Remember the days of imaginative play? Your daughter was creating a whole world for her Barbies and My Little Ponies, sometimes even scolding you for “playing wrong.” Her vivid imagination was always on-the-go, and it was beautiful being able to witness those moments.
As she got older, she started using words that “all the kids are saying.” You found yourself having to ask her what “dupe” and “sus” meant. The words always seemed harmless, like the slang she was using was just a way to shorten words or make them sound cooler. You felt like you were getting old and not up to date with the times.
Now, she is a teenager in full swing. You know she is on her laptop or phone often, but you raised an intelligent, bright young lady. Surely, she knows internet safety and is only texting her friends. One night, she runs to the store with her dad and forgets her phone. You hear it ping and investigate the noise.
It’s a text from an unknown number, full of random emojis and letter combinations that do not make sense. The texts keep coming, now with talk of sex and smoking dope. Who is this person and how dare they speak to your daughter that way? This number is not one of her contacts, so who can it be?
Here at Roots Renewal Ranch, we have heard stories like this from worried and wonderful parents. Parents need to understand the dangers of social media, and how slang and emojis are not as innocent as they seem. In fact, in 2021, Texas ranked number 2 for the highest number of human trafficking cases. The same year, the National Sex Trafficking Hotline received 3,534 signals from Texas, with 1,124 being from victims or survivors themselves. Most of these cases were started online or through Snapchat. Our goal at Roots is to help parents protect their daughters and understand the signs of danger, before it is too late. Today, we are looking at teen text slang and what those emojis really mean.
Text Slang Decoded – Phrases to Be Aware Of
When it comes to slang, it can be hard to understand what your teen is trying to say. Texting takes this to a whole new level – letter codes seem to mean phrases to teens that parents are unaware of. Most of us know what LOL, LMAO, ROFL, GTG, and ISO. But what are some of the ones we don’t hear often?
Sexual Abbreviations
Common sexual/dating abbreviations and slang are:
- Body count – refers to the number of people they have had sex with
- DTF – down to f*** (interested in having sex)
- FINSTA – describes a fake Instagram account. Teen girls can use fake Instagram profiles to talk to strangers and get recognition for their looks
- FWB – friends with benefits
- IYKYK – if you know you know. Not always sexual but in certain contexts can describe sexual situations
- LMP – can mean like my picture but can also mean lick my p**** (referring to oral sex)
- PMOYS – put me on your Snapchat
- Snatched – describes something good, can be used to describe girls’ bodies
- WAP – thanks to the popular Nicki Minaj song, this means wet a** p***** (a female who is “turned on” and ready for sex)
It is key to keep constant communication with your teenage daughter, as teens are always making up new words and abbreviations every day.
Drug Acronyms for Texting
Phrases and acronyms for drugs can include:
- Dope – while this can mean something is cool, sometimes it can be referring to drugs such as heroin or weed
- Juul – a brand of e-cigarette, refers to vaping
- Lit – means drunk or high
- Turnt/turned up – similar to lit, means getting drunk or high
- Plug – refers to the person that supplies substances, the “hook-up”
- 420 – smoking weed
- School bus – refers to a Xanax bar that is yellow
It is good for parents to know the street names of substances as well. Like slang, they are always changing. Here are the common ones:
- Heroin – H, dope, horse, china white, black dragon, junk
- Cocaine – blow, coke, snow, monster, sugar
- Methamphetamine – meth, crystal, crank, glass, ice
- Marijuana – weed, mary jane, reefer, herb, skunk, trees
- Benzodiazepines – z bars, benzos, zanny, klonies, vallies, plank
Emoji Meanings
In the same way teens are putting letters together to mean different phrases, emojis can have different meanings as well. These emojis have sexual context and should be a red flag in your teens’ texts:
- Eggplant – penis
- Peach – butt
- Taco – vagina
- Water spraying – ejaculating
- Tongue out – oral sex
- Devil face – sexually frisky
- Cherries – breasts
- Noodles in a bowl – requesting nude pictures
- Ear of corn – refers to porn, especially on social media
- Chili pepper – spicy in a sexual way, also used on social media to indicate sexual content
When it comes to substances, certain emojis can also have different meanings:
- Leaf or tree – marijuana
- Snowflake – cocaine
- Ice cube – meth or cocaine/crack
- Diamond – meth
- Horse – heroin
- Dragon – heroin
Internet Safety and Teen Text Slang in Social Media
When it comes to teens and social media, they aren’t always thinking about safety when posting. In today’s society, unfortunately preying on young girls and their self-esteem is not just normal, it is extremely common. The point of social media is just that – sharing our lives with friends and family, from restaurants we visit, to school pictures, and vacations. But not everything on social media is private, and even with security settings, predators can find their way in.
A phrase that may seem harmless is a telltale sign that your teen is texting or messaging someone she doesn’t know. ASL stands for age, sex, and location and is often seen in chat rooms, private messages, or Snapchat. This is where people can develop relationships with your teen and build trust. Catfishing is using fake profiles and pictures to meet new people. Teen girls can get lured into sex trafficking schemes without knowing because the person they are talking to seems real. They send messages to the person and he/she promises money and a life of luxury if they meet. In fact, 41% of sex trafficking cases in 2020 were recruited online.
Recognizing Potential Risks and Misinterpretations of Text Slang
Despite popular belief, not all teens are up to date with the latest meanings of abbreviations and may send something that has a meaning she did not know. This is where cyberbullying can come into play, she may have made a post that was sexual without having any intent. Friends can quickly turn on each other at this age, and she may find herself in the middle of a bullying frenzy she wasn’t prepared for.
Another area of potential risk is called sadfishing. This term refers to social media posts that draw attention and make the reader want to question what is going on. If your daughter posts something like “Ugh, another mental breakdown is heading my way,” you automatically need to see if she is okay. These posts are sometimes a cry for help and could be a sign of serious mental health distress. Other times, they are attention ploys to help her self-esteem. She doesn’t feel like anyone cares for her, which is still just as troubling. In any case, sadfishing warrants a conversation with your teen girl.
The Influence of Teen Text Slang on Language and Communication
The argument is that younger generations – like Gen Z – are ruining the English language with text slang and abbreviations. However, every generation dating back to the beginning of civilization has created slang along the way of progress. This is how the English language developed into what it is today, and every generation that comes next will add its own twist to it. The key is to keep parents informed of potential dangers within the language so they can recognize the problem before it’s too late.
Resources
Social media can destroy your teen girl’s sense of self-esteem and mental health. If issues do not get addressed as they happen, she is more likely to find validation online, whether through fake accounts or talking to people she doesn’t know. Someone giving her attention and building trust can easily lure her to meet in public. Having the uncomfortable conversations even when they are tough can help her ask for mental health treatment, and open up about what has been going on in her life.
When it comes to protecting your teen girl, there is only so much you can do alone. At Roots Renewal Ranch, we understand how terrifying the world can be. We work with your teen to dive into her mental health and learn herself and what coping skills work for her. Our team can work with past traumas and provide healing in a safe space. The ranch allows her to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday stresses and focus on learning new skills such as animal caretaking. Call us today at 888-399-0489 to learn more about our program offerings.
FAQs
What is Gen Z slang?
Gen Z slang is the phrases and abbreviations typically used by those born between 1997 and 2012.
How can you understand your child’s text abbreviations?
While some text abbreviations may not make sense, they can usually be looked up on the internet and be deciphered. You can also try asking a sibling or another parent if their child is using these abbreviations.
Does text messaging affect teen literacy?
Teen literacy refers to their reading and writing level, which is based on their academic performance. Teens typically can navigate the difference when speaking through a text and for a school paper.
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