Using informal language in academia can give wrong impression, warn experts
In an ever-evolving linguistic landscape, Gen Z slang is now finding its way into schools.
Having grown up with digital devices, those born between 1995 and 2015 have communication styles that are heavily influenced by social media, with students using slang words not only in conversations, but also when speaking to teachers, writing essays and during English language oral exams, educators say.
Universiti Malaya Faculty of Languages and Linguistics dean Assoc Prof Dr Surinderpal Kaur Chanan Singh said the use of Gen Z slang in academia can be a problem.
Not only does the use of these words create confusion, but it also does not conform to the standards of academic communication, giving the impression of unprofessionalism and immaturity.
SurinderpalThere is a blurring of lines in casual conversation and academic communication among students who do not differentiate between interactional contexts, and this can be a problem as the expectations of academia focus on clarity and detail, she told StarEdu.
With some involuntarily utilising slang language in presentations or oral exams, the adoption of Gen Z slang seems to be due to students growing accustomed to a variety of factors that mirror the cultural, social and technological elements in the backdrop of contemporary society, she said.
According to a 2019 study by Ipsos UU and Ogilvy Malaysia titled “The Not-So-Secret Lives of the Malaysian Gen-Z”, language is very much visually-driven for Gen Z, who also like to turn the meaning and gravity of common expressions on their heads.
The study, conducted through a two-pronged process by interviewing Malaysian Gen Zers and experts to validate and understand the drivers and motivations behind their behavioural quirks, offers insights into this generation across six elements of popular culture that are significant to them – language, sports and fitness, gaming and social media, music, food and beverage, and sustainability.
One major factor which is connected to this, said Surinderpal, is the influence of popular culture and social media. Elements of popular culture such as music, movies,
TV shows and Internet personalities are rich in creating and propagating slang terms, which then become integrated into everyday conversations as students adopt them.
“We must also remember that students in the Gen Z era are immensely comfortable with social media and digital media platforms.
Social media platforms help in the creation and rapid spread of slang terms.
“The social media culture of instant gratification and quick consumption of content has led to the proliferation of memes and viral trends. Slang terms often emerge from these trends and spread rapidly among the students through relatability and humour,” she said.
A means of fitting inMalaysian English Language Teaching Association (Melta) president Dr Ramesh Nair said young people across all generations have contributed to expanding the vocabulary range of the languages they use.
“Gen Z slang serves as a means to exert independence and their own identity.
It also helps them fit in with their peers and when one is young, this can be very important,” he said, adding that the desire to fit in with peers also plays a significant role in the adoption of slang words.
Agreeing, Surinderpal said students are driven by FOMO, or fear of missing out, which is a popular slang.
Ramesh“Gen Zs especially do not want to miss out on the latest trends and cultural references.
This motivates them to be updated on current slang, and stay relevant and engaged with their peers,” she said.
SMK Seri Kembangan, Selangor, English language teacher Yogamalar Chandrasekaran said Gen Z slang usually reflects a desire for creativity in communication, in line with this generation’s fast-paced, tech-savvy lifestyle.
Some primary American slang words like wanna (want to), gotta (got to) and gonna (going to), said retired SMK Sultan Abdul Samad, Selangor, English language teacher Sibyl Su Soo Chin, are examples of slang students commonly use and tend to pick up from hip hop and rap songs.
It is interspersed within a speech sentence which they then bring forward into their writing, she said.
“Unbeknownst to many, slang interjection words such as ‘like’ are used as fillers in a sentence and is an example of informal speech that can get students marks deducted in oral tests.
“For example, ‘He was, like, gorgeous’ or ‘I need to, like, borrow some money’.
“The word ‘like’ can come up at least thrice in every sentence.
It’s a symptom of not being able to always keep up with highly-monitored, highly-grammatical language, so it helps them gain time in search of the right word. But the buffer instead costs them their time in a test,” she said.
Yogamalar
It’s a problem
The use of slang, said Ramesh, creates a communication gap between older and younger generations.
If teachers are confronted with words which are alien to them, then communication will most likely break down as older people are already quite settled with their communication styles and would only be willing to take on a new lingo out of sheer necessity, he added, citing the Internet and social media as examples where older people are required to learn new words.
They will have to penetrate the young community to pick up their way of communicating and this will prove to be difficult, if not impossible, he said.
Despite that, teachers usually take it upon themselves to keep up with interests which matter to their students, and this includes learning their lingo.
“We all use a variety of registers when communicating with people depending on relationships.
