Photo: Jasmine Masters/YouTube Where did “sksksk” come from and why can’t we stop saying it? The why is surprisingly simple: “Humans interact with each other and they’re social and when they find something funny, they repeat it,” says Gretchen McCulloch, internet linguist and author of Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language. But since internet words are often so new, their origins are hard to pin down. Some, like “milkshake duck,” come from very specific tweets.
Basic Bitch: Someone who follows trends a little too closely. Similar to a local , it evolved from Black English where it meant boring or unsophisticated. Now, it’s associated with white women, Starbucks, UGG boots, and more.Burner: Anything that cannot be traced or is a secret. For example, a burner Twitter account cannot be traced back to you.
Cursed: Originated from the Tumblr Cursed Images. Then it became a Twitter account. Now it’s used more generally for anything uncomfortable, unsettling, or ridiculous.Do It for the Vine: Came from a rap track about using the app. It originally meant to do something for the purpose of going viral on Vine . Now that Vine is dead, “Do it for the Vine” is just a dare.
Lowkey: Used when something needs to be kept secret or subtle, or to regard something with low intensity. OOMF: One of my followers. It’s a way to subtweet another user without explicitly calling them out or being too vague.Red Pill: Inspired by The Matrix, it originally meant to accept a hard truth. In recent years, it’s evolved into a verb meaning to be radicalized to the conservative right and is often linked to misogyny and white supremacy.Shade: Typically a backhanded compliment, throwing “shade” is to insult someone. Originated from drag culture.