In the midst of a presidential election year, it's no surprise one of the trendiest slang terms of 2016 was political: "woke" (adj.) defined as being aware of racism and social injustice.
However, when the Internet gets its grubby little keystrokes on a new trend, the reappropriation is rapid. So, now "woke" is also defined on Urban Dictionary as "a state of perceived intellectual superiority one gains by reading 'The Huffington Post.'" With the bastardization of the term, it's likely no one will wear the "woke" label by this time next year.
The power of slang lies either in its newness or its irony. So which words are still fresh for 2017 and which ones can make a retro comeback?
Can we highkey get rid of “on fleek? Has “suh?” replaced “sup?” What’s your favorite, current synonym for “cool?" Do people say “RT” out loud now? And do you know what “mom” and “dad” means right now?
Guest:
Emmy Favilla, Global Copy Chief at BuzzFeed