Morphology/Semantics

Snapshot of Today’s Youth

Rayanna Brooks
Los Angeles Pacific University
...the jargon of a particular class, profession, etc. (Dictionary.com, n.d.).
*BOOMER: Typically used as a
derogatory term towards elders who are
being annoying.
Person x: “My Dad was complaining about millenials today
and how we want everything handed to us on “silver spoons.”

Person y: “What a Boomer.”

*BRUH MOMENT: “The pure awestruck

experienced by a ridiculously silly action
that usually sparks a gasp, or a "Bruh",
hence the name.”
Person x: “She kept talking about how she hooked up with
Chris and I was like, “Bruh!” shut up already.”

*Explained via urbandictionary.com

*FLEEK: Adjacent to “on point” or
describing something that looks good.
Person x: Did you see Jenna’s everbrows today?

Person y: Yeah, there were not on fleek.

*BOOF: Lame.
Person x: “We’re going to visit my cousin so I won’t be
able to go [to the party].”

Persony: “Boof!”

*Explained via urbandictionary.com

*AND I OOP: Awkward.

Person x: “He asked me out…”

Person y: “And I oop! What did you say!?”

*LET’S GET THE BREAD: Make

money.

Person x: “Mom said she’d get the Air Max’s for

me.”

Person y: “Let’s get the bread.”

*FLEX: To show off.

Person x: “Man, I just wanna go flex, gold on my

teeth and on my neck.”

*Explained via urbandictionary.com

*CHILL: Calm down.
Person x: “Chris Brown ain’t even that hot, chill.”

*LIT: When something is considered

amazing.
Person x: “I can’t believe you missed Sean’s party, it was
lit!”

*NO CAP: No lie.

Person x: S”he was there at 3.”

Person y: “She was actually on time for once?”

Person x: “No cap. I was just as surprised as you.”

*Explained via urbandictionary.com

 What struck you about the language being used by the teenagers whom you observed?
What did you expect going in?
How did your expectations live up to the results?

Being that I am still pretty young most of the terms I came across were not
unfamiliar to me. However, the terms and.or phrases, “No cap,” “And I oop,”
“boomer,” and “boof” all threw me for a loop. Based on the conversations going on,
even given the context, I had no idea what to make of the terms. The phrase, “And
I oop” did not live up to my expectations. I just seems `so unnatural in written
conversation, and I feel as though saying “awkward” alone should suffice.
Probably because the terms are spelled similarly, but I thought “boomer” was the
equivalent of “bummer.” Boy, was I wrong.
 Why do teenagers have their own set of vocabulary? Be sure to consider the developmental stages of
adolescence, and what is being accomplished intra- and inter-personally, by creating a shared language.

Teenagers have their own set of vocabulary because “It can be used by those
inside a group who share ideas and attitudes as a way of distinguishing
themselves from others” (Yule, 2014, p. 262). By using relevant and current slang
terms teengagers not only assert their independence but they also become more
relatable and fit in with their peers. As a result of using slang, teenagers are likely
to be seen as cool with their peers, and acceptance among peers, which is critical
at this stage of development, boosts self confidence.
 What comparisons/connections can you make to your own adolescent linguistic practices?
Did you engage in similar language creation when you were that age?
Do you see similarities between your development and the development of the teens whom you
observed?

My own adolescent generation is responsible for the emergence of text speak- a form of
communication, mostly abbreviations, that are used to communication via cell phone. And
with the emergence of social media, I am privy to the most common slang used today. In
fact, terms like “lit,” “bruh, and ”chill” are examples of terms that i find myself using from time
to time. Like the teens I observed, I too was invested in learning and using the current slang
my peers were accustomed to so that I fit in and was seen as cool. Sire (2014) explains,
“The difference in slang use between groups divided into older and younger speakers
provides some of the clearest support for the idea that age is another important factor
involved in the study of social variation in language use” (p. 262).
 How do you connect this activity (morphology/semantics in practical application) to your readings about
morphology/semantics from a theoretical perspective?
What principles of morphology/semantics did you observe? Include citations/references when citing
outside sources.
What conclusions can you draw about how language changes in real-life, and in real-time?

Polysemy, “two or more words with the same form and related meanings (Sire, 2014,
p.117),” are common semantic aspects seen within the use of slang. For example, chill can
mean to coll an object or as slang for calm down, flex can be used as an action to describe
someone contracting a part of their body or as slang for showing off one’s assets, and bread
can represent the carbohydrate loaded food, or as slang for money. As with any cultural , the
teenagers of today will become “boomers” and the new generation of teenagers will then
develop their own slang that signifies their current cultural climate. Although the slang may
change, the need to feel included and the semantics behind the meaning of words and the
context in which they are used will never change.
How will you apply this information in your future classroom? Does this learning change the way that you
will approach students from a linguistic perspective?

As I have noticed with my fiance’s career as a high school teacher in Special

education, educators cannot help but pick up on some of the slang used by the
various teenagers we interact with on a daily basis. If appropriate, I hope to be
seen as a silly, yet relatable teacher who attempts to use their slang and fails
epically. In this way, I hope my students will see the effort I take to connect to them
so I can better serve their needs. Furthermore, I would approach the study of
semantics and morphology by uses the slang they have to give specific examples
of these linguistic properties in language development.
 References
Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Slang. Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/slang?s=t

Urbandictionary.com

Yule, G. (2014). The study of language (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press,

New York.