Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
Pop culture is filled with cool teachers who found unique fun ways to relate to their students, well move over Jack Black – because teacher James Callahan’s slang class is in session. The Massachusetts educator at Lowell High School went viral online after one of his students posted a photo to Twitter of a four-page word document that he had created, with slang terms that he had learned from the students.
The detailed slang dictionary is filled with all the Generation Z that you may or may not be familiar with but one thing is for sure, the internet can’t get enough.
RELATED:
A student just shared her teacher’s “Generation Z Dictionary” and it’s gone viral
Image credits: mewtailv2
His student, Twitter user @Mewtailv2, was the one to share his creative document with the online community, which he titled “Callahan’s Generation Z Dictionary.” The photo shows the dictionary organized alphabetically with green and yellow color-coded columns, with the slang term on one side and his definition on the other.
Within 24 hours, the tweet received over 300,000 likes and 93,000 Retweets and @MewtailV2 said she gained over 500 new followers, but said he’s the real star, “I’m just the catalyst. He’s the cool one. He should be on Ellen. Periodt, sis, take the L, this aint it, slay the game, were definitions given by my class.”
In an interview with USA Today, the teacher explained the purpose behind his dictionary. “I often overhear students in the hallways or my classrooms using words (or) slang terms in their personal conversations, in order to understand them better, (and) make a connection with them on a personal level, I started asking them what certain words meant.”
In response to the tweet’s popularity, Callahan decided to share the entire document with the internet along with a message
“Hello, internet! I hope this comes in handy! I’m happy to offer this to the world for free, but if you’re feeling philanthropic today, please consider two options that would greatly help the students of Lowell, Massachusetts. The Lowell String Project, and Mrs. Bauer’s Donors Choose page, stay up, Mr. Callahan.”
“The typical teacher-student dynamic involves a rigid power structure, but in my experience, I’ve found that students are more engaged and perform better if I am able to reach them where they are,” Callahan told the outlet.
In the end, the educator made sure to give props to his students, “Language is so fluid, and every generation creates their own vocabulary bank of slang, the students created it, I am sort of just the archivist!”
People thought the document was hilariously brilliant
Image credits: BlvckCloud_
Image credits: Etienne_Knight
Image credits: Professor_Bauer
Image credits: lhs_sociology
Image credits: bizzarre_giogio
Image credits: traumvtic
Image credits: mewtailv2
Image credits: RosemaryAnnette
Image credits: NewVegasWhoDis
Image credits: endeverstar
Image credits: vivimontiel
Image credits: david_hecker
Image credits: BelmontSeo
Image credits: sixfour_music
133Kviews
Share on Facebook
What do you think ?
Aria Whitaker 5 years ago
Seemed more Millennial than Gen Z to me as well, but what do I know...I am part of the Oregon Trail Generation....
Load More Replies...
A Rose Among Thorns 5 years ago
I love how the definitions of smacks and snacks are basically reversed
Patrick Millet 5 years ago
he forgot Go off, oh worm? (although that might be more tmblrspeak) and Ive seen people online just say "wig"
Reilly Beryll 5 years ago
Every generation has their own slang. I love this. This is good. Thank you kind sociologist!!
Reilly Beryll 5 years ago
“This b***h empty. Y E E T”. I remember when Yeet was an exclamation of excitement.
Load More Replies... Vincent Jay 5 years ago
I try to avoid using slang. It's invented by people who are incapable of using standard language to express themselves. I can't understand why people think slang is cool; it's an expression of ignorance.
sunnyrei82 5 years ago
I loved the "cake your face" one, I might start using it, eventhough I'm a Xennial.
April Isbell Schneider 5 years ago
He's got nothing on Peter Tamony, who collected examples of slang for decades.
Malakai 5 years ago
Several of these are actually 'recycled'! Like 'jams'--that was a popular term when I was growing up in the 90s for the same thing, and I think 'bop' was popular around then, too. I think 'slam' was also used in the same way listed here a couple decades ago. It's neat how slang trends ebb and flow with every generation :)
Lunar Panda88 5 years ago
The fact that "jawn" is on the list makes me think this is around Philly
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 5 years ago
As someone who works in the linguistic and sociolinguistic fields I have only ever heard the term “Jawn” used in Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania. It’s a strange little slang term that can be used as a noun, verb, adjective...
Load More Replies...
Elaine Dodge 5 years ago (edited)
It's hilarious to see 'sis' on there. That's been an expression in southern Africa for generations! It's as old as the hills. Usually goes with 'ag' and 'man' as in 'ag sis man' and usually means 'that's disgusting'. So the definition of 'disbelief' fits.
Aria Whitaker 5 years ago (edited)
Well, here in America, it is used more like the slang "girl"....as in, "Hey sis, love that dress" or "You really going to wear that coat, sis?"
Load More Replies...
Trash Panda 5 years ago
Some of these are pretty intuitive but others are beyond my comprehension
Susanna Vesna 5 years ago
I low key didnt really understand the meaning of "finna" and "finesse" before. Thanks , professor! :)
Elisabeth Bergbom 5 years ago
This is very useful and interesting for me as a Swede since all the English we learn in school is so old and correct! Great!
