For all of the aging millennials and Gen Xers who are wondering just exactly what is happening in slang these days, this one's for you.
Dr. Phil made a Twitter video to straight up ask Gen Z:
"What the heck are you talking about?"
Sksksksk? π€·ββοΈ https://t.co/PZunpZs9q3β Dr. Phil (@Dr. Phil)1571866902.0
A strong amount of people are with Dr. Phil.
What are you youths saying?
@BusyPhilipps I have never related to Dr. Phil more, I don't know what any of that means. I guess it means I'm old now?β tara michelle (@tara michelle)1571930065.0
@BusyPhilipps @yashar Same. Must be an 11 year old thing. I just try inserting them randomly into conversations likβ¦ https://t.co/cDcWP1MMxEβ La Cosa Pazza (@La Cosa Pazza)1571930505.0
@BusyPhilipps I literally donβt know what any of that means. π₯΄πβ Brandy (@Brandy)1571930688.0
@BusyPhilipps I was so confused when my 11 year old started talking like sksksksks, so I played her @MoonZappaβ¦ https://t.co/p7Z9gJ4Vu8β Teri (@Teri)1571933083.0
@BusyPhilipps I get that every generation has their own language but these are not even words.β Cheryl (@Cheryl)1571931871.0
Thanks to the internet, we have answers available.
According to Urban Dictionary:
"VSCO GIRLVSCO GIRL- Wears oversized t-shirts or sweatshirt with Nike shorts. Has Vans, Crocs, Birks, and wears a shell necklace. She also wears tube tops and Jean shorts. She always has a hydroflask. She can't leave home without a scrunchie and her favorite car is a jeep."
And as for "Sksksksk":
"Sksksksk" is a phrase that's mostly typed, sort of like mashing your keyboard as an exclamation. It can stand in for laughter, or express awkwardness, or be the same as an "OMG."
For those who did know these phrases, their disappointment in Dr. Phil cannot be overstated.
@DrPhil Sksksksjsjdfdfj https://t.co/XQxIc7exzpβ your favorite gemini (@your favorite gemini)1571874380.0
@DrPhil scissors when i cut paper https://t.co/2v6SGujvgtβ nayelli π²π½ (@nayelli π²π½)1571884884.0
May never recover from hearing Dr. Phil attempt to understand "and I OOP" and "sksksk"β Craig Bro Dude (@Craig Bro Dude)1571931697.0
@DrPhil @spicyslayers Iβm going through all the stages of grief at onceβ alizΓ©e (@alizΓ©e)1571884910.0
@DrPhil https://t.co/zFjJOKoiyGβ free pies π₯§ (@free pies π₯§)1571867190.0
@alilikaiii @DrPhil @spicyslayers Dr. Phil is too lazy to use the electric google toobs and Urban Dictionary. I thiβ¦ https://t.co/GXqsPdA85nβ Andrew Wells (@Andrew Wells)1571943854.0
People are also unkindly noting the generation gap:
My favorite boomer https://t.co/VWN6qyXuh8β Andi. (@Andi.)1571920998.0
But some are taking pity on the poor TV star and telling him the pertinent information.
@DrPhil Vsco girl is a meme about girls who wear oversized t shirts, scrunchies, and have hydroflasks. They usuallyβ¦ https://t.co/VYcfKFnWiwβ πΈππΎβ / #1 AVA STAN (@πΈππΎβ / #1 AVA STAN)1571878129.0
@SadSpookyNoris @DrPhil you're the only person who answered him lmaoβ krow (@krow)1571884583.0
@DrPhil we have you covered https://t.co/H6oibBrDrQβ Betches (@Betches)1571892857.0
@DrPhil Dr Phil is the most wholesome human being and we must do everything in our power to protect this man.β π SpookyDoge π #RavensFlock 5-2 (@π SpookyDoge π #RavensFlock 5-2)1571867288.0
@DrPhil Oh my god phil you are a blessingβ My power grows each October (@My power grows each October)1571866979.0
Slang will continue to change, time will march on.
But Dr. Phil will remain more or less the same.
@DrPhil The people that say these things are the ones who actually need you, Dr Philβ Honeyy (@Honeyy)1571869825.0
@DrPhil @WesabiTTV https://t.co/LAChpWWjWeβ Nathan (@Nathan)1571900664.0
@DrPhil Oh no π https://t.co/cM29imhqPPβ β((Fitzy))β (@β((Fitzy))β)1571867042.0
@DrPhil all hail the king https://t.co/SP6V7XNmwjβ π¦ππ€ππ²π₯ππͺ (@π¦ππ€ππ²π₯ππͺ)1571867242.0
@DrPhil https://t.co/yvch8yDqd2β ππ»Juan Miguel Deleonπ»π (@ππ»Juan Miguel Deleonπ»π)1571921452.0
In 2020 we are going to make sure all the humans are caught up on the latest slang.
How current are you on your slang history? The book From Ameche to Zozzled: A Glossary of Hard-Boiled Slang of the 1920s through the 1940s is available here.