Teen Slang

Has teen slang infiltrated your life? If your child came home seemingly speaking a foreign dialect, don't despair. A little bit of research into today's young vocabulary can go a long way, and also help you decipher what it is exactly that they are hiding on that computer screen.

That couch is so gay. Excuse me? You're sick. Actually, I feel just fine, thank you. Does this sound like a teen in your life and the responses that automatically pop into your head while attempting to interact with them? While "gay" means stupid and "sick" is a positive thing, you may be completely overwhelmed by this new vocabulary spouting out of your sweet child's mouth. If you can relate to this feeling of bewilderment and confusion, you are not alone.

In today's technologically savvy world, young people not only have typical teenage slang of their generation, but a whole slough of online jargon as well. However, let's put the latter aside for a moment and focus more on the basics of general conversation. Before you know it, you will be able to communicate with your offspring like you used to before that strange event called adolescence took over their lives.

No, this doesn't mean that your teenager is ravenously hungry and looking for a good meal plus a bag of chips. In actuality, this is a youth's version of calling someone handsome or beautiful. Millennials coined this phrase to use when they are busy gushing about their crushes, idolizing movie stars, or just adoring a friend or mentor in general. Chances are when they use this phrase, they are talking about someone or something that they more than likely are not sharing their feelings about with you. Were you confused by its meaning? Then their plan worked.

The food references tend to really run rampant on the teenage slang scene, and using the term "butter," again has no connotation with the cooking ingredient with which it shares a name. To say that something is butter means that is something really good. A popular L.A. nightclub has also recently stolen this lingo, capitalizing on the young slang that describes it as what we once referred to as trendy, hip, or out of this world.

Is your child snapping back at you with a sound effect rather than the typical eye rolling? Well stiffen up that lip because they just called you stupid. "Flash!" is exclaimed by today's youth as a shortened version of "New's Flash!" which in layman's terms means, "You just said something really obvious and stupid."

A replacement for "cool,” to hear that something is “spun" means your teen really likes the way something looks. To say "Jamie's jeans today were spun," translates to he/she really liked the look of those pants. But, be careful not to strut around just saying the word spun like you would with cool….because that is certainly not cool, if you catch our drift. Spun needs to have other words to go with it, like the sentence example about the jeans mentioned previously. Saying "spun" by itself will doom you toward a "Flash!"

If you hear a young person say "you're really tripping," don't panic. Gone are the days where "tripping" had an immediate drug attachment to it. While the word is still used to describe someone acting as if they are strung out on drugs, the term is used to describe anyone who is acting crazy, stupidly, or without good judgment. So hold back before you raid your teenager's room and search for evidence of a cocaine addiction. Chances are they have just borrowed this 1960s reference to describe their favorite friend with an out of the ordinary personality.

While the words about definitely shouldn't send you tripping, there are in fact some versions of teen slang that parents should be aware of. Drug references have evolved along with the drugs of choice for today's teens. While previous generations may have feared getting caught smoking marijuana in their parents' house, today's teens are hitting raves including the hard narcotics more frequently and intensely than ever before. Here are some terms to watch out for, and to dig a little deeper if you overhear a cell phone conversation using them.

A co-pilot is a person's friend who has agreed to stay sober and hallucinogenic-free while another youth takes LSD or any other kind of narcotic. If you hear your teen talking about a co-pilot, either in reference to themselves or someone else, it is a red flag that he/she is hanging out in a crowd where drugs may be involved. "Ground man" is another term meaning something very similar.

A guide is a dealer or experienced drug user who may be teaching your teen or another young person their first moves and steps into the drug world. A guide is the peer pressure instigator, the narcotics guru, and chances are the one that young people look up to when it comes to partying and getting high.

This term is used to describe the action of using inhalants in order to achieve a euphoric state. Inhalant drugs should be taken just as seriously as any others, and in some cases even more so. Protect your teen by asking questions and making more of an effort to meet their friends and cohorts if you hear a term such as "bagging" floating around the house.

To hear that someone had a bummer trip is to suggest that they had a bad experience with a PCP. From an upset stomach to terrifying hallucinations, the sky's the limit with this damaging and destructive drug. Stay alert if you hear this slang in your teen's life. Don't be afraid to be overprotective – it may be a choice toward life or death.

With kids today chatting furiously into instant messenger windows and MySpace pages loading all over the screen, a whole new evolution of teen slang has come about. Here is a handful of instant messenger lingo you may read by accident (or perhaps on purpose!) or that you may get in response to a message you send to a teen. A complete list can be found at a website division of AOL, who has long been providing the avenue for teens to communicate with each other online.

Some of the common online teen slang:

• AFK - Away From Keyboard
• ASL - Age/Sex/Location?
• BTW - By The Way
• CTN - Can't Talk Now
• JAS - Just A Second
• IDC - I Don't Care
• ILY - I Love You
• JW - Just Wondering
• LYLAS – Love You Like A Sister
• NVM - Never Mind
• POS/"9" – Parent Over Shoulder
• SRY - Sorry
• YTB - You're The Best

Check out these and other teen slang terms found online, and soon people will tell you that YTB and most informed parent around!

• Teenage Girls Bedrooms
• Corset Prom Dresses
• Beautiful Prom Gowns
• Teen Love Test
• What Is The Best Prom Dress For You?

• Average Height and Weight for Teenager
• Text Message Symbols
• Teen Clothing Stores
• Hot Teen Clothing Brands
• Creative Ways to Ask a Girl to Prom

• Poems for Teenagers in Love
• Teen Love Horoscopes
• Teen Drivers Ed
• Free Teen Chat
• Teenage Runaways