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Language is changing faster than ever, and now it is even gaining official recognition. Previously terms like “rage bait” and “67” that arose from internet humor were primarily used in day-to-day conversation among youngsters, but now they have been gaining mainstream attention.
The term “rage bait” describes content designed to intentionally provoke others, which gained traction online and soon became a widely used phrase. However modern slang rarely develops in isolation, what started in the comment section of videos soon developed into a word that is used by teens everywhere in daily conversation.
The word became so well-known that the Oxford dictionary named it as their “Word of the Year” in 2025. Similarly, dictionary.com announced their word of the year to be another slang word “67”.
Unlike traditional vocabulary, these words do not carry a singular formal meaning, instead they are flexible and used to fit into multiple contexts. The recognition of such words on renowned platforms demonstrates how language today is shaped less by formal grammar, and more by collective participation.
A phrase or symbol can spread rapidly simply because enough people repeat it, remix it and attach meaning to it in real time.
Dictionaries have traditionally documented words after they stabilize in common usage. Naming slang as “Word of the Year” depicts how rapidly times are changing and acknowledging how youth-driven and internet-based expression shapes modern English.
“I think we are moving away from building a good vocabulary, and mostly just talking in the shortest forms of words that we can by smashing words into each other to make a new language,” said Sikha Ray, journalism student and junior at Amador Valley High School.
The concern is, how is slang affecting the younger generation, and how will it affect language as a whole?
Slang is closely tied to the speed of digital culture. Social media has been proven to reduce attention spans by introducing short-form content which encourages users to communicate as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“Our generation is really obsessed with speeding things up, we watch videos at two-times the speed and that carries into how we talk. People want to get their words out as fast as possible instead of taking time to think about what they’re trying to say,” Ray said.
Despite concerns of slang oversimplifying language, it shows how adaptable language truly is. It flows and changes to meet the needs of its speakers and slang is simply the latest example of that evolution.
Slang emerges from shared experiences, humor, or media, such as popular songs or viral videos making it a form of cultural expression. The official recognition of words like “rage bait” and “67” suggest that even institutions are beginning to accept that meaningful language doesn’t always follow traditional rules. Language is a form of self-expression that is shaped by those who use it to fit their needs.
Ultimately, slang’s growing presence raises important questions, it challenges ideas about what “proper” language looks like, while highlighting how deeply communication is influenced by culture and technology.
Whether these terms fade quickly or become lasting additions to English, their rise shows that language is alive, constantly changing and shaped by the voices that use it most.
Editor’s note: Gargi Kanetkar is a student at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton with a keen interest in journalism and storytelling, dedicated to exploring the stories that matter to her community.
Slang is not limited to teens. is carried through life in adulthood in many languages.
In grade school (early 50s), we spoke Pig Latin because we were forbidden to speak our native language.
In the 90s-2000s, I traveled, lived, and worked in AISA.
Mandarin is the official language of China.
In Shanghai, they speak Mandarin, Cantonese, and Shanghainese.
Shanghainese has its own unique vocabulary and pronunciation.
The dialects are a part of a broader Sinitic language family, which includes many other variations spoken across China.
A colleague gave me a book titled “Mandarin Slang.”
I read it, had fun with it in China, and here in the States.
Native Tribes here have multiple dialects thick with slang.
Kitnag Lakota Kin Le Wak hagnyeja Kimikte. -Lakota
Iter insinis ergilat fucuala experieuce. -Latin
Aai Zhongguo iuaing shi yici youqide jingii. Chinese Pinyin