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Regional studies always get us excited: what are the things that people love most about New York? What is the dirtiest zip code in town? Are we really the worst city for driving?
A new such survey by WordTips specifically focuses on the sorts of phrases that define New Yorkese, the unofficial local language we like to claim as our own, looking at citizens' favorite and most hated slang terms.
Although folks' preferences certainly deserve our attention, it's the highlighted words that we can't stop thinking about... because we are not entirely sure what they mean.
To that intent, below find New York's favorite and least favorite slang terms and what, exactly, they translate to.
Most loved slang words:
Cringe: Pretty widely used, cringe refers to an action that is so awkward that makes everyone around feel embarrassed. Some of former Mayor Bill de Blasio's public appearances were, well, cringe-worthy (remember when he issued that "FOMO alert?")
Yerrr/Yurrr: Think of yurrr as the new "wasssup." Fun fact: the term is mostly used in New York and New Jersey.
Whip: Not exactly "new," the word whip refers to a car.
Deadass: Deadass doesn't only mean serious, it means New York serious—that is: you better get your act together before things get real. According to Dictionary.com, the word first surfaced in New York City slang in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Who says trends don't last?
Snack: A snack is a good looking person that you wouldn't mind, well, munching on? Latest example: The Bear's Jeremy Allen White, a literal snack in the latest Calvin Klein underwear billboards that rightfully went viral.
Most hated slang words:
Brolic: According to the Urban Dictionary, brolic means "tough, muscular, macho, aggressive" and its origins are apparently linked to Dragon Ball Z, an anime filled with, well, brolic folks.
Yas/Yaaas: This one, we know: yas is like saying yes but with oh-so-much-more enthusiasm. Imagine someone telling you that your neighborhood coffee shop is giving out free cups of coffee today. The only feasible reaction to that would be, “yaaas!”
Gucci: No, it has nothing to do with the luxe brand. Gucci simply means “cool” or “good” and it first showed up in local conversations back in 2008.
Real talk: Consider real talk a direct reference to the state of being a New Yorker, which unofficially requires you to always say things straight-up and as candidly as possible—despite the potential consequences.
Peep: Your peeps are your people!