Speaking of Gen Z (or Alpha) words: tweens and teens are calling people “chat” IRL. Streamers and gamers refer to their viewers as the “chat,” because of their text responses to live content—but the term has made it offline. Now, just like other internet slang that kids and teens are now making headlines for saying, calling friends, family, or basically anyone “chat” (think using in place of “guys”) is regular lexicon to young people. And while it may baffle older gens or teachers, interestingly, some linguistic experts have a positive outlook on “chat,” saying it represents a value for “inclusivity in group interactions” and a “nonthreatening” social icebreaker to starting conversations. Other online slang is, of course, of more concern, as students repeat things they see in TikTok comments or stream chats without fully understanding the meaning—just that it gets a positive reaction, something young people have always craved. (Slate)
📊 YPulse data: 65% of 13-17-year-olds who hang out with their friends virtually while playing video games use the chat feature in the game
