8 Words Or Phrases That Instantly Reveal Someone’s Age Bracket As Soon As They Use Them
AJR_photo | ShutterstockFiguring out someone's age isn't always simple. Some 50-year-olds have barely aged since their mid-twenties and some hard-living 35 year-olds look ancient. Instead of relying on appearances, it's smart to listen to what they say.
According to a study published in the Journal Of Humanities And Social Science, slang words are so significant that Gen Z viewed them as tools for social acceptance, recognition, and alignment. But are you up to speed? If not, these eight can help you get there.
8 words and phrases that instantly reveal someone's age as soon as they say them:
1. 'Lay it on me'
pics five | Shutterstock
The hippie movement introduced a ton of color into their vocabulary. From calling things groovy to talking about vibes, boomers had it all.
One underrated phrase boomers often say is, "Lay it on me." They didn't just tell people to speak their mind. Boomers had to say everything in fashion.
When they were young, they got a lot of hate for how they talked. Their parents' generation considered their slang just another aspect of their slacker attitudes and disrespect. But, as the APA explains, "Slang’s capacity to add color, rhythm, and playfulness to language may boost that narrative appeal, making stories feel more vivid and rewarding for listeners."
This is why 'lay it on me' is so fun. Not only does it show someone's age, but it's great for capturing someone's attention instantly.
2. 'Talk to the hand'
There's nothing wrong with a sassy phrase here and there. Back when being edgy was cool, it wasn't enough to tell someone to be quiet. Everyone had to say it in the funniest way possible. This is why people in the 1990s coined the phrase, "Talk to the hand."
You can make fun of them all you want, but this was peak commentary. Feeling fed up and wanting to walk out in style, uttering this phrase made Gen X and elder millennials feel pretty much invincible.
3. 'YOLO'
Nobody can explain it, but for some reason the YOLO era symbolizes a time when people took big risks. Maybe they really were all about living their best lives, or maybe it was just the cool thing to say. While the the phrase YOLO first popped up in early 2000s TV, including Daymond Green on Shark Tank, it was made widely popular by Drake in the song The Motto
Regardless of who said it, this phrase was uttered by every millennial and Gen Z out there, and maybe even some of their Gen X parents. Especially in the mid to early 2000s, it was one phrase we couldn't get away from.
4. 'Adulting'
DimaBerlin | Shutterstock
Many adults despise being an adult. If given the choice, most would stay home and watch reruns on TV and wait for Mom to cook dinner rather than listen to the wailing of their coworkers, at least for a day or two.
Unfortunately, we all have responsibilities we must perform. It sucks, but driving to work and helping kids with their homework is just another adult reality.
Still, just because we have responsibilities doesn't mean we can't come up with a cool word for it. Adulting was a popular Twitter buzzword in the early 2000s. Often used to complain, if someone says this word, they're either millennials or elder Gen Z and they probably have a grievance to share about how hard it is to be an adult these days!
5. 'Drag'
Life can get pretty boring. Work slows down, and relationships fizz out. However, boomers didn't just say they were bored or disappointed in a normal way, they called things a bummer or a drag.
If this sounds like something Shaggy would say in Scooby-Doo, that's because Shaggy was peak boomer, and a Hippie to boot! The character was 17 years old in the first episode of the popular cartoon, which aired in 1969.
It wasn't that Hippie boomers were playing a character like Shaggy, their vocabulary was seriously that cool. They always expressed themselves in creative ways. Especially during the hippie movement, boomers were quite colorful.
So if you hear someone say this, there's a high chance you're probably talking to a boomer, or maybe an elder Gen X who were kids during its peak usage.
6. 'It's giving...'
Gen Z popularized a lot of phrases, and "it's giving" is one of the most distinct. This phrase has been around for a while, however, Gen Z boosted it back into popularity. Especially in the 2020s, you couldn't go onto a TikTok comment section without running into this phrase. What makes it unique is that you'll almost never hear anyone over the age of 35. Unlike other slang phrases, it did not creep into general lexicon, no matter how often Gen Z used it.
Originally, it was often followed by a specific mood, like "It's giving...depression". From there it evolved into combinations of other TikTok slang, like "it's giving girl dinner".
Even now, Gen Z uses it, including at work. Out on a dinner date with their best friend, when they say this phrase, they're either being really nice or really mean. For Gen Z at least, there's no in-between.
7. 'No cap'
KaterynaUKR | Shutterstock
It isn't enough to say "truthfully". In a world that's becoming meme-focused, Gen Z finds creative ways to express themselves. Always ahead of the curve, another creative phrase they've coined is, "No cap."
It may not be your cup of tea, but as scholars at BYU write, "While new slang terms might sound strange or even absurd to those who don’t use those terms, slang creates a sense of belonging among those who do."
So, if you hear a Gen Zer say this, feel free to join in. It sounds awkward at first, but it's a true bonding moment. Either that, or you'll be laughed out of town.
8. 'Cool beans'
Nobody knows how beans can be cool, but that didn't stop those born in the 70s and 80s from using this phrase during their peak 1990s and early 2000s era. They were full of creativity back then. If something was exciting, they didn't just squeal or say it out right. In a quirky but cool way, they'd say, "Cool beans."
Unfortunately, this phrase isn't used as much. Unless you encounter someone who grew up in the 80s or 90s, you won't hear this. In a world where slang is constantly evolving, "cool beans" has been replaced with newer words.
This is why, if you hear someone say this, they were either trying to be retro or were using it in the 90s.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and trending topics.