“For example, we would speak very differently when communicating with siblings than we would with teachers. It’s a complex process, yet we manage this quite seamlessly.
“Problems arise if a student uses slang words when writing an academic paper,” said Ramesh.
Surinderpal said a generational language gap between educators and students could lead to potential misunderstandings or misinterpretations, which may lead to confusion during academic discussions and hinder open communication and rapport between educators and students.
“Certain words have multiple meanings, which may cause confusion. For instance, lit can mean exciting and excellent, but it can also mean being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
“So, when a student says ‘this presentation is lit’, educators will likely not understand clearly what is meant and might misinterpret a student’s use of the word.
“Another word is GOAT, an acronym for ‘greatest of all time’, which could be confused with the actual animal if not understood in the slang context,” she said, adding that Gen Z’s propensity for using acronyms can also create confusion as educators expect the words to be used clearly.
Sharing the example “Hey prof, I’ll def be there 2moro for the preso. Thx!”, she said Gen Z students also tend to write minimally articulated emails or assignments which lack salutations and use many abbreviations.
This, she said, causes consternation among educators as they have no clue what the student is requesting in the email and feel that the email seems too casual, immature and unprofessional.
The constant use of Gen Z slang might be perceived as inappropriate by educators who prioritise proper academic language usage, and this in turn could strain the student-educator relationship, she added.
“But there are educators who are familiar with the slang words and do use it to relate better with students and to create a more approachable learning environment.
“Some also use slang words to educate students about versatile communication styles which are based on context.
“This can help students navigate the transition between informal slang used in certain contexts, and the more formal language expected in professional and academic writing and speaking, she said.
Cautioning students against using slang in the MUET, IELTS or SPM oral exams, Surinderpal said this could prove detrimental as assessments are designed for standard language use.
While some tests do account for slang, most of these tests are an indicator of the students’ capability to communicate effectively and to be able to articulate themselves well in an academic environment, she said.
“Using slang extensively during tests could lead to lower grades which may cause a student to not be accepted into a tertiary institution or delay their enrolment in a course,” she added.
Though the use of Gen Z slang can have both positive and negative effects on communication between students and teachers in the school environment, said Yogamalar, it is often the latter.
“Educators may have difficulty deciphering slang, which always happens on my end, and it does interfere with our ability to provide clear instruction.”
Language evolution
Academic communication, said Surinderpal, is likely to evolve over time to accommodate changing language trends and to reflect the changing demographics of students and societal shifts while maintaining the essential qualities of professionalism, clarity and effective communication.
“For instance, relevant terminology in line with changing language trends could be incorporated into academic discourse.
This could involve updating reference materials to include newer slang terms that become widely accepted, especially in established dictionaries.
“Academic communication could evolve to include hybrid language styles that blend formal language with elements of informal language, allowing for a more relatable tone, and to align with online and hybrid teaching and learning platforms.
“Educators could also adopt adaptive pedagogical strategies that acknowledge the evolving communication landscape where there are discussions on the appropriate use of slang and its role in different settings,” she said.
A language, said Ramesh, evolves as the community in which that language is used requires changes.
“The words in a language are merely the tools to convey meaning and emotion. There may be resistance to some degree but as more and more people begin accepting changes, the transition is bound to happen,” he said.
Yogamalar said the rapid evolution of slang makes it difficult to keep up with the latest terms and their meanings.
“Just ask the students to list some of the slang words and it will make you question what language might sound like in 20 years. The evolution of language on social media is interesting, but improper to incorporate into standard academic language use.
“Teachers not only have to address problems with grammar, spelling and form, but we now also need to emphasise the importance of clear and appropriate communication.
“Students may use slang sparingly in informal discussions but they must maintain a formal and standardised language register in academic presentations and exams.
“It is important that educators foster critical language awareness by highlighting when and where slang is appropriate while maintaining clear, formal standards for rigorous academic discourse,” she said.
National Union of the Teaching Profession of Malaysia (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon said informal communication habits are common especially among students who come for the same state or share a similar background but teachers usually correct it in stages by reprimanding and deducting their writing marks.“In the past, students commonly used SMS language, but it did not continue because they were made to understand the marking scheme.
As long as the language is not recognised by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, it should not be used in class,” he said, adding that it is detrimental for learning if teachers use slang just to bond with students.
Lost in translation
When slang words are common in your daily conversations, it can become a habit and spill over into your academic pursuits and impact your grades.
During scholarship or job interviews or at formal events, we could end up sounding unprofessional if we accidentally use slang words.
