Teen-Speak Translation Thread 2021

[SlightlyJaded]

We haven't had one of these in a while.

I have DC 13 and 15 and we are in a very 'naice' part of London. No matter - they think they are gansta, so I make it my business to try and keep on top of their roadman chat. Some of the ones below have been around for a couple off years and seem to be on the way out but I've tried to include every ridiculous turn of phrase I've heard in the last six months.

PLEASE ADD MORE . We can then collectively become fluent in Teenspeak

Leng: Derivative of ‘Peng’ – same meaning of really attractive/nice/fit

Say Less Understood / Great – you don’t need to say another word. I get it and it’s good.

Drip: Money/Flash/Rich/Expensive. Your trainers are Drip! Check my Drip

Peak: Still very much in evidence – meaning rubbish/awful. Bare Peak is REALLY rubbish.

Lit: On it’s way out I think, but meaning ‘banging/good’. The party was Lit

G-Dot – to do something stupid – esp whilst drunk or high

Link: To get with someone of the opposite sex but not be officially boyfriend/girlfriend ‘Nah blud, we’re just linking” or on social media "Link me!" to someone you like.

Ends: Local area. “Come to my Ends”

Wavey: Drunk or high on drugs

Reh teh teh Blah blah blah or etc

Dench: Derivative of Hench. To describe someone who is bulked out or muscly from gym/training

Piff: On it’s way out I think but to describe someone who is attractive. Gal was a piff ting.

Clapped: Still very much in use to describe something ugly or un-attractive.

Thirsty: Used to describe someone who is desperate for attention

Rents: Parents

Next man Someone irrelevant – said with derision

G/My G Still very much in use. Shortening of the word Gangster. Often used my middle class white kids (as is most of this to be fair)

Lad: Well liked male. A comment saying ‘Lad’ under a post on social media would be a compliment suggesting the male in the photo is popular and well liked.

Motive: A meeting of lots of people/gathering/party

Gath: More informal/smaller gathering of people to get high /drunk

Free Yard Empty House. ‘Come my ends, I got a free yard’

Beef: Ongoing argument. “They’ve been in beef for ages” or "I don't have beef with you"

Finesse: To steal or take advantage. Can be applied to a person. “She finessed my boyfriend”

Ping: To take ecstasy

Bait: VARIOUS MEANINGS 1.to expose someone/reveal a secret/snitch

1. To be clumsy or stupid. “Don’t be bait, my dad will hear us”
2. When something is a bit naff or a cliché. “He’s so bait dressed in head to toe North Face”

Gassed: Still in use to mean happy or excited

Air: Ignore - especially on social. "He's airing me"

Flipping: Selling or dealing anything

Trapping: Selling Drugs. See also ‘Trap House’ – the place where you can buy drugs

Jarring: Annoying

Deep: Serious. Grave. To overthink or be unkind to someone. ‘Don’t deep it, she is ok”. "Don't deep it" meaning - it's not serious

Calm: Nice, relaxed good. Also can be used to describe the state of a friendship or relationship “Don’t worry, we’re calm”.

Allow it On it’s way out but means ‘stop it/let it go’

Oh and anothe rcouple of faves of DD- and I oop which is from a viral video.
And tsk tsk SK SK SK which is apparently nicked and then used to take the piss out of E girls, which I thought were the new name for ravers who liked pills but is a a social media obsessive.

Singing stones - thank you so much! Imagine my mortification if I used pog in the wrong way!

Some of these have been around since I was a kid (so 20 odd years) e.g. ends, allow it, link. Nice to see the good ones stick around!

We have wagwan, my G, and some of the others here in the NW. I do have to tell DD to stop and translate quite often and when she goes on the xbox with her mates, it's like she undergoes a personality transplant and we have no clue.

Homie G. Or just my homie. OG = original gangsta.

My DC sometimes call me "ma homie g".

@IWillWearThatGlitteryWoolly

Some of these used to be dialect I think - scran was a Gloucestershire word for food that my DH grew up with that seems to have transferred to London.

