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Gen Z Revives Boomer Slang: 'Lasses' and 'Scran' Go Viral
31 Jan
Summary
- Gen Z is embracing forgotten slang words from previous generations.
- Slang like 'lasses' and 'scran' has seen a significant increase in usage.
- There is a growing trend towards reviving even older Victorian-era slang.
Younger generations are rediscovering and popularizing slang terms that were once commonplace among older demographics. Language learning app Preply notes a significant surge in the use of these 'once-forgotten' phrases on social media platforms. This resurgence includes terms like 'lasses,' which has seen a 211% increase in usage, and 'scran,' up by 113%.
This trend highlights Gen Z's fascination with the 'quirky charm and unique humour' of older vocabularies. The popularity extends to phrases like 'Bob's your uncle,' meaning 'there you go,' and 'gagged,' signifying astonishment. British slang, in particular, is gaining traction among American Gen Zs, with words like 'cheeky,' 'nutter,' and 'bugger' becoming more common, further boosted by cultural influences like music artists and reality television.
Looking even further back, there's a burgeoning movement, particularly on TikTok, to bring back Victorian slang for 2026. Terms such as 'got the morbs' (feeling low), 'butter upon bacon' (overly extravagant), and 'bricky' (brave) are being explored, suggesting an ongoing and expanding interest in linguistic history.
