The divide between Millennials and Gen Z has never been clearer.
And if you were born before 1996 and want to hide it, it could be that your choice of language is giving you away.
Enter a savvy member of Generation Z who has taken to social media to spotlight the ‘Millennial’ phrases that, while once trendy, now mark their users as decidedly not part of the TikTok generation.
There are some major differences to note between the two consecutive generations, per Adecco.
Millennials, born between 1980 and 1995, encompass approximately 80 million individuals in the US.
On the other hand, Gen Zers, born between 1996 and the early to mid-2000s, make up around 90 million in the US.
The TikToker is highlighting the ever-evolving nature of language. Credit: @allegramiles/TikTok
Adecco cites the three disparities between the generational outlooks. The first is educational concerns. Gen Zers tend to exhibit heightened apprehension regarding the cost of education, with 21% expressing this concern compared to 13% of Millennials.The second is career aspirations. While Millennials prioritise stability (34%), Gen Z emphasises pursuing dream jobs (32%).
Next up, parental influence: A significant proportion of Gen Zers (42%) are influenced by their parents in career decisions, surpassing Millennials in this aspect (36%).
This demographic shift means that the once-ubiquitous slang Millennials championed during their formative years may no longer seem so cool and trendy in today’s cultural landscape.
Despite the passage of time, many Millennials continue to pepper their conversations with phrases reminiscent of bygone days – much to the entertainment of their Gen Z counterparts.
Here to expose those giveaway ‘Millennial’ terms is Allegra Miles, a 21-year-old singer/songwriter whose video has gone viral.
A TikToker has gone viral after revealing how to spot a Millennial. Credit: @allegramiles/Instagram
Millennials far and wide have found Miles’ TikTok, and they’re taking to the comments to thank her for teaching them how to pass as a youngster.
“Thanks for giving me some new hippity urban dictionary,” one person writes.
Another adds: “This is SO helpful.”
“Thank you I feel so odd not being the young generation with all the new slang omg,” says a third.
While another simply comments: “I’m so old.”
Miles emphasises that while the linguistic shifts she discusses may not be direct replacements for words Millennials may use, they possess the ‘same energy’ and convey comparable meanings.
She starts with the phrase YOLO, aka you only live once. Generation Z has seemingly replaced it with the phrase ‘f*** it, we ball’.
She also asserts that the phrase ‘slay’ belongs to the Millennial lexicon, while Generation Z has adopted ‘eat’ or ‘ate’ to express admiration for a stylish outfit.
The 21-year-old has revealed what are the Gen Z equivalents of Millenial phrases.Credit: @allegramiles/TikTok
Rather than complimenting someone’s flirting skills by saying they have ‘game’, Gen Zers now describe individuals as having ‘rizz’, a shorthand for charisma.
The phrase ‘on point’, indicating something is exactly right or when someone is at the top of their game, has been replaced by ‘locked in’ among young people. While not an exact replacement, these terms carry a similar energy and meaning.
Miles also points out that the expression ‘type beat’ is emerging as a substitute for ‘vibe’.
For instance, where Millennials might describe a restaurant as having an ‘intimate vibe’, Gen Zers might characterise it as a ‘chill, warm, ambient type beat’ dining experience.
The Gen Z-er clarifies that her intention isn’t to imply superiority between the slang of her generation and that of Millennials.
Rather, she aims to highlight the joy to be found in the evolving nature of language.
“I like all these terms. I’m not saying one is better than the other,” she sums up the video.
@allegramiles fuck we ball eats everytime so locked in type beat #genz #millenial #millenialsoftiktok #millenials #linguistics #foryou #fyp ♬ original sound – allegra miles
