Anna Hartz
From TikTok to the Dictionary: Internet Slang Goes Mainstream
Language is alive. It shifts and bends with the way people use it, and the internet has only sped up this process.
Social media, especially platforms like TikTok, is a powerful driver of new words and expressions.
What begins as a joke or meme online can end up shaping the way millions of people talk in their daily lives. Now even the Cambridge Dictionary is taking note.
Stating Power
The dictionary has officially added a number of words that first spread online. Among them are “skibidi,” “delulu,” and “tradwife”, reports El Economista.
These are terms that might have seemed like passing internet fads, but Cambridge’s editors believe they have staying power.
Colin McIntosh, lexical manager at the dictionary, explained that internet culture is reshaping the English language in ways worth documenting.
“Skibidi” has its roots in a strange animated YouTube series called Skibidi Toilet. It gained massive popularity online and even celebrities like Kim Kardashian have used it.
According to the dictionary, the word can mean different things depending on context. It might be used to say something is cool, or that it is bad, or sometimes simply as nonsense for the sake of humor.
“Tradwife” is another entry. It is short for “traditional wife” and describes women who embrace traditional gender roles.
Over 6,000 New Words
Many of them post about their lives on social media, where they share content about cooking, cleaning, staying home, and raising children.
The word “delulu” has also been added. It comes from “delusional” and is often used to describe someone who chooses to believe something unrealistic or untrue, usually in a playful or ironic way.
Cambridge did not stop there. Over 6,000 new words and phrases were recently added. Some are funny. Some are serious.
For example, “broligarchy” describes a group of mostly men in technology who also wield political power. “Mouse jiggler” refers to a person pretending to work from home by keeping their computer active.
“Work spouse” is a phrase describing a close workplace relationship where two people rely on and support each other.
The dictionary changes slowly compared to the fast pace of internet culture. But this update shows how online life continues to push new language into the mainstream.
