What is “brain rot”? it probably doesn’t mean what you think

Each new generation develops its own slang. But today’s youth—the younger cohort of Generation Z, and more generally Generation Alpha—have a dialect so unique that it has its own name: “Brainrot.”

Brainrot: Gen Alpha slang explained

Brainrot is a specific part of Gen Alpha slang that comes from spending a lot of time online—often in spaces like TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, or even gaming communities like Roblox or Minecraft.

Vanessa Croft, a mother of three and secondary school teacher with a master’s degree in English language, defines it as “any phrase or phrase understood purely in the context of its use on a social media platform” A collection of words.”

It’s almost a measure of how “online” a person is, she added.

“Extensive knowledge of silly words/phrases is a key sign that a speaker is deeply immersed in online culture,” she said. “Many Gen Z/Gen Alpha users speak complete sentences made up of brain-dead words that may seem difficult to understand to others within their online community or a generation beyond.”

Tess Coward, a 25-year-old communications specialist who works at agency SolComms, admits she can be a bit also Well versed in brain rot slang, but simplifying the concepts further.

“Brain rot is when internet trends and jokes keep popping up in your head. It’s because you can’t form a sentence without internet slang,” she said. “It seeps into your life and you don’t even know you’re doing it at some point.”

try to crack

So, what is it about Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang that makes it different and confuses those of us Millennials and Gen Xers as they’ve been trying to decipher it? First, it’s all vague.

For lack of a better word, previous generations of slang often translated one-to-one with plain English. “Bling” means jewelry and shiny things. “Take a chill pest” means to relax. But “Skibbey Dee Ritz, Ohio”? It’s meta, it’s a little unhinged, it’s context-dependent. It can mean a lot of different things, or nothing at all. That’s the point. There’s an element of intentional parody in it, and the fact that most people don’t understand this is a feature, not a bug.

“I feel like terms like ‘swag’ and hashtags like #YOLO are more harmless and understandable to older generations,” Coward said. , even though I might use them, I struggle to understand what they really mean.

The next big difference is where the brain rot language comes from. The new term comes not from a popular song on the radio, but from a certain teen’s viral TikTok, or a reaction video to that TikTok, or the top-rated comments on a reaction video to a viral TikTok (really!).

While there are some interesting “translation” websites and apps that can translate Generation Alpha phrases into Gen So fast.

For older Gen Z and Millennials who are still trying to grasp this concept, you can compare Brainrot to meme culture. Not only are there countless memes circulating, but they are constantly being remixed and transformed; memes reference other memes, and then new memes reference variations of those memes. Unless you have all the knowledge, it can get very confusing and difficult to understand. Knowledge (Yet another brain-dead term!) has come up before.

Is “brain rot” really that bad?

According to reports, academic institutions in many parts of the world have banned the use of idiotic slang in the classroom. It’s easy to see how some jargon might annoy teachers because they encourage correct spelling, grammar and phrasing – but is brain rot really all bad?

Stefano Lodola, language teacher and owner of Think Languages, puts it very well.

“[These terms] Becomes shorthand for expressing complex ideas or emotions. This language is not just arbitrary; It often reflects the humor, values ​​and experiences of the generation that uses it.

So just because their secret internal language comes from Snapchat doesn’t mean it’s any less valid than the slang of previous generations. While that’s great for the kids, what about the parents who are left struggling to keep up?

Lodola says the best thing parents can do is ask their kids about the lingo and use these learning conversations to build deeper connections.

“Instead of dismissing this as nonsense, we should ask [your kids] What these terms mean and how they are used. This can start conversations, help bridge generational gaps, and give you insight into the digital culture your children are part of. Embracing the curiosity that language naturally inspires can turn seemingly obstacles into shared learning experiences.

If you want to try adding the occasional “rizz” or “gyatt” to your speech, more power to you.

Croft adds, “While my own kids cringe when I use their brain-rotten slang at them, I find it a useful bonding tool. After all, language is a tool that both unites us and Something that can drive us apart.