What's ^maybe^ in teenage speak, please?

BlueBelle

‘Maybe’ means *NO but I don’t want to upset the old gal *

Exactly this!

Tone of voice is everything, especially with Maybe.

Bluebell and Terribull totally agree with your translations! ‘Sure’ can mean much the same too.

Anyway my tribe will be arriving this week so I guess I'll be in for some mono syllabic answers from my teenage granddaughter who used to treat most of my suggestions with great enthusiasm, thankfully grandson still does, well reasonably so, but his time will come, I've probably got a year, maybe two at a stretch of conversational exchanges with him. Yes I do agree escaped, make the most of the magical childhood years, all too brief sadly.

I would interpret "maybe" as something along these lines "not really keen, so it's not an outright no! because I don't want to piss you off get your back up, so I'll express myself by way of least resistance, however please note my obvious lack of enthusiasm for your suggestion"

My youngest grandchild is now 17 and has just passed his driving test, so now he chats away about driving as well as politics, finance and the environment. He’s doing Politics, Business Studies and Geography A levels. We have interesting conversations! No ‘Maybes’, though ‘Like’ does feature a lot.

I’m meeting up with another grandson today for a birthday lunch. I don’t see him very often. Apart from horses, about which I know nothing, I am not sure what we will talk about. His brother has spoken like an adult since he was 9.

Wait till they are a bit older and in jobs that you have no idea what they are talking about way over your head my two that grew up near me have left me well behind
When they are talking about their work I just nod and smile sweetly like an old lady should

Sorry. The laughs were for BlueBell

😂😂

My GS has emerged from the tunnel. He is now 18. Confident, polite and chatty at last. He doesn’t grunt any more and has stopped playing games on his phone. He now is a pleasure to be around these daysA couple of years ago I was at my wits end as he was monosyllabic! So, OP, just be patient.

I feel your pain OP! My GD was still chatty and fun when she turned 13 in June. But a month later that switch has flipped. We took her out for dinner yesterday and she must have spoken 3 or 4 scowley words. She’s mortified if she has to miss part of a group ‘convo’ on her phone. Most of the ‘convos’ are about boys that they seem to wipe the floor with! I love to see them develop though, and all the changes they go through. This too shall pass!

‘Maybe’ means NO but I don’t want to upset the old gal

DH says they go into a tunnel at about 11 and emerge as normal people at about 20. Although 17 year old girls seem fairly normal, boys may take longer. It's amazing that they can still be polite to parents of friends, though 😁

Time for another look at Harry Enfield - Kevin and Perry.

I get 'Sure' as an answer instead of 'Yes, please'. I still hover around until I get the 'please' though. Manners cost nothing whatever the age.

Relationships do change over time with our DGC as they get older.
Mine are almost 14 and 16 and after some time when the eldest was stuck behind a mobile phone screen, she's now very chatty. We had a discussion about the voting age reduction the other day. The younger one has always been keen on more creative pursuits, which I am, so there's always stuff to chat about with her.
Just make the most of the fact that they don't need entertaining all day now.