When you hear someone say they feel so cooked, or use the term unalive instead of “dead”, you’re witnessing more than youthful slang — you’re witnessing a linguistic shift driven by algorithms, identity, culture and global digital communities.
Linguist Adam Aleksic explores this evolving terrain and argues that social-media platforms are not just showing us new words — they’re shaping how language changes, how identities form, and how communities relate. Below, we unpack that claim, add deeper layers, and examine what’s missing from much of the coverage.
The Mechanics: Why Words Like unalive and rizz Matter
- Some words are invented or take on new forms because of platform constraints. For instance, words like unalive emerged in part because automated moderation or algorithmic suppression penalises certain terms. As Aleksic observes, some youth use unalive as a euphemism for death or self-harm because “kill”, “dead” or “suicide” may trigger algorithmic filters.
- Social-media algorithms favour repetition, novelty and engagement: a catchy audio clip, a meme, or a trending hashtag can spread a word quickly. Video creators intentionally adopt trending words like rizz, skibbidi, gyat because they know those will boost visibility.
- New words spread fast — what might once have taken years to move from niche group into mainstream now can happen in weeks or months. The combination of algorithmic amplification + global access accelerates linguistic change.
- Identity, belonging and community formation: Hashtags, niche aesthetics (e.g., cottagecore, goblincore) and slang help people signal membership or subculture affiliation. The algorithm aids this by recommending similar content if you engage with a tag or word-cluster.
- Cultural layering and appropriation: Many of the popular new slangs originate in marginalized communities (particularly Black and queer communities). Yet when they become mainstream, the meanings often shift or get stripped of origin, and the original community may lose control of the term’s evolution.
What the Original Coverage Covered (And What It Didn’t)
The original article/episode outlines the algorithm-driven nature of slang, gives examples like unalive, rizz, and emphasises how social media changes language. What it did not fully explore:
- Global linguistic variation: While the focus is often on English-language slang (U.S./UK), social-media-driven language change is also active in other languages — localised slang, multi-lingual borrowings, cross-language memes.
- Institutional or formal consequences: The impact on schooling, politics, legal texts, workplaces. For example: what happens when students write unalive in an essay? Or when professional communication must adapt?
- Long-term stability of new words: Are these changes ephemeral? Do they become part of formal dictionaries? What determines which words “stick”?
- Deeper algorithmic mechanics: While algorithmic influence is cited, less is said about the deliberate design by platforms (e.g., reward systems, engagement metrics, user-profiling) and how that shapes word popularity.
- Power dynamics and monetisation: How slang becomes commercialised (brands adopt/slang, niche aesthetics are monetised), how identity signalling feeds into consumer behaviour, and how language becomes part of marketing ecosystems.
- Psychological or social implications: The effect of rapid language change on older generations, cross-generational communication gaps, identity confusion, or exclusion of those unfamiliar with the evolving lexicon.
- Resistance and preservation: How some communities push back, retain older forms, or develop anti-algorithm-driven languages.
- Ethical dimension of moderation & censorship: The link between moderation rules, user innovation in language (to evade them), and the unintended consequence of new coded words (sometimes used for harmful content).
Expanded Themes & Examples
Algorithmic Censorship and Language Innovation
When platforms moderate words like “suicide” or “kill”, users invent alternatives like unalive or use coded language. That’s linguistically interesting: it shows language morphing not purely for expression, but in response to digital constraints.
Virality and Memetic Slang
Take the song-meme “Rizzler” which included words like rizz, skibbidi, giat. Because creators used those in viral clips, the words reached mass audiences fast. The algorithm rewarded repetition and engagement — so the language spread widely.
Identity Aesthetics and Slang Economy
Words like cottagecore, goblincore, angelcore started as aesthetic categories but evolved into language clusters tied to identity. The algorithm uses your engagement to feed you more of the same. Language becomes part of lifestyle branding.
Cultural Roots, Appropriation and Dilution
Many modern slang terms entered mainstream from Black and queer communities. When they become mainstream, their origins fade. Words like slay, queen, bussin, cooked, ate, gyat are now widespread — but often divorced from original context. That raises questions about appropriation and linguistic justice.
Commercialisation of Language
Brands and influencers harness trending words. The algorithm incentivises using trending tags. Slang becomes part of marketing (“Get the drip”, “so cooked”, etc.). Language becomes product.
Effects on Formal Communication & Education
If students are writing “unalive” in essays, educators must adapt. Formal registers may lag. Older generations may feel alienated. Corporations face internal communication issues when younger employees bring novel lexicon.
Global, Multi-Language Dynamics
English dominates many platforms, but the same patterns exist in Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi, Arabic. Slang spreads across borders. Words are imported, exported, hybridised. Language change becomes globalised.
Responsible Awareness
Aleksic argues we shouldn’t panic — the change is not “ruining” language. Instead we should be aware: of algorithmic influence, of the origins of words, of the identity dynamics at play. Being conscious empowers users to use language thoughtfully, rather than unconsciously being “shaped by the algorithm”.
What This Means for You
- Notice when you use or hear a word you don’t recognise — ask: where did it come from?
- Recognise the role of platforms: what you say may be influenced by what gets boosted.
- Appreciate cultural origins of slang — using words respectfully matters.
- Be aware of generational gaps — language evolves faster online.
- In professional or formal settings, be flexible — but also deliberate.
- As a creator or communicator: understanding trending language may help engagement — but authenticity and awareness matter more.
- Recognise that language change is natural — this isn’t necessarily “the end” of language, but a new phase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are new slang words like unalive bad for language?
A: Not inherently. Language has always changed. What’s different now is the speed and mechanism (social media + algorithms). The concern is less about “bad” and more about how language changes, who controls it, and whether the change is inclusive and conscious.
Q: Do these online slang words stay around?
A: Some do; some fade. Words that gain wide recognition may enter dictionaries or become part of non-slang registers. Others remain niche or go out of use. Factors include cultural penetration, adaptability, and whether the word fills a need.
Q: Why are many of these slang words from Black or queer communities?
A: Marginalised communities often innovate language as a form of identity, resistance or belonging. Social media amplifies those innovations. But when they become mainstream, the cultural specificity may be lost, resulting in appropriation concerns.
Q: What role do algorithms play exactly?
A: Algorithms determine what content is shown, boosted or suppressed based on metrics like engagement, repetition, novelty and user behaviour. Words tied to viral content get more visibility, which means language evolves partly in response to what the algorithm rewards.
Q: Does this mean our language is being “ruined” or “destroyed”?
A: Most linguists would say no. Language change is constant. The difference is scale and technology. Instead of fearing change, we can understand it — why it happens, how it happens, and what it reveals about culture and communication.
Q: How should educators or professionals respond to this shift?
A: Stay less focused on policing “wrong words” and more on understanding: teach students the origins and implications of new slang; encourage code-switching (knowing when to use informal vs formal registers); adapt communication to changing norms while maintaining clarity.
Q: Are there risks associated with this trend?
A: Yes. Some risks include: harmful ideologies using euphemisms to evade moderation; cultural appropriation; generational miscommunication; corporate exploitation of identity language for marketing; and the potential for exclusion of those outside trending lexicons.
Final Word
We are not “cooked” — but we are in the middle of a linguistic shift, one shaped significantly by social media, algorithms and culture. Rather than resist it, we can engage with it thoughtfully: understand where language comes from, recognise how our words connect with identity and power, and use our awareness to communicate more clearly and conscientiously. The words we choose matter — both for ourselves and for the communities we inhabit.
Sources NPR
