What’s not to love about the slang of today?

Much to the dismay of my teenage children, I’ve come to love the way in which kids speak (or rather, text) to each other, and the many new words they’ve created along the way, writes Frances Whiting.

You all know how much I love words, just as I know how much readers of this page do also.

One of my favourite columns I’ve ever written was when I asked you all to tell me the words you loved the most, which is when I discovered the lovely Welsh word “hiraeth”, which is the deep and aching longing for home.

But I don’t just love old words, I love new ones too, and I am constantly delighted to hear my tweenage daughter and teenage son using words and phrases I have never heard before, all of them inventive, some of them magical.

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Of course, I am not actually allowed to utter any of them myself in their presence, but here follows some of my favourite newer words I’ve either overheard my children say, or some that have popped up in the lexicon over the last few years.

AUTOMAGICALLY: This is when you wish for, or desire something, and it automatically happens, as if by magic. An example of “automagically” might be: “Last night I had a dream about Colin Firth, and when I woke up, he automagically appeared beside me”.

BUZZKILL: A person who can kill a fun vibe or activity or moment just by walking into a room. I am pretty sure I am the buzzkill in my family. And stop flicking each other with tea towels, do you want to lose an eye? Do you? Do you?

Much to their dismay, I do understand what my kids are saying. Picture: iStock

VIRAL: When something you have done, and has also been filmed or photographed, is then shared, and then spreads like wildfire on the internet. In nine times out of 10, I am pretty sure you do not want to hear the phrase: “Wow, mum, what did you do last night? You’ve gone viral. Mad respect”.

TURDUCKEN: I feel I am late to the turducken party, but it is apparently a very popular dish, although not, obviously, among vegans, as you put a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey and cook it. I am not sure why anyone would go to all that bother, but I suspect it’s something to do with having a legitimate reason to say the word “turducken”.

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There are many other newer words I love, but let us now go to the modern language of texting, and some of its new words and abbreviations, which again, are quite inventive.

BRB: Be right back

GTG: Got to go

POS: Parents over shoulder

CD9: Parents are here — see, I do know what these terms mean, my son and daughter, and I AM ON TO YOU. BECAUSE I AM A BUZZKILL.

Right, that’s just a few of my favourite, newer words and terms, and I’d love to hear yours.

OK, GTG, EOS (editor over shoulder).
@franceswhiting