How slang works
Longform explainers on how words actually move — across generations, platforms, and communities. Written by humans, no AI fluff.
What is Gen Alpha slang? Skibidi, sigma, fanum tax, and the iPad-kid lexicon
If you've heard a kid yell "skibidi sigma!" and felt your soul leave your body, you're not alone. Here's the actual lexicon, decoded.
Gen Z vs Gen Alpha slang: how it shifted in 18 months
The two generations share platforms but not vocabulary. The handoff happened faster than any previous generational slang turnover — here's the receipt.
Where slang is born now: TikTok, Twitch, Discord, and the platform pipelines
Slang doesn't get invented in dictionaries. It gets minted on Twitch, tested on Discord, scaled on TikTok, and ironized on Twitter. Here's the pipeline.
The lifecycle of a slang word: cringe → core → dead
Slang doesn't live forever. Every word goes through the same four stages — and most of them die in less than three years. Here's the model.
AAVE and internet slang: where most of the words actually come from
Most of the slang you think TikTok invented came from somewhere older. A clear look at AAVE's role in modern internet language — without the dodging or the flattening.
Algospeak explained: unalive, le dollar bean, and why TikTok is rewriting English
Why do people on TikTok say "unalive" instead of die, or "le dollar bean" instead of lesbian? It's not a joke — it's a moderation tax, and it's reshaping the language.
Corporate slang decoded: a survival glossary for your first standup
Office speak isn't a foreign language, but it's not English either. A clear-eyed translation of the words that get thrown around in standups, retros, and one-on-ones.
How to write a good slang definition (and how to spot a bad one)
Most slang definitions on the internet are bad. Here's how to write one that actually helps a reader who's never heard the word.