Millennial lingo is getting a lot more complicated

MILLENNIALS are said to be destroying the English language with words such as On Fleek, YOLO, Bae and Swag. Turns out it’s quite the opposite.

“BAE, LMK if you stay in tonight because I’ll have serious FOMO”.

Translation — Babe, let me know if you stay in tonight because I’ll have a serious fear of missing out.

If you had no idea what that meant, chances are you’re not a Millennial, a person born from the early 80s to early 00s.

It’s also a generation that seems to like making up a bunch of words.

Millennial lingo is starting to get a whole lot more complicated and a new mixed bag of sayings is making it hard for the Baby Boomers to keep up.

Some may think this generation of Millennials is destroying the English language with every word that comes out of their mouth, but Melbourne University linguist Rosey Billington says it’s quite the opposite.

“When you are able to use language in a creative way, you show you are linguistically savvy because you know the language rules well enough to use words in a different way,” she said.

The linguist believes the emergence of technology has changed language because people are looking for words that are convenient and take less time to type.

But that online language, which started with things like LOL (laugh out loud) and GTG (got to go), is actually starting to seep into everyday, face-to-face conversation.

“With words like FOMO, people are definitely saying that out loud because it’s quicker to say than ‘fear of missing out’,” Ms Billington said.

“I think some of these words will stick around and rub off on the older generation but it’s the young people who are introducing new words and implementing changes to language.

“They are at the forefront of change and young people are driving it, partly because they are digital natives.”

A MILLENNIAL’S 2015 DICTIONARY

ON FLEEK

Embarrassingly, all year I have actually been saying “on fleck” but can now confirm it is “on fleek”.

We have video blogger Peaches Monroe to blame for this one, who started it by saying her “eyebrows were on fleek”.

Since then, the saying exploded and Millennials are using it as a hashtag on their Instagram photos or as a compliment to their friends.

“On fleek” basically means on point or perfect.

Ms Billington said “on fleek” used to be a really popular saying but now it was petering out.

Kayla Newman, also known as Peaches Monroe, created the saying ‘on fleek’. Picture: Instagram

NETFLIX AND CHILL

If you’ve been out of the game for a while, don’t ask your love interest to come over and watch a movie — that will just prove how out of touch you are.

Now, it’s all about “Netflix and chill”, which has become slang for “hooking up”.

However, a lot of people poke fun of the saying and use it as a hashtag alongside a picture depicting a binge eating session.

If you aren’t sure what Netflix is, you may have a bigger problem.

15 minutes into Netflix and Chill and he gives you this look pic.twitter.com/5kwu54Vvg4

— Disney Reactions (@DisneyReactss) December 30, 2015

SQUAD GOALS

Gone are the days of a posse, gang and clique.

It’s all about the squad this year — and they have squad goals.

According to Urban Dictionary, the term is used to describe what you and your friends want to accomplish. A common “squad goal” would be friends wearing the same outfit or imitating another squad they look up to, like the Spice Girls.

They could also do a mass selfie or some activity together.

Singer Taylor Swift is who we blame for making this one popular (Basically, Taylor Swift has a Girl Squad, filled with the best looking, coolest women around.)

“Usually a word is popularised by somebody who is a celebrity or has a bit of social clout,” Ms Billington said.

Off to the Yorkshire countryside. #squadgoals pic.twitter.com/qGne4rONzR

— Robbie Richardson (@londonmikmaq) December 21, 2015

SHIP

This is an oldie but a goodie. It was first introduced around 2003, but has recently had a resurgence. It pretty much means you’re endorsing a romance between two people.

You either “ship” two people or you see a “ship” developing between a couple.

BASIC

This word pretty much speaks for itself. Ms Billington said it’s more popular in America but it was starting to filter into Australia.

It describes people who are fairly plain and mainstream and has replaced words like boring and uninteresting.

apparently I'm the only girl who didn't get a pic beside the Christmas tree with my boyfriend .... #WeEvenDating? #basic

— Jess Norcott (@jessicanorcott) December 26, 2015

V AND P

This is pretty simple. Say “v” instead of very and “p” instead of pretty.

Really, it’s a no-brainer, we should’ve been doing that for years.

THOT

Millennials use this one to describe a person they don’t like.

It stands for “that hoe over there”, not a saying that is very charming at all.

YOLO

A colleague, who borders the age of 30, thought “YOLO” meant low-fat yoghurt.

It actually means “you only live once”, often used when a Millennial has some sort of regret or is about to do something they may regret.

You might just say it when you’ve made a spontaneous decision, no regrets necessary.

Canadian rapper Drake dropped the catchy acronym into a song in 2011 but it was years later when YOLO actually took off around the world.

Rapper Drake started using YOLO back in 2011, but the world didn’t take off until years later. Picture: Marcio Jose Sanchez

SWAG

No, it doesn’t refer to that rolled up bed you take camping.

Something a lot of people wouldn’t know about this one, in the 60s “swag” meant “secretly we are gay”.

So while this one has been around for decades, swag is now pretty much used to describe somebody with style, who doesn’t really care.

Urban Dictionary says those with swag wear baggy pants and their caps sideways.

Pop stars are to blame for dropping this word. Justin Bieber often says he has swag and Kesha has found it works really well as a song lyric.

Pop star Justin Bieber is the poster boy for ‘swagger’. Picture: Universal Music

BAE

It’s the shortening of babe or can also mean “before anyone else”.

This is actually one of the more annoying words and people often use it sarcastically.

At least if somebody does call you this, you know they really like you — “bae” is certainly much better than “thot”.