When they really like a series, they “shove it up the ass”, if they loved the performance of their favorite singer they say that “it served the purpose” and they use “mother” to express admiration towards a person for something they have said or done. . These are just some of the expressions that have become popular among generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2010. Some may think that they are rude, unpleasant or imprecise to express certain emotions, but the truth is that they have managed to reappropriate terms that Not so long ago, they were used to offend others.
“New generations often use words that older generations consider negative. But, this phenomenon has been happening for years. Every generation uses terms from the previous one and modifies its connotation,” explains Ramón Martínez, writer, professor and secretary of COGAM.
Without going any further, the word feminism was used, at first, to indicate “effeminate” men, those who did not behave as they were supposed to behave. It was also spread as a derogatory way to designate women who fought for their rights. Today, women openly declare themselves feminists and even the term feminazi - the same one that was intended to discredit them - has been replaced by 'feminancy', in honor of the dolls. Faced with the attempt to discredit, feminists have chosen humor.
“Oppressed groups have historically reappropriated the insult to take pride in their condition. For example, lesbians have called themselves dykes or truck drivers. Another thing is that, at the time, those terms were used to mark and stigmatize them,” says Eulàlia Lledó, a linguist specialized in sexism and androcentrism. Advances in equality have also had an impact on language. “Now we know that saying ‘pussy’ is wrong.”
Likewise, LGBTI discourse has begun to reconsider the meaning of symbols and language, reevaluating terms to reflect a more inclusive and respectful understanding of sexual diversity and gender.
“Everything related to anality has always been highly maligned and continues to be; after all, linguistic use has only begun to change now. It works in the youth register as something ironic, but I don't think it has transcended into the social sphere," explains Martínez, in relation to the expression 'through the ass', also used in the form of an acronym: 'PEC'. And he adds: “Reality goes much further and what seems to be changing because of how we speak does not really change, because what we think does not change.”
Along these lines, Eulàlia Lledó assures that there is a “coexistence” of this type of expressions. "There are many people who continue to use phrases like 'fuck you' with the intention of offending, but at the same time, a field of possibilities is opening up to banish and reappropriate them."
Fellow linguist Míriam Martín Lloret celebrates that these words have become “extensive” among young heterosexuals, “have become popular” and are used “naturally” in a colloquial context. However, she remembers that certain expressions depend a lot on who verbalizes them and in what contexts: “We must always differentiate between internal use within the group and use from outside the group towards the group.” An example would be the word “faggot”, which is completely accepted within the group but not outside of it.
If we focus on the etymology of these expressions we see that they come from LGTBI circles, specifically, from 'ball culture'. This subculture, formed by the African-American and Latino LGTBI community in New York, was created in the 1980s as a space of refuge and support for historically excluded and stigmatized groups. A place where they could express their way of dancing, parading and acting freely and without prejudice.
For example, the expression 'serving pussy' comes from the English 'serving cunt', which became popular among the LGTBI movement and more specifically in drag culture, thanks to the world-famous drag artist RuPaul through his song 'Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve'.
But what are the factors that influence whether one expression is used more than another? Ramón Martínez is clear about it. “First of all, make it fun. Deep down, human beings are quite geese and if expressions like 'in the ass' or 'PEC' are funny to us, then it will be funnier for us to use it than another equivalent expression like 'lecture'." And, secondly, due to digital hyperconnection. “You can talk to people from all over the planet, at any time and in any language.”
60.5% of Spaniards belonging to generation It is not surprising, since the same study reveals that 88% of generation Z regularly uses words, expressions or acronyms from English.
“Young people create their own code so that their parents do not understand them,” explains Martín. The linguist considers, based on the survey, that there is also a certain condescension towards generation Z. And Lledó adds: "It's all a matter of will, of approaching this linguistic reality and being interested in what they say and how they say it."
According to the survey results, the younger generations do not use appropriate language. At least 57% of Generation
Philologist Míriam Martín remembers that the use of this jargon is fully conscious and used ironically. “What should worry us is the loss of the use of languages like Catalan. As it is a minority language, surrounded by dominant languages, we face difficulties in creating and spreading neologisms in Catalan.” Lledó believes that the production capacity of Catalan youth slang is “very limited.” For this reason, many words are directly translated from Spanish, demonstrating the “weakness” that the language goes through.
For this reason, Martín claims the need to create an online descriptive dictionary in Catalan with proposals from the users themselves. “We don't speak like the regulations. We cannot adopt a single model that is formal and normative.” In fact, there are collaborative dictionaries, such as DiccET, that collect recent terms and expressions such as 'PEC' or 'serve pussy' and that, for the moment, cannot be registered in other dictionaries. In contrast to words like 'coñazo' - annoying, unbearable person or thing - and 'cojonado' - stupendous, magnificent, excellent -, which the RAE does include in its dictionary.
The language evolves at full speed, creating new words and expressions. For this reason, it is very difficult to know if these terms have an expiration date or if they will transcend between generations and be extended to others, so much so that we hear a 50-year-old man say that he "puts the last season of Alpha Males up his ass." . What is certain is that, in the future, the young people of today will be surprised by what the young people of tomorrow say.