Caroline Driver 5 years ago
Can't help wondering how many of these are regional to that area of America, and regional to America only, and how many have spread abroad. My daughter uses salty, but the rest of these I've not heard her use, though she may know them.
Steve Cruz 5 years ago
I see a professor who is interested in understanding, and that's awesome. When one of my favorite British movies — BEAUTIFUL THING — was first released, I read a review that decoded the slang. I remember "bubble an' squeak" — a common cheap dish made for "tea" (early supper/late lunch), commonly chopped potatoes and onions fried in a pan. It was either the sound it made cooking, or the sound you made after eating it.
Lena Hudson 5 years ago
Let's just take a moment to be in awe that we live in an age where I high schooler's tweet results in a random teacher being interviewed by USA Today in a matter if hours...v cool imo
Jasmine Hufflepuff Henderson 5 years ago
I'm a millennial and my dad and grandfather have been saying nunya for the longest time. My mom has said some of these terms since I was in third grade. I've said gotta blast, We love that/I love that in a sarcastic tone since elementary school. I've said a lot of these terms with the same definition in middle school/high school. Yeah there were some I didn't know, but at least a lot of my friends and I have said a lot of these terms...so these aren't just gen z terms
Molly Block 5 years ago
I KNEW it had to be a sociology professor before I even read the article. Sociology was my major in college!
Aria Whitaker 5 years ago
Seemed more Millennial than Gen Z to me as well, but what do I know...I am part of the Oregon Trail Generation....
Load More Replies... A Rose Among Thorns 5 years ago
I love how the definitions of smacks and snacks are basically reversed
Patrick Millet 5 years ago
he forgot Go off, oh worm? (although that might be more tmblrspeak) and Ive seen people online just say "wig"
Reilly Beryll 5 years ago
Every generation has their own slang. I love this. This is good. Thank you kind sociologist!!
Reilly Beryll 5 years ago
“This b***h empty. Y E E T”. I remember when Yeet was an exclamation of excitement.
Load More Replies... Vincent Jay 5 years ago
I try to avoid using slang. It's invented by people who are incapable of using standard language to express themselves. I can't understand why people think slang is cool; it's an expression of ignorance.
sunnyrei82 5 years ago
I loved the "cake your face" one, I might start using it, eventhough I'm a Xennial.
April Isbell Schneider 5 years ago
He's got nothing on Peter Tamony, who collected examples of slang for decades.
Malakai 5 years ago
Several of these are actually 'recycled'! Like 'jams'--that was a popular term when I was growing up in the 90s for the same thing, and I think 'bop' was popular around then, too. I think 'slam' was also used in the same way listed here a couple decades ago. It's neat how slang trends ebb and flow with every generation :)
Lunar Panda88 5 years ago
The fact that "jawn" is on the list makes me think this is around Philly
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 5 years ago
As someone who works in the linguistic and sociolinguistic fields I have only ever heard the term “Jawn” used in Philadelphia/Eastern Pennsylvania. It’s a strange little slang term that can be used as a noun, verb, adjective...
Load More Replies... Elaine Dodge 5 years ago (edited)
It's hilarious to see 'sis' on there. That's been an expression in southern Africa for generations! It's as old as the hills. Usually goes with 'ag' and 'man' as in 'ag sis man' and usually means 'that's disgusting'. So the definition of 'disbelief' fits.
Aria Whitaker 5 years ago (edited)
Well, here in America, it is used more like the slang "girl"....as in, "Hey sis, love that dress" or "You really going to wear that coat, sis?"
Load More Replies... Trash Panda 5 years ago
Some of these are pretty intuitive but others are beyond my comprehension
Susanna Vesna 5 years ago
I low key didnt really understand the meaning of "finna" and "finesse" before. Thanks , professor! :)
Elisabeth Bergbom 5 years ago
This is very useful and interesting for me as a Swede since all the English we learn in school is so old and correct! Great!
Caroline Driver 5 years ago
Can't help wondering how many of these are regional to that area of America, and regional to America only, and how many have spread abroad. My daughter uses salty, but the rest of these I've not heard her use, though she may know them.
Steve Cruz 5 years ago
I see a professor who is interested in understanding, and that's awesome. When one of my favorite British movies — BEAUTIFUL THING — was first released, I read a review that decoded the slang. I remember "bubble an' squeak" — a common cheap dish made for "tea" (early supper/late lunch), commonly chopped potatoes and onions fried in a pan. It was either the sound it made cooking, or the sound you made after eating it.
Lena Hudson 5 years ago
Let's just take a moment to be in awe that we live in an age where I high schooler's tweet results in a random teacher being interviewed by USA Today in a matter if hours...v cool imo
Jasmine Hufflepuff Henderson 5 years ago
I'm a millennial and my dad and grandfather have been saying nunya for the longest time. My mom has said some of these terms since I was in third grade. I've said gotta blast, We love that/I love that in a sarcastic tone since elementary school. I've said a lot of these terms with the same definition in middle school/high school. Yeah there were some I didn't know, but at least a lot of my friends and I have said a lot of these terms...so these aren't just gen z terms
Molly Block 5 years ago
I KNEW it had to be a sociology professor before I even read the article. Sociology was my major in college!
Related on Bored Panda
299
86