The Evolution of Teen Speak


It’s been a whopping 19 years (!!!) since Clueless, which pretty much, like, majorly changed teen lingo (sporadic examples: “…as if!” and “That was way harsh, Tai.”). Bring It On and Mean Girls dutifully followed suit (“­­ You’ve been touched by an angel girl.” and “That is so fetch!” respectively). Now, we look to current programming to see just how kids are talking these days. The shows with the most influence on contemporary teenspeak are Glee, and more importantly, Awkward. Case in point, a smattering of the top lines from this week’s Awkward Season 4 premiere:

 

She’s so snatchy…Love her! -Twin High School girls, after being told off by SadieInfobesity. -Tamara

She’s a ‘See you next Tuesday’ seven days a week. -Jenna, about Sadie…More like 50 halfgasms! -Tamara

Tantra will release that vibrating dragon within your vagina.  -New girl Eva

Will we ever recover from the end of the Ming dynasty?  -Tamara

Pearl diving at the Red Lobster/Tiptoeing through the tulips/Tickling my fancy -all metaphors for female masturbation, uttered by everyone from Sadie to Tamara

 

 



evolution-of-teen-speak

It’s been a whopping 19 years (!!!) since Clueless, which pretty much, like, majorly changed teen lingo (sporadic examples: “…as if!” and “That was way harsh, Tai.”). Bring It On and Mean Girls dutifully followed suit (“­­ You’ve been touched by an angel girl.” and “That is so fetch!” respectively). Now, we look to current programming to see just how kids are talking these days. The shows with the most influence on contemporary teenspeak are Glee, and more importantly, Awkward. Case in point, a smattering of the top lines from this week’s Awkward Season 4 premiere:

 

She’s so snatchy…Love her! -Twin High School girls, after being told off by Sadie Infobesity. -Tamara

She’s a ‘See you next Tuesday’ seven days a week. -Jenna, about Sadie …More like 50 halfgasms! -Tamara

Tantra will release that vibrating dragon within your vagina.  -New girl Eva

Will we ever recover from the end of the Ming dynasty?  -Tamara

Pearl diving at the Red Lobster/Tiptoeing through the tulips/Tickling my fancy -all metaphors for female masturbation, uttered by everyone from Sadie to Tamara