It is very common to hear new terms or phrases in day to day life, especially among young adults and college students in particular. Words and phrases can catch on faster than ever before, thanks to our technology and social media-driven society.
When looking at the most popular new words and phrases of 2016, it’s interesting to see where they came from. All of these new words are quickly blowing up from music, television, films, etc. Mary Harris, a communicaiton professor, who teaches a course on social media says, “The overall ability social media truly has on shaping our culture and popularity of various content.”
When diving into what new words and phrases truly are the most popular of 2016, the term bae comes to mind! This new word has become a pop culture trend that has taken on so many different meanings and uses since first being created. The word ‘bae’ is often defined as ‘before anyone else,’ and is used to describe someone they feel very passionate about, such as a girlfriend or boyfriend.
However, the word is often commonly used when describing things that are enjoyable. For example, you can say something like, “Chipotle is Bae,” meaning that one really loves eating at the Mexican grill.
You can find the word bae being used by super stars such as Miley Cyrus and Pharrell, who even released a song entitled “Come Get it Bae.”
When asking senior anthropology major Kelsey Flatley her thoughts on the term, she said “I am guilty of using the word very often; it is just so catchy and can be used in so many different ways.”
Another popular new word that has been spreading likewild fire is the word ‘lit’ (no pun intended). The term is often used to describe an event that was fun or exciting.
An example of the word being used in a sentence would be, “that concert last night was so lit.”
This new term has been used in countless new hip-hop songs that are exploding all over the radio and into common slang today among young people.
Moving on to another common word, ‘basic’ has become a relatively popular term. The term is often used by teens and young adults to describe someone or something that is very general or lacks individuality.
An example would be, “you drink Rook coffee and Instagram it like every other Monmouth student so you are so basic.” This term has truly been seen used all over from being included in shows, jokes, music, etc.
It has definitely become an ever-growing trend that does not seem to be going anywhere in the near future.
Overall it is very interesting to see how new words and terms catch on within society and pop culture as a whole. 2016 has already been filled with so many new options and it will be exciting to see what will come next in the near future.
Zach Frisher, a junior science major, believes, “New words are fun and catchy and just something that our generation totally loves to create and use, and new ones are constantly gaining popularity.” Slang words typically reflects the culture of society’s youth.
