Misc Visuals
Study Examines American Slang Trends and What Words We Want to Revive
Words that were once at the cutting edge of language and culture are quickly dumped into a bin of corny, outdated phrases that might get a chuckle if you use them in earnest. Slang is meant to reflect the times, but it’s also intended to express a feeling we don’t have other words for. Preply examined the ins and outs of slang culture in their new study that asked Americans their favorite slang terms, their slang use habits, and which words they would love to see make a comeback.
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Words that were once at the cutting edge of language and culture are quickly dumped into a bin of corny, outdated phrases that might get a chuckle if you use them in earnest. Slang is meant to reflect the times, but it’s also intended to express a feeling we don’t have other words for. Preply examined the ins and outs of slang culture in their new study that asked Americans their favorite slang terms, their slang use habits, and which words they would love to see make a comeback.
Words are ever-evolving, and sometimes retro slang makes a big comeback. For example, “cool” is a slang term we’ve used for decades, but there are also countless examples of slang that offer us another way to say “cool” without seeming cliché. It might surprise you to learn which phrases were the most popular choices to revive.
Here’s the list of top terms:
- Baloney
- Take a chill pill
- Bogus
- Cruisin’ for a bruisin’
- Groovy
- Spiffy
- Heebie-jeebies
- Gnarly
- Knuckle sandwich
- Rad
- Wassup?
- Chillax
- The bee’s knees
- Da bomb
- Mellow out
- Keep on truckin’
- Booyah!
- As if!
- Made in the shade
- Snafu
Over 50% of respondents chose those top three terms. Each term comes from a different decade, and “bogus” and “baloney” mean more or less the same thing. But bogus and baloney give a cheeky flair and a sense of outrage to the alternative, which is to say, “that’s absolute nonsense.” Slang usually sounds informal and adds another layer of emotion to what the speaker tries to express.
The respondents said that ‘90s slang was their favorite of all time, except for baby boomers, who all prefer slang from the 1960s. Interestingly, men preferred ‘70s slang and women preferred ‘90s slang. Gen X is the most nostalgic about slang from their childhood, which might account for the popularity of ‘90s and ‘80s slang.
Gen Z is most likely to use old slang as a joke or ironically. They’re also the quickest to flinch over outdated slang, and their slang changes quickly as it’s based on social media trends and memes that feel passe within a few weeks. Gen Z is also the most unfamiliar with older slang, with 80% having had to Google the meaning of a slang word from the past.
Slang captures who we are in cultural moments, whether we’re talking about the pre- or post-Internet age. Slang unites us with phrases that allow us to share humor, rebellion, or a sense of identity. The study shows fascinating patterns of language, too. We can say something is rad, lit, or fire, and they all generally mean the same thing (“cool”), but the people using those words are probably from different generations. People who feel nostalgia for slang are reminded of what they saw as a simpler past, or they yearn for the pop culture that spawned these phrases. Preply’s work is a true celebration of language and culture!
Words are ever-evolving, and sometimes retro slang makes a big comeback. For example, “cool” is a slang term we’ve used for decades, but there are also countless examples of slang that offer us another way to say “cool” without seeming cliché. It might surprise you to learn which phrases were the most popular choices to revive.
Here’s the list of top terms:
- Baloney
- Take a chill pill
- Bogus
- Cruisin’ for a bruisin’
- Groovy
- Spiffy
- Heebie-jeebies
- Gnarly
- Knuckle sandwich
- Rad
- Wassup?
- Chillax
- The bee’s knees
- Da bomb
- Mellow out
- Keep on truckin’
- Booyah!
- As if!
- Made in the shade
- Snafu
Over 50% of respondents chose those top three terms. Each term comes from a different decade, and “bogus” and “baloney” mean more or less the same thing. But bogus and baloney give a cheeky flair and a sense of outrage to the alternative, which is to say, “that’s absolute nonsense.” Slang usually sounds informal and adds another layer of emotion to what the speaker tries to express.
The respondents said that ‘90s slang was their favorite of all time, except for baby boomers, who all prefer slang from the 1960s. Interestingly, men preferred ‘70s slang and women preferred ‘90s slang. Gen X is the most nostalgic about slang from their childhood, which might account for the popularity of ‘90s and ‘80s slang.
