How to upgrade your outdated acronyms to keep up with Gen Z β swap YOLO for DIFTP and ROFL for the skull emoji
- A new study reveals the popular abbreviations that Generation Z considers “old.”
- Luckily, there are some simple swaps you can make to keep up with the youngsters
Whether it’s downloading TikTok or indulging in the latest fashion trend, many of us are trying to do our part to stay ‘with the kids’.
But one important thing that could be giving away your age is your use of abbreviations.
A new survey from Currys has revealed the popular abbreviations that Gen Z considers ‘old’ β and that’s not good news if you’re still using OMG, YOLO or LMAO.
“If you’re still sticking to certain acronyms in your text conversations, you may be subconsciously indicating your age,” says Currys.
Luckily, help is available, as Currys has revealed the easy swaps you can make to keep up with Gen Z.
A new survey from Currys has revealed the popular abbreviations that Gen Z considers ‘old’
In the research, Currys wanted to understand the role of acronyms in the everyday lives of British people.
A group of 2,018 participants were asked about the most and least recognizable acronyms, and how they perceive people who use the acronyms.
The results showed that YOLO (You Only Live Once) came out on top as the acronym that Gen-Z respondents considered the most outdated.
This was followed by LMAO (35 percent consider it outdated), G2G (34 percent), LOL (32 percent) and ROFL (31 percent).
βWhile some acronyms are outdated, it can seem like it’s impossible to keep track of how quickly new abbreviations emerge, so it’s important to use the abbreviations you’re comfortable with,β Currys reassured.
If you’re still using these outdated abbreviations regularly, there’s good news.
Currys has created a glossary of alternative terms deemed more acceptable to Generation Z.
Whether it’s downloading TikTok or indulging in the latest fashion trend, many of us are trying to do our part to stay ‘with the kids’. But one important thing that could be giving away your age is your use of abbreviations
| If you were to use this | Use this instead |
|---|---|
| Yolo you only live once) | DIFTP (does it for the plot) |
| LMAO (laughs) | IJBOL (I burst out laughing) |
| ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing) | Skull emoji |
| GR8 | That blows |
| OMG (oh my god) | High five emoji |
| KK | Stake |
βWe took the most results from Gen-Z for the most outdated acronyms and combined them with a newer, hipper version to use so you can speak their language,β the tech company said.
Instead of YOLO, Currys suggests using DIFTP (Do It For The Plot).
LMAO can be replaced with IJBOL (I Just Burst Out Laughing), while you can simply opt for a skull emoji over ROFL.
Meanwhile, the ‘high five’ emoji can be used in place of the old-fashioned OMG.
As part of the research, Currys also looked at the acronyms most Brits don’t understand.
TNTL (Try Not To Laugh) topped the list, with just three percent of Brits understanding what this means.
LBR (Let’s Be Real) was next (understood by four percent), followed by SNM (Say No More), which only seven percent of Brits understood.