<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Slang, as we understand it, is a constantly evolving language, primarily adopted by younger generations in daily communication. It\u2019s made up of informal expressions and abbreviations sprinkled here and there, evolving into forms that fill lexical gaps. The terminology used originates from sources like TikTok, but the gaming world is also becoming quite significant in this context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I read a long series of articles on the subject until I came across research conducted in the field of linguistics, full of technicalities and history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For instance, Dumas and Lighter (back in 1978!) questioned what criteria could be used to recognize slang words, and they came up with an answer. We thank them for their service. They formulated four very useful criteria for framing the phenomenon of slang. They spoke of terms that are: – low in formality, – considered taboo, – regularly used, – and have a special familiarity associated with them.
Considering that the work of these scholars was published in 1978, it\u2019s easy to understand that when we talk about slang, we are not just referring to the world of TikTok: long before the rise of social media, spoken language already featured these types of exceptions, if they can be called that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But is it really useful to discuss slang?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.we-go.it\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Lo-slang_1-814x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA provocative stance is taken by @etimologynerd, a linguistics graduate from Harvard, who claims slang is a “fake.” He argues that throughout history, various dialects have coexisted peacefully. Only when an official language was imposed by the dominant class did a hierarchy form, placing the official language at the top and everything else below.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the scholar, the standard language is just a construct, just like slang: there\u2019s no substantial difference between the two, and there\u2019s no accepted definition of slang in the field of linguistics. Nothing should be considered less dignified or foreign to language. Experimentation and diversification are simply part of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From slang to AAVE: language or cultural appropriation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At this point, discussing the dignity of a language opens a window into a specific dialect: AAVE, African American Vernacular English. AAVE simplifies sentence structures by eliminating certain syntactic elements, such as the verb (e.g., from \u201cshe is dreaming\u201d to \u201cshe dreamin\u2019\u201d). It\u2019s a language that has given rise to viral terms like “bussin\u2019,” “bae,” or “it\u2019s giving.” AAVE speakers claim intellectual ownership of their language, accusing TikTok users of cultural appropriation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They argue that their dialect is devalued and stripped of its socio-cultural and historical context on social media. However, this conflict could turn into an alliance: what unites AAVE and TikTok slang is authenticity, a direct approach, and a dedicated community. These values can only be positive, and when taken as inspiration, they can reach a wide audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Slang and identity: when words create communities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.we-go.it\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Lo-slang_2-814x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe tendency to create private languages to reinforce the identity of a specific group is more than natural. People recognize each other, form strong bonds held together by shared memories and a tailor-made vocabulary. Natalia Ginzburg makes this particularly explicit in her novel\u00a0Lessico familiare<\/em>, where common words within a family reveal a lot of history. The same happens in couples, groups of friends, and among colleagues. This special vocabulary signifies intimacy among members, and as such, it\u2019s closely guarded. However, in the world of social media, maintaining a private jargon is complicated. Many influencers try to reach fame by coining new viral expressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can marketing make its way through this jungle?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The risk for marketing professionals is appearing inauthentic by using slang terms outside their original contexts. It\u2019s strongly advised not to chase trends recklessly: doing so risks getting stuck in a hamster wheel, running endlessly without ever reaching a goal, burning through energy quickly. The content would also lose in quality.
Want to learn more about youth language? Check out our article dedicated to youth slang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not possible to build a content strategy solely around trends. However, staying updated and at the forefront, with a clear awareness of one\u2019s identity, allows you to filter what\u2019s useful from what isn\u2019t. The human inclination to creatively develop language is an interesting and stimulating phenomenon that should be observed and understood, not just exploited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to create an effective content strategy on TikTok without falling into linguistic mistakes or passing trends? We\u2019ll help you build authentic, engaging communication aligned with your brand identity.\u00a0Contact us now<\/strong><\/a>.