This could tarnish our image and result in people forming negative impressions of us. If we keep using slang words, we may forget the definitions and origins of words and how to use them correctly.
We may see the proficiency and quality of the English language decline in the long run if we continue using slang in our speech and writing.
I am also trying to refrain from using slang words because it makes it difficult for the older generation to understand me.– Vivehgan Sakthivel, 17
I have used informal words and Gen Z slang during oral exams but it was done subconsciously. I know it is crucial to use formal, correct language but sometimes, we are so used to it that we forget.
It is very common for students to use Gen Z slang because we are influenced by social media.
We have adopted so much of it in our daily conversations that it is natural for us to use slang words even during exams, although this may lead to poor academic performance, grammatical mistakes and disjointed or wrong sentence structures.
I heard my peers stutter during oral exams when they realised that they had accidentally used a slang and it could lead to marks being deducted.
– Alya Mohd Haidafitri, 17
Popular slang words and phrases
Basic: They were all wearing the same top. They are so basic!This describes someone or something that is unoriginal and follows trends closely. It is usually used negatively.
Fire: Her new song is fire!Describes something that is very good.
FOMO: Even though he was tired, his FOMO got the best of him, so he went to the party anyway.Short for fear of missing out.
This describes the feeling you get when you feel other people might be having a good time without you.
Glow-up: She has really had a glow-up since I last saw her.Describes an upgrade or transformation in terms of appearance.
Goals: Her hair was absolute goals!Describes something or someone that someone aspires to in life.
Throwing shade: She was really throwing shade at Chloe last night.To insult or judge someone discreetly or indiscreetly.
Salty: She was very salty because he didn’t acknowledge her.Describes someone who is jealous, upset, or irritated – usually with something small or inconvenient.
Ship: Rosie and Oliver are great together. I definitely ship them!To support an existing or potential relationship.
Slide into their DMs: He’s been liking my pictures but I’m not sure whether to slide into his DMs.To send an (often flirtatious) direct message over social media.
Spill the tea: Lucy, you have to spill the tea on what happened between Sara and Ana!To gossip or to spread gossip. Tea is sometimes used on its own to refer to gossip.
Snack: Chris is a total snack!Describes an attractive person.
Yeet: He just grabbed my phone and yeeted it into the river.Described to throw something, especially with a lot of force
G.O.A.T: The list of players who could be considered the GOAT is long.An abbreviation for ‘greatest of all time’.
Vibe: We were all just vibing to the beat.Describes a good feeling or connection. It is often used as both a noun and a verb.
Slay: The actors slayed with the quality of their acting.Described to impress someone very much or to be very good or impressive.
Cringe: Everything he posts on social media seems so cringe.
Describing something embarrassing.
Sus: I used to think that at-home hair colors and dyes were kind of sus.Describing someone who is suspicious or a suspect.
On fleek: If your brows are on fleek, your life is on fleek.Describes something perfectly done or exactly right
Lit: It is safe to say the party was lit.Describes something excellent or exciting
Extra: If you know him, you know he’s pretty goofy, ... pretty extra.Describes someone dramatic or with an eccentric behavior
Ghost: Describes cutting off all contact with (someone) abruptly and usually without explanation.No one wants to be ghosted.
Source: Oxford University Press ELT (learningenglishwithoxford.com/2020/11/16/speak-generation-z/), Cambridge Dictionary (dictionary.cambridge.org/) and Merriam-Webster Dictionary (merriam-webster.com/)
When and how to use slang words correctly
Guidelines to effective communications, said Universiti Malaya Faculty of Languages and Linguistics dean Associate Professor Dr Surinderpal Kaur Chanan Singh, can help students and educators use slang effectively without compromising the professionalism and clarity needed in educational contexts.
> Importance of context
Slang in some contexts may work especially if the topic deals with popular culture or some generational social issues.
Understanding the context in which the students communicate is important as different settings may require different levels of formality.
> The awareness of your audience
If or not the person you’re speaking to understands the kind of slang that you are using.
It may be that only certain slang terms can be used in a discussion because not everyone understands them.
> Being professionally inclusive
Promoting the inclusivity of Gen Z slang to embrace the evolution of language.
> Using respectful language
Certain Gen Z slang terms may come off harsher than intended, one may need to assess the relevance of using the term beforehand.
> Defining terms clearly
This is to ensure that the person you convey the term to will understand the message in the way that you intend, avoiding any misunderstanding.
> Cultural Sensitivity
If you are using terms which may seem culturally insensitive, slang may not be appropriate.