This is all very amusing as when leaving my house they all revert to their upbringing and there is a chorus of "thank you for having me"! 😂

Same for DD when she is around other people, my northern relatives all comment on how "she talks dead posh!"

That Macbeth video was funny! The only bit I remember of DD giving me the plot in roadman speak was something along the lines of "so there's these 3 witches chattin shit about people and then Macbeth shanks the king"

As for her saying cheers it just seems so bizarre coming from her, she never said it prior to 6 months ago, it's not something we have ever used so can only assume she's picked it up within her friendship group.

I forgot about Boujie, DD's best friend uses it a lot, DD only occasionally uses it. Thot is another one that I've heard her say but not often and not used to mean slut (that would be sket around here), my understanding is that it's more of an irritating person "be gone thot" has been said many times. Another expression she uses a lot is "dead trim" meaning something is rubbish/annoying.

Loving this, London here with teenagers and have heard of most of these words. Would like to add this photo from a local shop

My dc (private school in SE) say a lot of these! They think they are streetwise and cool but they are seriously not 🤣

Does anyone know what ‘a sweat’ is? I think it’s related to gaming!

A sweat is a try hard in gaming

Thanks @finisterreforever

What I don’t understand is that sometimes it appears to be a good thing and sometimes it’s a bad thing!!
And ‘a sweaty skin’..... is this good or bad?

@Frogsandsheep

Thanks *@finisterreforever*

What I don’t understand is that sometimes it appears to be a good thing and sometimes it’s a bad thing!!
And ‘a sweaty skin’..... is this good or bad?

That's from fortnite and it means they are using a skin which sad people use

Singing stones - thank you so much! Imagine my mortification if I used pog in the wrong way!

@makemyweek

The shame!

I have been enjoying trying out this lingo but DD is head in hands and begging me to stop.

Oh god you're not allowed to use any of it.

I like to say fam to my kids because the cringe factor is totally worth it

In the good old days (pre-covid) when I was collecting DD from a friend's house or a party along with a couple of her mates, I'd be sure to drop a few phrases in just to see her squirm. Even saying 'Fairs' instead of 'fair enough' or 'I"m shook" instead of 'I am surprised' would be enough to get an "OH MY GOD MUM PLEASE STOP IT".

Young lady, I have driven to a random's house at midnight to collect you, if I want to speak ganster and play Gucci Mane on full blast, whist wearing my midi skirt with Seasalt jumper, I will.

Love these. My DC use most of them. Even my 10yr old said "bruh" today which was bare jarring.

My 10y old says "my dude" a lot which is also a bit jarring.

Have remembered the 13y old recent new one, everything is "decent" - don't know if that's a current one or just him. Do you like your new top? yeah, it's decent. How was school today? Decent. Have you done your homework? yeah, it's decent. How are you? Decent. It basically means "stop talking to me and leave me alone".

Hang 10 or even eleventy-Teven, you lot. This is fab... I am in SE Australia and can assure you much of this has travelled half a world away.

I get peng, stan, yeet (much too much yeet, tbh 😎) and much else. There really is much I miss, until DS15 or 20 use one of these phrases... and then I'm like, so far ahead of you lads and language is global, innit? *hearty chuckle.

@pinbinpin. DS says 'decent'. You are right, it's a catch all that means 'It's fine, now stop asking'.

We get much "my dude" and also the "decent" catch all too

Sketchy is a good one.
11 yo ds can’t do lots of things like putting stuff in the recycling bin because it’s sketchy.
I think it means scary unsafe not cool.

Another one from DD I forgot about until she shouted it this morning "Limbs" (in reaction to me telling her to get her bum out of bed and tidy up). My understanding is that "Limbs" is the opposite to "Lads", everything that annoys her/she doesn't want to do or wants to express negativity to is "limbs".

Nottingham.

Heard all of these and expect my pre teen to start using them soon...joy.