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In this blog post, ‘Why do we use Slang Words | A Cultural Perspective’, we would try to explain to you what a slang word is. What do you want to relate by using slang words when you converse? We also would look at different Slang words and their use.

Slang is a type of informal language that is often used in everyday conversation among people who share a common language and culture. These words can be considered as informal and non-standard vocabulary that is used to describe a variety of things including people, objects, situations, emotions, and ideas. Slang is often used to express a particular group’s identity, attitudes, and beliefs.

One of the reasons people use slang is to create a sense of camaraderie or belonging. By using words and phrases that are unique to a particular group, people are able to communicate more effectively and demonstrate their connection to the group. Slang can also be used to express a wide range of emotions, from excitement and enthusiasm to frustration and anger.

Why do We Use Slang Words | Common Slang Words

Native English speakers use slang words and phrases on a regular basis. Here, we have some of the most common slang words and phrases.

Why do We Use Slang Words | Example Slang Words and Phrases

1. Lit – This means something is exciting or fun. For example, “That party was lit.”
2. Chill – This means to relax or hang out. For example, “Do you want to chill at my place tonight?”
3. FOMO – This stands for “fear of missing out”. For example, “I can’t believe I missed that concert, I had such FOMO.”
4. Gonna – This is a contraction of “going to”. For example, “I’m gonna go to the store later.”
5. Yolo – This stands for “you only live once”. For example, “I’m going skydiving tomorrow, YOLO!”
6. Bae – This is a term of endearment that stands for “before anyone else”. For example, “I love spending time with my bae.”
7. On fleek – This means something looks really good or is done really well. For example, “Your makeup is on fleek today.”
8. Savage – This means someone is tough or aggressive. For example, “He’s such a savage on the basketball court.”
9. Stan – This means someone is a superfan of something or someone. For example, “I’m a huge Beyonce stan.”
10. Thirsty – This means someone is desperate or overly eager. For example, “Stop texting him so much, you’re coming across as thirsty.”

Why do We Use Slang Words | A Cultural Perspective

Here are 30 more examples of slang words and phrases with explanations.

Example Slang Words and Phrases

1. Woke – This means someone is socially aware and conscious. For example, “She’s really woke about environmental issues.”
2. Snatched – This means someone looks really good or put together. For example, “Her outfit is so snatched!”
3. Salty – This means someone is upset or angry. For example, “He’s so salty that he lost the game.”
4. Ghost – This means to suddenly stop communicating with someone. For example, “He ghosted me after our third date.”
5. Gucci – This means something is good or okay. For example, “Everything’s Gucci, don’t worry.”
6. Extra – This means someone is over-the-top or excessive. For example, “She’s so extra with her Instagram posts.”
7. Finesse – This means to do something in a clever or skillful way. For example, “He really finesse his way out of that situation.”
8. Goals – This means something or someone is aspirational or inspirational. For example, “She’s relationship goals.”
9. Shade – This means to insult or criticize someone indirectly. For example, “She threw shade at her ex in her new song.”
10. Litmus – This means someone is a reliable judge of character. For example, “She’s a good litmus for whether we should trust him or not.”
11. Ratchet – This means something is trashy or low-class. For example, “That party was so ratchet.”
12. Slay – This means someone does something really well or looks amazing. For example, “She slayed that performance.”
13. Thot – This means someone is promiscuous or sexually active. For example, “He’s always with thots at the club.”
14. Twerk – This means to dance in a sexually provocative way. For example, “She knows how to twerk.”
15. Wig – This means something is so surprising or amazing that it feels like your wig has been blown off. For example, “His performance was so good, I lost my wig.”
16. Tea – This means gossip or information. For example, “What’s the tea on the new boss?”
17. Bop – This means a good song or music. For example, “This is a bop, let’s dance!”
18. Lit AF – This means something is extremely exciting or fun. For example, “That concert was lit AF.”
19. Canceled – This means to stop supporting someone or something. For example, “I’m canceling him after his insensitive comments.”
20. Flex – This means to show off or boast about something. For example, “He’s always flexing his new car.”
21. GOAT – This means someone is the greatest of all time. For example, “LeBron James is the GOAT.”
22. Sus – This means someone is suspicious or untrustworthy. For example, “He’s acting sus, I don’t trust him.”
23. Clapback – This means to respond to criticism or insult with a sharp comeback. For example, “She had the best clapback to his rude comment.”
24. Bet – This means agreement or confirmation. For example, “I’ll see you at 8, bet.”
25. Finesse queen/king – This means someone is really good at manipulating or getting what they want. For example, “She’s the finesse queen, she always gets what she wants.”
26. Snack – This means someone looks really good. For example, “He’s a snack, I can’t stop staring.”
27. Glow up – This means someone has gone through a transformation and looks much better or more attractive than before. For example, “Wow, she really had a glow up since high school.”

28. High-key – This means something is obvious or not a secret. For example, “High-key, I have a crush on him.”
29. Low-key – This means something is not obvious or a secret. For example, “Low-key, I’m really nervous about the test.”
30. Sip tea – This means to mind your own business or stay out of drama. For example, “I’m just here to sip tea and watch the drama unfold.”

Hope, this blog, ‘Why do We Use Slang Words | A Cultural Perspective’ has helped you to understand what these Slang words are. These are just a few more examples of the many slang words and phrases used by native speakers. It’s important to remember that slang is always evolving and new words and meanings can emerge at any time. It’s also worth noting that not all slang is appropriate in all situations, so it’s important to use your best judgement when deciding whether to use slang in a particular context.

In conclusion, slang is a type of informal language that is used by native speakers to express their identity, attitudes, and beliefs. It is a way of communicating effectively and demonstrating a sense of belonging to a particular group. While slang words and phrases can be fun and expressive, it is important to remember that they are not always appropriate for all situations. It is important to use discretion and understand the context in which slang words are appropriate.