6 Phrases Millennials Used That Would Make Gen Alpha Crash Out
RDNE Stock project | Pexels Millennials get a lot of heat from the younger cohorts, and their slang is now fuel for their ridicule.
Everything from how they addressed their friends to weird phrases meant to express their annoyance isn't old enough to be cool again quite yet, and that means that even though nonsensical phrases like 6/7 are okay with Gen Alpha, millennial slang is too cringe for the kids.
1. 'Home skillet'
Home skillet was popular during the '90s but regained its fame in the 2000s because it was frequently used in the show "That's So Raven". This phrase was alternated with "home slice," which eventually evolved into "homie".
fizkes | Shutterstock
While "homie" has carried over into the 2020s, it's been replaced by the more modern "fam" or the timeless "bro." Even though it's seen as outdated now, we still refer to our friends with affectionate nicknames, which isn't all too different from dropping "home skillet" every now and then.
2. 'Cool beans'
The term gained popularity when D.J. Tanner used it in the hit series "Full House." The term means "okay" or "sounds good" and developed from the mid-19th-century saying "some beans."
The saying has lost its popularity over time, being on a similar wavelength to "awesome sauce." Yet it still holds a whimsical nostalgia, so if you do drop it in a group of millennials, it'll have people saying, "I haven't heard that in forever!
3. 'Whatever major loser'
When someone whips out this saying, paired with the hand movements, you know they're either a millennial or a Disney kid (or both).
The phrase and the partnered hand movement originated in the 2008 film "Camp Rock." It was almost always accompanied by a W, E, M, and L, all written out with your hand. Seen as a good comeback at school, to your enemy, or even as a gag between friends, the easy four-symbol phrase was seen everywhere.
STUDIO GRAND WEB | Shutterstock
The explosion of WEML is proof that everyone in the '90s and 2000s was a little sassy... a good comeback made you super cool at the time! Now, kids will call each other "chopped," no hand movements involved.
4. 'That's bomb'
This was also seen as "that's bomb dot com" when someone ate something tasty, had a stylish outfit, or saw a good movie. This may be outdated, but the phrase has evolved into similar sayings over time.
The resurgence of different iterations of "that's cool" has come in waves. We've also gotten "fire," which isn't far off from"lit." They all mean the same thing; it's just an easier way to show your approval of something.
5. 'Talk to the hand'
Yet another gesture that had many different versions added on. "Talk to the hand because the face doesn't understand" or "talk to the left because you aren't right" were all used to express some sass.
One of the earliest examples of this within media was in the show "Martin", popular during the mid-90s for its plot about a Detroit DJ. The movement was likely inspired by everyday urban life, even citing campus slang from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
pathdoc | Shutterstock
One of the stars of the show, Tisha Campbell, admitted that she didn't think it would gain so much popularity. "'Somebody's gonna get their hand cut off," Campbell chided at the time. Despite her mild disapproval, the saying and motion were seen throughout the '90s and into the early 2000s.
6. 'YOLO'
This is a classic that has still stuck around to this day. This saying, meaning You Only Live Once, was a way of reasoning when making a possibly questionable choice. You only live once... so live it up while you can!
The survival of sayings such as YOLO proves that the same kind of language either evolves into something similar or never really goes away. We recycle slang to fit contemporary meanings, but they all boil down to the same meaning. If you drop "cool beans" around a kid and they look disgusted, remind them that it's not too far off from "bet."
Gabrielle Mattes is a writer working towards a Creative Writing degree. Her focus is lifestyle, wellness, human interest, and relationships.
