What does skills question mean and where does the term originate?

Talking to teenagers can often feel like trying to decipher a secret language. Most parents really want to know everything their kids are saying, and if you want to understand the endless slang they bring home, sometimes TikTok is the best place to start. After all, you might feel honored that your child uses slang when talking to you, as if you’re cool enough to understand them. But that means you actually have to figure out what phrases like “Fanum Tax” or “rizz” mean.

Don’t worry: We’ve got a complete dictionary of teen slang to help you learn quickly, because as parents, we know you’re busy enough. Here’s another slang term you may have heard: “skills matter.” If you’ve ever wondered what skill questions mean and where the term comes from, but don’t have the guts to ask your kids to explain it, we’ve got you covered.

Where does the terminology skills issue come from?

Know Your Meme, a digital cultural repository, meticulously traces the origins of the term skill issue all the way back to the video game community, which appeared to have emerged in early 2020. , and other video game enthusiasts have been using the term to disparage other gamers who lack the skills to successfully play a particular game.

In other words, the term “skill problem” was originally a shorthand way of referring to other players’ lack of skill. When a video game player views another player’s ability to complete a level or mission as a matter of skill, this can be viewed as a diss, or even a bullying comment, meaning their opponent is not performing well in the game.

Today, much of the online discussion around the phrase actually revolves around debates about whether people are using it correctly, especially on TikTok. As a result, even the Internet is confused about what exactly “skills question” means. But chances are, if your kids see you struggling to mow your overgrown lawn and comment that you have skill issues, they’re laughing at your ability to complete a simple task.

The meaning and explanation of skill questions

The term skill issue has moved beyond basic trash talk, and it’s not just the gaming community that uses it. In many online communities, TikTok, and even real life, skill questions are not so ironic and can generally be considered a good-natured joke.

For example, if you’re on a long drive and your car breaks down, your child might joke about “skill questions.” way to use the phrase: “I say this to my cats when they want me to open the refrigerator for them.” This more innocuous memetic use of the term “skill matter” goes back at least as far as in 2022, and it can be a little difficult to understand because it’s completely context-dependent and the tone can be applied to almost any type of accident.

How teenagers use skills

With all this information in mind, skills questions have two slightly different meanings depending on the context and who is saying it to you. Hopefully your kids will use the kinder, more sarcastic version of the phrase when talking to loved ones or friends, but if they’re gamers, they might also use it as an insult.

If you feel out of place because you have to find the meaning of skill issue, don’t feel too out of touch – it’s not heavily used on TikTok outside of the gaming community: The #skillissue hashtag on TikTok is dominated by video game content – sometimes A joke, sometimes an insult – with a title like “Skill Matters, Tell the Truth”.

But if you have a teenager who is passionate about Fortress Heroes or Roblox, you’re likely to hear this term around the house a lot – and unfortunately, they can be applied in a variety of inappropriate situations, such as when When they don’t like your kids. That’s the time to have a family meeting to discuss family values ​​and prioritize kindness over cheap jokes.

Typically, if your child accuses you of a skill issue, it’s for the sake of lighthearted fun. Our Generation Alpha kids easily read the subtext of slang, which confuses us Millennial parents. Honestly, it comes down to skill issues.