny it. And there’s something magical about teaching an older person a new word (my mom occasionally drops a Gen Z slang in our conversations and I feel like the proud parent whenever she does that). That said, maybe we should ease up on the inside jokes and try to connect with people outside our generational bubble.
After all, there are values in talking to people from different generations.
According to Elizabeth (right), clarity is key as language evolves, but in the professional world, effective communication with diverse audiences is what matters most.
If we can learn to use more syllables, speak a little more clearly, and recognize that not every conversation needs to sound like a TikTok caption, we might just find ourselves forming deeper, more meaningful relationships.
Before we bounce
In the end, slang is like fast fashion – it’s trendy, it’s fun and it spreads like wildfire, but it often lacks staying power. One day, “gyatt” and “skibidi” might be the hottest thing, and the next, it’s already cringe. And while it’s entertaining to keep up with the latest lingo, it’s also important to remember that not everyone is tuned into the same wavelength. Sometimes, the old-school ways of communicating – clear, thoughtful, and inclusive – are still the OG.
And for those of us who are in the practice, either in public relations (PR), media, or marketing, clarity is what matters. It is good to know how languages evolve, but in the professional setting, we need to focus on how to effectively communicate with different audiences. That’s why programs like Swinburne Sarawak’s Bachelor of Media and Communication, Human Resource Management, Marketing, or even the Diploma in Digital Media Design, help students build the necessary skills to navigate these challenges.
Whether you’re crafting a PR campaign, leading a business negotiation, or engaging an audience through digital media, effective communication remains at the heart of it all.
Elizabeth Ashleigh George is a public relations and communications specialist at an Irish-owned private medical institution. A 2023 graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, she credits her strong foundation in people and organizational management to her passion for strategic communication, her time studying alongside like-minded peers and learning from industry-experienced lecturers.