<\/a>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When I first started delving into the phenomenon of TikTok slang, I was sure I would come across a series of interesting issues, but I didn\u2019t expect them to be so engaging and debated among different groups of people.I was expecting the classic “Millennial vs Gen Z” or “Slang words everyone should know” videos. Instead, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":726,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[247],"tags":[264],"class_list":["post-1093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-content-strategy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Social Media Slang: Language, Identity and Marketing - WEGO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How does social media slang evolve and what does it mean for brands? Explore the connection between language, identity, TikTok and marketing.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.we-go.it\/en\/articles\/slang-social-media-language-and-marketing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Social Media Slang: Language, Identity and Marketing - WEGO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How does social media slang evolve and what does it mean for brands? Explore the connection between language, identity, TikTok and marketing.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.we-go.it\/en\/articles\/slang-social-media-language-and-marketing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"WEGO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WEGOAgenzia?fref=ts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-12T14:29:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-02T15:26:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.we-go.it\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Lo-slang_Cover.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1160\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1460\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"dl879\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"dl879\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Social Media Slang: Language, Identity and Marketing - WEGO","description":"How does social media slang evolve and what does it mean for brands? 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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nA provocative stance is taken by @etimologynerd, a linguistics graduate from Harvard, who claims slang is a “fake.” He argues that throughout history, various dialects have coexisted peacefully. Only when an official language was imposed by the dominant class did a hierarchy form, placing the official language at the top and everything else below.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the scholar, the standard language is just a construct, just like slang: there\u2019s no substantial difference between the two, and there\u2019s no accepted definition of slang in the field of linguistics. Nothing should be considered less dignified or foreign to language. Experimentation and diversification are simply part of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From slang to AAVE: language or cultural appropriation?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At this point, discussing the dignity of a language opens a window into a specific dialect: AAVE, African American Vernacular English. AAVE simplifies sentence structures by eliminating certain syntactic elements, such as the verb (e.g., from \u201cshe is dreaming\u201d to \u201cshe dreamin\u2019\u201d). It\u2019s a language that has given rise to viral terms like “bussin\u2019,” “bae,” or “it\u2019s giving.” AAVE speakers claim intellectual ownership of their language, accusing TikTok users of cultural appropriation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They argue that their dialect is devalued and stripped of its socio-cultural and historical context on social media. However, this conflict could turn into an alliance: what unites AAVE and TikTok slang is authenticity, a direct approach, and a dedicated community. These values can only be positive, and when taken as inspiration, they can reach a wide audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Slang and identity: when words create communities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe tendency to create private languages to reinforce the identity of a specific group is more than natural. People recognize each other, form strong bonds held together by shared memories and a tailor-made vocabulary. Natalia Ginzburg makes this particularly explicit in her novel\u00a0Lessico familiare<\/em>, where common words within a family reveal a lot of history. The same happens in couples, groups of friends, and among colleagues. This special vocabulary signifies intimacy among members, and as such, it\u2019s closely guarded. However, in the world of social media, maintaining a private jargon is complicated. Many influencers try to reach fame by coining new viral expressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How can marketing make its way through this jungle?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The risk for marketing professionals is appearing inauthentic by using slang terms outside their original contexts. It\u2019s strongly advised not to chase trends recklessly: doing so risks getting stuck in a hamster wheel, running endlessly without ever reaching a goal, burning through energy quickly. The content would also lose in quality.
Want to learn more about youth language? Check out our article dedicated to youth slang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not possible to build a content strategy solely around trends. However, staying updated and at the forefront, with a clear awareness of one\u2019s identity, allows you to filter what\u2019s useful from what isn\u2019t. The human inclination to creatively develop language is an interesting and stimulating phenomenon that should be observed and understood, not just exploited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to create an effective content strategy on TikTok without falling into linguistic mistakes or passing trends? We\u2019ll help you build authentic, engaging communication aligned with your brand identity.\u00a0Contact us now<\/strong><\/a>.
<\/a>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When I first started delving into the phenomenon of TikTok slang, I was sure I would come across a series of interesting issues, but I didn\u2019t expect them to be so engaging and debated among different groups of people.I was expecting the classic “Millennial vs Gen Z” or “Slang words everyone should know” videos. Instead, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":726,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[247],"tags":[264],"class_list":["post-1093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-content-strategy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Social Media Slang: Language, Identity and Marketing - WEGO<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How does social media slang evolve and what does it mean for brands? Explore the connection between language, identity, TikTok and marketing.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.we-go.it\/en\/articles\/slang-social-media-language-and-marketing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Social Media Slang: Language, Identity and Marketing - WEGO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How does social media slang evolve and what does it mean for brands? Explore the connection between language, identity, TikTok and marketing.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.we-go.it\/en\/articles\/slang-social-media-language-and-marketing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"WEGO\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WEGOAgenzia?fref=ts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-12T14:29:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-02T15:26:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.we-go.it\/app\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Lo-slang_Cover.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1160\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1460\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"dl879\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"dl879\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Social Media Slang: Language, Identity and Marketing - WEGO","description":"How does social media slang evolve and what does it mean for brands? 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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe tendency to create private languages to reinforce the identity of a specific group is more than natural. People recognize each other, form strong bonds held together by shared memories and a tailor-made vocabulary. Natalia Ginzburg makes this particularly explicit in her novel\u00a0Lessico familiare<\/em>, where common words within a family reveal a lot of history. The same happens in couples, groups of friends, and among colleagues. This special vocabulary signifies intimacy among members, and as such, it\u2019s closely guarded. However, in the world of social media, maintaining a private jargon is complicated. Many influencers try to reach fame by coining new viral expressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The risk for marketing professionals is appearing inauthentic by using slang terms outside their original contexts. It\u2019s strongly advised not to chase trends recklessly: doing so risks getting stuck in a hamster wheel, running endlessly without ever reaching a goal, burning through energy quickly. The content would also lose in quality. It\u2019s not possible to build a content strategy solely around trends. However, staying updated and at the forefront, with a clear awareness of one\u2019s identity, allows you to filter what\u2019s useful from what isn\u2019t. The human inclination to creatively develop language is an interesting and stimulating phenomenon that should be observed and understood, not just exploited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to create an effective content strategy on TikTok without falling into linguistic mistakes or passing trends? We\u2019ll help you build authentic, engaging communication aligned with your brand identity.\u00a0Contact us now<\/strong><\/a>. When I first started delving into the phenomenon of TikTok slang, I was sure I would come across a series of interesting issues, but I didn\u2019t expect them to be so engaging and debated among different groups of people.I was expecting the classic “Millennial vs Gen Z” or “Slang words everyone should know” videos. Instead, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":726,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[247],"tags":[264],"class_list":["post-1093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-content-strategy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow can marketing make its way through this jungle?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Want to learn more about youth language? Check out our article dedicated to youth slang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"