Gen Z is most likely to use old slang as a joke or ironically. They’re also the quickest to flinch over outdated slang, and their slang changes quickly as it’s based on social media trends and memes that feel passe within a few weeks. Gen Z is also the most unfamiliar with older slang, with 80% having had to Google the meaning of a slang word from the past.
Slang captures who we are in cultural moments, whether we’re talking about the pre- or post-Internet age. Slang unites us with phrases that allow us to share humor, rebellion, or a sense of identity. The study shows fascinating patterns of language, too. We can say something is rad, lit, or fire, and they all generally mean the same thing (“cool”), but the people using those words are probably from different generations. People who feel nostalgia for slang are reminded of what they saw as a simpler past, or they yearn for the pop culture that spawned these phrases. Preply’s work is a true celebration of language and culture!
Film buffs and motorheads will be fascinated with this new chart from Speedway Motors that lists every single film appearance of Chevrolet’s El Camino. Since 1959, El Caminos have been a popular car choice for movie sets. They combine functionality with the style of a muscle car, giving it a cool, rugged, yet humble All-American look that makes it surprisingly versatile and suitable for many different film genres. We can see its versatility in this extensive list of hundreds of films that featured an El Camino. The team sorted appearances by year.
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The most commonly featured model is the 1978 El Camino, which has 96 film appearances, including Reservoir Dogs, Boyz n the Hood, and There’s Something About Mary. This was one of the bestselling models, featuring a newly smoothed-out chassis in a ‘70s style. The 1982 model is also very popular, with 84 film appearances across a range of genres. Some of the best-known film appearances include Boogie Nights, Straight Outta Compton, and Anchorman, which really demonstrate this model’s versatility. Another popular model is the 1973 El Camino, which features a boxier, late-1970s style appearance. This model is featured in 58 films, including Gremlins and Wall Street.
Models emphasizing a muscle car design are often chosen for car chase scenes. The 1968 El Camino boasts strong lines and a vintage, muscle car-inspired look. It is featured in 53 films, including chases in Steven Spielberg’s Duel and the classic movie Bullitt.
The El Camino shot right to the stars upon release. The original 1959 model has 24 film credits. The 1981 El Camino had a titular role in the Breaking Bad movie. Scrolling through the list, you’ll see that the El Camino is at home in spine-tingling thrillers, nostalgic dramas, action-packed, rough and ready flicks, and indie darlings.
This is the total number of films each El Camino model appears in:
• 1978 – 96 movies
• 1982 – 84 movies
• 1973 – 58 movies
• 1970 – 53 movies
• 1968 – 53 movies
• 1976 – 44 movies
• 1964 – 42 movies
• 1969 – 40 movies
• 1971 – 35 movies
• 1965 – 31 movies
• 1966 – 29 movies
• 1972 – 25 movies
• 1974 – 25 movies
• 1959 – 24 movies
• 1960 – 21 movies
• 1979 – 19 movies
• 1981 – 15 movies
• 1975 – 12 movies
• 1977 – 10 movies
• 1980 – 4 movies
• 1984 – 3 movies
• 1983 – 2 movies
• 1985 – 2 movies
• 1986 – 2 movies
• 1987 – 2 movies
• Unknown year – 2 movies
These lists are fascinating for film buffs who can analyze what appealed to directors and cinematographers for each model of El Camino. Intentional prop choices, like cars, really bring a film to life, and it seems the El Camino has the magic directors are after.
The United States is home to a diverse array of cultures, ethnicities, and languages. It attracts visitors and immigrants from all around the world, so it’s easy to find people who can speak another language in addition to English. Census Bureau statistics show that 21% of Americans are bilingual. The team at Preply took a deep dive into this data by determining which cities have the most and least bilingual residents.
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The team defined bilingual as people who report speaking both English and one additional language “very well,” which would mean functioning at a fluency level in two languages. They created two maps to show the results. According to the team’s data, these cities have the most bilingual people in America:
- El Paso, Texas
- Los Angeles, California
- San Jose, California
- San Antonio, Texas
- New York, New York
- Houston, Texas
- San Diego, California
- Phoenix, Arizona
- San Francisco, California
- Dallas, Texas
In El Paso, the majority of the population speaks Spanish, which has been the case since 1965. Seven out of ten residents speak a language other than English. El Paso is located very close to the Mexican border, resulting in a high presence of immigrants, visitors, and family ties with Mexico. The same is true in Los Angeles, where nearly half the population is of an ethnic group that speaks Spanish. Overall, the most common second language spoken in the U.S. is Spanish, although you’ll find a wide variety of languages across the country.
