Berit Glanz on youth language and online culture  Skibidi

Our new columnist Berit Glanz is fascinated by the language of internet culture – and lately amused by how parents have stormed the digital stage, playfully parodying their kids’ favourite slang.

For about a year now, a new strain of internet humour has been popping up in my feed: reels of parents mimicking the way their children speak, leaving them endearingly embarrassed. There’s the Australian father who orders at a drive-thru, effortlessly slipping into his daughters’ youth slang as they squirm in the back seat. Or the German mum who counters each of her teenager’s complaints with the viral “skibidi” – until both collapse in laughter.

Of course, using youth language to set yourself apart from your parents is nothing new. Most of us can recall either laughing at their bewilderment – or cringing at it. Once a year, videos of news anchor Susanne Daubner announcing the nominees for the Youth Word of the Year make the rounds on German social media. There’s something irresistibly comic about a serious newsreader pronouncing youth slang. And the enjoyment clearly crosses generations.

Parents Are Always Present

Every youth generation reinvents slang to set itself apart. But Generation Alpha – those born around 2010 – is trying to create its own culture with parents tagging along. And what’s particularly interesting is that no youth language has been so strongly shaped by internet culture as theirs – with its distinctive “brainrot” vocabulary drawn from gaming, absurd AI humour and an endless stream of short videos. Even everyday conflicts between teens and parents now play out – or are presented – online: parents poking fun at their kids’ quirky expressions, teachers explaining this week’s trending terms, even non-parents joining in Generation Alpha’s skibidi slang.

One particularly popular clip features American musician and comedian Elle Cordova imagining herself as the 2060 Poet Laureate, reciting Skibidi Days, Ohio Nights. She brilliantly transforms global youth vernacular into poetry, while delighted listeners cheer her lyrical prowess. In several English-speaking countries, the title “poet laureate” denotes a state-appointed national poet. The fact that the tradition has existed in the United Kingdom for centuries is proof of its significance. Cordova’s short video humorously illustrates how language evolves across generations, with slang absorbed into mainstream speech and even taking on poetic form.

Join in the Global Language Game

What makes today’s youth language so fascinating is its global reach. Teenagers all over the world have no problem understanding it, yet it remains rooted in local contexts. Much of online slang comes from English, but words and phrases from other language families are also leaving their mark. Contemporary internet culture is multilingual, highly dynamic – and not without its problems. Above all, however, it is aesthetically compelling. All the more reason to take a closer look at the language of internet culture and join in the creative global language game.
 

October 2025