Youth word of the year: Meaning, origin and linguistic change

What’s behind the youth word of the year?

Language is constantly changing - this is clearly visible in youth language. New terms often arise in the blink of an eye, are spread over social media and disappear as quickly as they have shown up. One yearly event which shows this development is the polling for the German youth word of the year.

The youth word of the year is a symbol of for linguistic trends, societal sentiments and the cultural influences of a generation. It shows how young people communicate, how they bunch up and express their lived reality.

What is the youth word of the year?

The youth word of the year has been determined every year since 2008 (except for 2019) and shows a word or expression that has been especially defining for youth language. Most of the time, this applies to terms which originated in social media, online communities, gaming, music or pop culture.

A high momentum is characteristic for youth language words: Many terms are creatively reinterpreted, loaned from other languages or playfully changed. The influence of the English language is a key component in this process, since digital communication is often characterised by international communication.

How do youth language words develop?

Youth language words are rarely planned or deliberately developed. More often, they arise from the everyday life of young people and mirror current trends.

Common sources are:

• Social media like TikTok, Instagram or YouTube
• Gaming communities and streaming websites
• Music, shows and memes
• Multilingual influences and contact with other languages

A term stays relevant if it is easily understood, emotionally charged or especially trenchant. It often carries more than just a literal meaning, but also irony, agreement or disapproval.

Linguistic change and generational divides

The youth word of the year shows how strongly language differs between generations. What is natural for teens may be strange or incomprehensible for older generations. This is where linguistic change shows itself in real time.

Because of this, youth language is especially interesting for linguists, translators and interpreters. It shows the flexibility of language and how quickly definitions can change. Terms like “cringe” or “lost” have a different connotation in German than in English, the language they derive from.

Looking back: Youth language of earlier generations

Youth language is no social media phenomenon, The teens of past decades also developed their own expressions in order to set themselves apart from older generations and linguistically mark off their own time.

Seventies to Eighties:

Terms like “knorke”, “abgefahren” and “dufte”, roughly translating to “smashing”, “wicked” and “neat”, expressed excitement and nonchalance. They were heavily influenced by subcultures, music (or “mucke”) and societal change.

Nineties:

Pop culture, TV and the first digital media brought with them terms like “cool”, “fail” and “krass” (“gnarly”). Many of these words have been permanently established in everyday use.

The 00s:

The internet, chatrooms and SMS strongly influence spoken language. Terms like “lol”, “chatten” and “chillen”, which should seem familiar enough for the English-speaking reader, show the growing influence of the English language and digital communication.

The twenty-tens until today:

Social media and platforms like YouTube, TikTok or Twitch significantly speed up linguistic change. Words like “cringe”, “flexen”, “NPC” or “lost” are quick to spread, but are rarely long-lived and strongly dependent on their context.

The comparison shows: While earlier youth language was often regionally and nationally dependent, modern youth language is highly globalised. The influence of the English language and digital communities is higher than ever.

Challenges when translating and interpreting

Youth language often can’t be translated literally. Its meaning is strongly dependant on context and culture. A direct translation may not fit or be misunderstood.

Professional translators have to be e7specially cautious when working with these texts:

• What does a word mean in its context?
• Is there an equivalent in the target language?
• Should the translator keep the youthful tone or not?
• What target audience is the text for?

Especially in marketing, media or international projects, a well-developed feeling for language is invaluable in achieving a certain effect without seeming artificial or unintentionally funny.

Youth language as a mirror for society

Youth language is more than short-lived trends. They reflect societal topics, values and sentiments. The wording can be ironic, critical or humorous and show how young people deal with topics like academic pressure, social media or identity.

This is why the youth word of the year doesn’t just document linguistic, but also cultural and societal change.

Why youth language is relevant for companies as well

Youth language can even be useful for companies, the media and institutions - when addressing younger target audiences, for example. However, caution is advised: Unthinkingly using youth language may well seem inauthentic.

Our team of professional translators and interpreters helps you to strike the right note, writing believable and comprehensible content geared towards your target group - no matter if youth language should be avoided or used deliberately.

Conclusions: The youth word of the year as a linguistic phenomenon

The youth word of the year impressively shows that language is an ever-changing construct. It shines a light on linguistic change, prompts analysis of cultural development and presents exciting challenges to translation and intercultural communication.

Anyone who uses language professionally should keep an eye on these developments – not to blindly follow trends, but to use language deliberately, precisely and with purpose.

At AP Fachübersetzungen we support our clients in striking the right note with translations and texts - including youth language. Our experienced translators use language fit for your target group comprehensibly and authentically. If need be, our interpreters can also convey linguistic subtleties in real time - even with complex youth language expressions. This ensures that the content remains precise, believable and effective, without any meaning being lost or coming across as unintentionally funny.

Image: Monika P, pixabay.com