Woke Language

Paul McCartney is in trouble, it’s his standard response IRL👍🎼

LauraNorderr

I suppose if you want to say okay, understood the word would be ‘Roger’
A whole new pearl clutching situation there.

🤣🤣🤣🤣
(That means your post made me laugh.

I think the thumbs-up is now supposed to mean "Yeah yeah, whatever" (as in "change the record, I'm bored with this and I don't care what you think anyway"). I'm kind of glad that young people are starting to invent their own use of words again - just about sick of them saying "cool" every five minutes as though it wasn't even thought of in the 1950s jazz generation.

I suppose if you want to say okay, understood the word would be ‘Roger’
A whole new pearl clutching situation there.

Lathyrus3

What do they use then to indicate that they don’t want to “talk” anymore.

Do you just not answer?

🤐 ??

Our family WhatsApp group age range is 9-74 the 👍🏻 emoji is used by all .

It’s shorthand for yes/ok

Not thinking of stopping anytime soon.

What do they use then to indicate that they don’t want to “talk” anymore.

Do you just not answer?

Presumably putting OK at the end of your post would also be seen as a termination of the conversation by those who see 👍 that way.
I suppose I should now be offended by this text conversation today.
Grandma, please could you pick me up?
Yes, what time?
About 3.45 please.
From the usual place?
👍
Good that we both understood what it meant.

Valdali you posted while I was typing, you've expressed it better than me!

My sons and I all use it to react to a text that doesn't need a written reply. It does 'stop' those repeated back and forth 'thanks' 'no problem' type of texts. Not posted as a text but using the reaction mode and appears beside their text as a"I've seen this" notification. When it's really good news it can be a heart, if funny a HaHa etc

It's very convenient to end a conversation with when you've said all there is to say & recieve what seems like a "signing off" text. Otherside you can go backwards & forwards with no-one wanting be the one to not reply!

I can only think that gen Z feel they need to be available to their friends' comms to the second they're posted, all their waking hours. That would be a recipe for poor mental health, for me personally.

Wyllow3

I don't think it's a 'woke thing' - no one has "taught" genZ the "new"meaning, it's casual language evolving - the new meaning is a new one on me. I also cant see why its a "stopper". It can mean I suppose "fine and thank you" but also "fine lets continue".

I agree. It isn't woke just another "language" evolving.

I don't like emojis, especially when used on their own. I prefer real words but that's just me.

Occasionally, I catch Richard Osman's House of Games where they sometimes have an round where the title of something: book, film, TV show has to be depicted in emojis. I can never work it out.

I understand why it seems that way, although I sometimes use it. If it's used after a message such as 'I'm waiting under the clock' it just means 'message received' and is fine.

If it is used after a conversation it does seem to say 'over and out' which could be perceived as a bit rude.

I don't think the British are very good at this sort of thing, are we?

The urban dictionary confirms its now seen at least as ambiguous.

I don't think it's a 'woke thing' - no one has "taught" genZ the "new"meaning, it's casual language evolving - the new meaning is a new one on me. I also cant see why its a "stopper". It can mean I suppose "fine and thank you" but also "fine lets continue".

eazybee

The fact that the poster's granddaughter confirmed that it is now aggressive says it all. Is the correct use of language and signs to be dictated by teenagers/young people?

I often check in with my GCs about modern usage; not because they are the arbiters but because they are taught to use language and symbols in a certain way at school.

I think what they are taught is dictated by school policy following decisions made, presumably, by older educators not teenagers.

Sorry, middle finger, not index finger 😁, getting myself muddled there.

I always thought it was the single index finger gesture that was rude. Never heard of the 👍🏼 being rude, so will continue to use it where appropriate. I’m sure context is everything.

This from last summer explains:

english.elpais.com/lifestyle/2024-08-26/the-emoji-revolution-and-how-the-thumbs-up-came-to-be-passive-aggressive-and-old-fashioned.html

Generation Z consider it passive aggressive, while older people believe it is used as a sign of affirmation and agreement.

… it has a new function and is used to stop a conversation,” … “When you use this emoji at the end of a message, it seems somewhat blunt, because it indicates that the conversation is over. That is why some people think that its use is passive aggressive.

… this is precisely what happened with the laughing emoji, which ended up having a sarcastic nuance; now it is the turn of the thumbs-up emoji.

You see that used on this platform a lot - laughing emojis as sarcasm.

I don’t use emojis as I find them unnecessary but I had friends who would often respond with a thumbs up. I don’t think I’d label it passive aggressive but it did definitely feel like the other person was putting an end to the exchange when sometimes I thought there was more to say.

I shall carry on using it.

Saves a lot of unnecessary typing.

Another I want to change the accepted meaning to suit me decision. 😴

The fact that the poster's granddaughter confirmed that it is now aggressive says it all. Is the correct use of language and signs to be dictated by teenagers/young people?

In British sign language the thumbs up is used to denote agreement, positivity, and acceptance.

Those people who don’t like it are free to stop using it but I will continue to use it as will many others. A storm in a teacup.

I think friends know you and know you are not being aggressive 👍