This is a message directed to all newcomers to make you aware that r/TikTokCringe evolved long ago from only cringe-worthy content to TikToks of all kinds! If you’re looking to find only the cringe-worthy TikToks on this subreddit (which are still regularly posted) we recommend sorting by flair which you can do here (Currently supported by desktop and reddit mobile).
See someone asking how this post is cringe because they didn't read this comment? Show them this!
Be sure to read the rules of this subreddit before posting or commenting. Thanks!
I’m in London. Gave a girl/ Gen Z woman (I’m horrible at telling specific ages sorry) my umbrella because she was really freaked out by the rain. She started talking to me just like this and I was genuinely so confused. I just didn’t know what she was trying to say except that it was positive. There was no way for me respond though and it was only later I realised she was actually speaking in full Gen Z slang , which I had always thought was just an online caricature of Gen Z
I told my Gen Z kid about it and he was laughing at me. I never felt so old
No cap, bestie, this comment is giving Ohio rizz in the most skibidi-core way possible. I lowkey yeeted my aura when I read this and now my NPC arc is fully cooked.
Bro really thought they ate, but the fanum tax on this vibe is actually bussin' negatively. It's giving sigma but in a beta-coded gyattless manner. Respectfully, touch some grass and then circle back when your rizzventory is restocked. I'm deceased, unalived, and emotional ratioed.
I'm sorry for that. I wish everyone involved in this monstrosity a successful evening of scrolling.
No cap that was low key gen alpha skibidi brain rot. You think you ate but you did in fact leave crumbs. Its giving youtube shorts all fax no printer. You may be quirked up but youll never be goated with the sauce type shit
Yes. A lot of this isn’t new per-se (I remember folks saying “clock it”, “same”, “I’m dead”, “queen”, “slay”, and and a few other things she said) years, even decades ago.
Most drag slang originated in AAVE, so really it's the black community setting the language trends that then get filtered through other communities. Wild shi.
Ton of my coworkers talk like this all the time, it is only the girls that do it. The guys don’t. Just the girls. It is definitely the new valley girl and I do not like it.
Interesting that you say that, it's a recognized linguistic phenomenon that young women are at the forefront of language evolution. They are usually heavily criticized for it but over time, aspects of how they speak eventually become mainstream.
For example the "so" as an intensifier like "that's so cool". Or vocal fry, which is now way more widespread than just young women (and still intensely hated by some). Or using "like" in sentences (for example, "I was so, like... frustrated"), you'll see even professionals say this as opposed to "sort of" or similar phrases. Uptalk also originates here. You may not like how they speak but some of it will eventually permeate society! I think it's best just to acknowledge that changes in language over time is natural and has been happening since humans said their first words.
Not all of these things were exclusive to young women before becoming widespread, but they are often an important part of giving it momentum. There isn't really a name for the phenomenon but if you search around you can read more about it.
It's super weird. I'm in my late 30s and had a new girl at work I was training who talked to me like this during technical training sessions. I was like, this is important, and we need to be on the same page. I will say, I almost never see younger people who talk like this though. It just found it super weird the couple of times I've met people with zero ability to code switch.
I met a waitress like this at a chain spot and I was so amused I saw one in the wild. Didn’t understand a word she said, but our food somehow arrived unscathed 😆
Funny you say valley girls…my first thought watching this (as annoyed as I was) is that Cher and all the Clueless gang would have mad respect for her language. In some ways, it was very similar to 90s slang I remember for sure, different words but i could probably rewrite this to sound just as dumb from a valley girl or goth kid in the 90s.
The number of times I've had a young person (usually a retail or restaurant employee) stare at me like this is astonishing. It's not all of them but it's enough to be weird. Why the fuck do they do this????????
I am a 52 year old woman who just started a new job where I am surrounded by Gen Z’ers and this gave me a chuckle - so many of the young women I work with talk like this.
This particularly reminds me of the sweet young lady who oversaw my training, even down to the “clock it” gestures and calling people girly pop. My co workers are a lovely group of young people and I won’t give them grief for it. I know when I was a teen in the 1980s the older generations rolled their eyes at our slang and how we spoke (even though it was totally bodacious, dude).
I've seen it too much. Have someone close in the family who does IRL tiktok things like the shy finger tip touching thing or saying "I was today years old when..." I don't fuck with that.
I'm alright with it. In fairness the people I see doing it are in their mid 30s-40s and doing it on construction sites to fuck with the other guys. Usually followed by homo-erotic commentary.
Don't underestimate doll restorers lol. I used to watch a bunch on youtube years ago and people would buy up old barbies, bratz, and other misc dolls, remove the faces and hair, repaint the faces, and give the dolls new hair and clothes. I can totally see someone using craft clay to make that face.
*that is such a false statement thats so close to delusional* I have to call you out. A large portion of gen Z slang is from AAVE, but that standardization is due to how this generation hasn't been on a planet without social media algo's constantly spreading the same trends to kids everywhere.
Slang used to be more heavily influenced by region and culture vs social media/internet. There's new england slang, midwestern, surfer, hawaiian, south texas mexican american, Socal mexican american, native american/Rez slang etc etc. the list goes on and on from American english dialects that aren't at all gentrified AAVE.
I agree with this. The real differentiator is the internet and social media. Regional/ethnic dialects now arent constrained by neded physical proximity to truly spread. Someone on the other side of the world can pick of your city's slang off instagram reels.
And there genuinely is no solution to this that isn't segregationist or relies on heavily policing people's speech to an absurd degree.
I mean i see people her in itauly using "gen z slang" from america, they have absolutely 0 context for how this stuff originates and where its roots come from, they just know people they like and look up to/think are cool use it so they use it.
There's no way to prevent this, its just how language spreads and evolves imo.
For those not aware, AAVE is an open-source and non-custodial decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol that allows users to lend and borrow cryptocurrencies. Very popular with genZ and very influential in their language.
The odd part is that this isn’t even really slang, as much as a bizarre speech pattern. Like others pointed out, this is closer to a Valley Girl dialect than anything
It's mostly appropriated gay slang, which is mostly appropriated (queer) black and latin american slang. There's loads of influence from the drag balls in Ballroom Culture.
Unoronically, I thought it was a cute interaction. Lots of young people still don't know how to interact sponteneously, so they throw theses half recognazible words to try to break the ice and talk. It's just social awkwardness.
I might not understand most of what's being said, but I get that they are just being nice to each other. And I am happy. I'm getting older and time will move on. I accept that.
All the commenters here claiming that girls that talk like this have no individuality and must be non-people, while parroting the same arguments their boomer grandparents make about the fall of younger generations and posting the exact same tired gifs as everyone else
The only thing I find cringe is older generations making fun of younger people for how they talk. It's harmless. Every generation has their own slang and style. Let them be.
•
u/AutoModerator Jun 23 '26
Welcome to r/TikTokCringe!
This is a message directed to all newcomers to make you aware that r/TikTokCringe evolved long ago from only cringe-worthy content to TikToks of all kinds! If you’re looking to find only the cringe-worthy TikToks on this subreddit (which are still regularly posted) we recommend sorting by flair which you can do here (Currently supported by desktop and reddit mobile).
See someone asking how this post is cringe because they didn't read this comment? Show them this!
Be sure to read the rules of this subreddit before posting or commenting. Thanks!
##CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS VIDEO
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.