Years ago, if someone were to say “What’s the tea, sis,” they would be awarded with a funny look. Today, they will be filled-in on the school’s juiciest gossip.

Teen lingo has transformed into a secret language that was created from the remains of old slang. Vines and other memes also contribute to the growing vocabulary.

Senior citizens, parents, and even some teachers do not understand what teens mean when they speak using slang. Texting and writing slang in essays or applications is also hard to comprehend for people who do not know what the words mean.

Slang is often used by teenagers as a short cut to saying a longer word or even word play. Some people cannot distinguish when the appropriate time to use these terms and it has raised issues in and out of the classroom.

“It bothers me when they use it in their writing,” teacher Melissa Kevonian said. “They use a lot of abbreviations as if they’re texting or use informal language. They also use flex a lot.”

While some people who use may be looked down upon by their peers, many still enjoy and embrace the use of slang.

“It’s a better understanding of words, I use them all the time,” senior Fallon Ward said. “It’s kinda weird because they don’t get it. I don’t think they hate it, I think they just get confused. I use periodt the most. I use it for everything like when I agree with anything.”

The English language is constantly evolving, every generation has created their own code that is exclusive to their age group.

“I think every generation has their own thing and that’s okay,” Kevonian said, “just keep it out of job interviews and formal essays.”