Thank god for that explanation- I was wondering what the hell a clapback was

As much as language custodians try to pretend otherwise, language is fluid and dynamic. It evolves over time. Old terms become antiquated as new terms become vogue. It's far from a new phenomenon, and it's not unique to any one language. Urban vernacular tends to set the trend nowadays. It starts as colloquial slang, and then it'll be featured in a song or some celebrity will be heard using it, and before long it'll gain mainstream acceptance. The process is even faster now with social media. No amount of pissing and moaning will ever change that. Deal with it.

Funny thing about language, it's always changing. Weird, right? Always evolving. Does the word clapback need to die... or just your approach? Let's just all start speaking Olde English again, right? Let's just get rid of all synonyms because there are words for it already, right? Get outta here. Fetch never happened (except in a movie), clapback has already BEEN a thing that you were unaware of. Maybe you're just out of touch. I swear some of you snooty intellectual types are worse than children.

Although I agree with you unfortunately we can't stop them, remember Shakespeare invented over a 100 words not that I'm comparing him to this new generation. Lol at mean girls reference.

Language is a thing, it's a thing that always changes. Funny how it evolves. Does the word clapback need to die... or just your approach? Let's just all start talking Olde English again, right? Let's just get rid of all synonyms because there are already words for these things. Get outta here.

A "clapback" is not simply a reply or response. It doesn't solely pertain to email either. It's most like a comeback to a rude comment. I think it's a great word/expression, it evokes the visual of a very angry woman up in someone's face, with a very angry response, while making angry clapping at them.

After repeating something a few times (I'm a high school teacher), when I've had it I'll just say, "Ask someone who listened".

As a student I attended so many courses in which I just wanted to stand up and scream "It is on Blackboard! Learn to read and follow instructions!" Which is probably why I have a degree in education but do not teach.