Millennial mom struggles to decode Gen Alpha kid's slang

The perplexing world of Gen Alpha slang has left a millennial mom in a state of confusion as she attempted to comprehend her 10-year-old daughter's new vocabulary. TikTok content creator, Jennifer Maxwell, shared a comical video of herself trying to decipher the meanings of her child's trendy lingo. The clip quickly went viral and amassed over 9.8 million views, with many viewers finding the words both cringe-worthy and puzzling.

Maxwell jokingly admitted that she is often left clueless about her daughter's conversations, comparing the usage of "weird words" to speaking in a completely foreign language. Let's dive into some of the slang terms and their meanings, as revealed by her young child.

The initial slang up for interpretation was the term "Sigma." Maxwell's association with it was being a part of the army rather than a sorority, causing her to struggle with its meaning. However, her daughter enlightened her by sharing that "Sigma" refers to being the best of the best, similar to the concept of being called an "Alpha," which interestingly, both words are derived from the Greek alphabet.

Next on the list was the word "rizz," popularized in the previous year, serving as shorthand for "charisma." Maxwell, quite impressed with herself, likened it to someone being a "smooth talker." Her 10-year-old then added that it also signifies the ability to "pull someone."

Moving forward, Maxwell attempted to decipher the term "Rizzlers," presuming it referred to a group or crew of individuals who possess or aspire to have charisma (rizz). However, her daughter gently corrected her, explaining that saying "where the rizzlers" means inquiring about the location of people who possess optimum charisma.

When confronted with the word "Ohio," the mother guessed that it meant something positive. However, she was astonished to find out that in their slang, "Ohio" is used as an insult and labels someone as strange or unintelligent. Maxwell quickly interjected that she was certain individuals from Ohio wouldn't appreciate it.

The fifth term on the list, "skibbidi" or "skibbidi toilet," refers to a viral meme featuring someone's head emerging from a toilet. Using this term or referring to someone's actions as such implies that they are "weird" according to her daughter.

Next up was "mewing," which traditionally describes a facial movement technique for achieving a more defined jawline. However, the 10-year-old redefined it as working on one's jawline altogether.

Maxwell expressed her disbelief at the slang her child introduced, remarking on the kind of kids they are raising. Lastly, the term "Chad Alpha" puzzled her, and she associated it with negative impressions based on Taylor Swift's mention of "angry Dads, Brads, and Chads" in an interview. Surprisingly, her daughter clarified that "Chad Alpha" refers to being a leader or the best person.

Many millennials and Zoomers watching couldn't hide their confusion and expressed their bewilderment in the comments. Some debated the use of "Sigma" since its meaning was similar to "Alpha," only employing a different letter. Others found the new slang to have undertones of bullying, remarking on the harsh experiences of middle school. Some parents even banned their children from using these terms due to their lack of understanding and concern about their negative impact.

As each generation develops its unique vernacular, it's clear that decoding the slang of Gen Alpha presents a challenge for older cohorts. Nevertheless, expressions come and go, paving the way for a new wave of linguistic trends that reflect the evolving society we live in. Let's remember the fun and nostalgic linguistic quirks of past generations while embracing the changes that come with each new wave of youth culture.