As for the least bilingual cities, the team found that these 10 cities take the top spots:
- Detroit, Michigan
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Columbus, Ohio
- Washington, D.C.
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Seattle, Washington
Detroit may have the fewest bilingual speakers due to its shrinking population. It’s difficult to have diversity of cultures and languages in a small population. As industries shift location, sometimes you see certain populations follow. Detroit is known for auto manufacturing, but that industry has shrunk considerably since the city’s heyday. These statistics suggest that economics can have an impact on bilingual populations.
After Spanish, common second languages include Asian languages like Mandarin or Korean. There are so many benefits to becoming bilingual. Beyond being useful in travel, it can help people in work and social situations. Approximately 43% of the world’s population is bilingual, with people from all over the world learning English online. If the team created a worldwide map of bilingual locations, they’d find that speaking two languages in daily life is common in Switzerland, where 42% of the population speaks two languages on a daily basis. In France, however, only 20% of the population speaks a language other than French. Typically, bilingual people can speak English and live in and around Paris.
Overall, the most widely spoken languages in the world are Chinese, English, and Spanish, making it beneficial for anyone to learn these languages. Bilingual people are known to be good listeners, and evidence suggests they’re more creative! It’s a valuable skill to employers, and it can improve your memory and attention span.
A new map from the team at PA Requirements displays the locations in the U.S. where children are most likely to bully and be bullied. Unfortunately, bullying is a widespread issue in the United States, with more than a third of school-age children experiencing bullying last year. The study is based on data from the National Survey of Children’s Health. The map color-codes the percentage of children who have been bullied or engaged in bullying. The result is a map that gives us a full-color illustration of the depth and severity of the American bullying problem.
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The team found that children are most likely to be bullied in Montana. In that state, 55% of children were bullied at least once in the past year, a truly shocking number. Tragically, 3.6% of Montana children reported daily bullying. Wyoming and West Virginia followed Montana for the highest instances of bullying.
Overall, these 10 states had the highest rates of children reporting being bullied at least once in the past year:
- Montana: 55.0%
- Wyoming: 53.8%
- Vermont: 50.5%
- Utah: 49.5%
- North Dakota: 49.1%
- Maine: 49.0%
- Wisconsin: 48.9%
- Colorado: 48.7%
- Idaho: 48.4%
- South Dakota: 47.9%
Children are also most likely to be the bullies in Montana, which makes sense. A high rate of bullying can suggest a high number of bullies. Perhaps the victims go on to become the bullies. Studies suggest that bullying can be cyclical.
These 10 states have the highest percentages of children who have bullied someone else in the past year:
- Montana: 25.7%
- Wyoming: 24.2%
- South Dakota: 24.2%
- Maine: 23.0%
- Iowa: 21.8%
- Colorado: 21.7%
- North Dakota: 21.6%
- Vermont: 20.4%
- Utah: 20.4%
- Missouri: 20.3%
Bullying is damaging to a child’s development. It can occur in or out of school. The four forms of bullying are physical, verbal, cyberbullying, and social/relational bullying. Relational bullying targets the victim’s social standing and can take the form of malicious gossip and rumors or exclusion from social groups.
Adults around victims can help prevent bullying, and it’s up to these same adults to set a good example and create safe spaces for children at home and at school. Some of the top tips for the prevention of bullying include:
- Teaching children to recognize bullying and understand why it’s wrong.
- Helping children learn to confidently stand up to a bully by telling them to stop and walk away to get adult help.
- Encouraging children to talk to trusted adults about bullying.
- Fostering confidence in children by encouraging them to pursue their interests and be proud of who they are.
- Modeling good behaviors, like respect and kindness.
There’s no concrete way to completely eliminate bullying, but these strategies can help create an environment where bullying is stifled. Teachers, parents, daycare workers, counselors, and social workers should all be aware of how to recognize the signs of bullying and take steps toward prevention.
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