Let's Talk About AAVE! (P-Z)
Black language is not your Internet slang.
Note: Due to the length of the original article, it was separated into two sections. For a list of AAVE terminology from A to O, see Part One.
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P
■ Packing
Meaning: a word used to describe a larger than average AMAB genitalia. (ie: Damn, he's packing!")
What to use instead: Nothing. Why are we commenting on the size of other people's genitals? That's creepy and unnecessary.
■ Pop Off!
Meaning: to describe someone's accomplishment, or something going well (ie: you passed your test? Pop off!")
What to use instead: Other congratulatory terms such as "Good job!" or "Way to go!"
■ Pressed
Meaning: to be angry, upset, or offended.
What to use instead: Words like stressed, rattled, upset, bothered, or angry.
■ Period/Periodt
Meaning: to express approval, end a sentence, or emphasize an idea.
What to use instead: Nothing.
Q
■ Queen
Meaning: a term of endearment used to refer to a beautiful woman.
What to use instead: Words like beautiful and synonyms: such as stunning, exquisite, ravishing, gorgeous, or ethereal.
R
■ Rando
Meaning: A random person.
What to use instead: Stranger works fine.
■ Read [someone]
Meaning: To read someone is to point out their flaws.
What to use instead: You can replace a read with a roast. Or just don't be a dick.
■ Real
Meaning: to express the difficulty of something (ie: the struggle is real).
What to use instead: You can express difficulty or acknowledge that you relate to something.
S
■ Salty
Meaning: to be bitter or jealous.
What to use instead: Other words that mean jealous, upset, or hostile.
■ School/Schooling
Meaning: to educate or put someone in their place.
What to use instead: Instead of schooling someone, you are educating or reminding them.
■ [Throwing] Shade
Meaning: to gossip or speak negatively of someone.
What to use instead: Instead of someone throwing shade, they're disrespecting, gossiping, or insulting.
■ Shook
Meaning: to be surprised or shaken up by something.
What to use instead: Words like shocked, rattled, astonished, or similar adjectives.
■ Side eye
Meaning: to be suspicious or skeptical.
What to use instead: Instead of side eyeing someone, you could roll your eyes at them or not take them seriously.
■ Simp
Meaning: to be overly desperate toward a love interest.
What to use instead: Nothing.
■ Slay
Meaning: to look good or complete something to perfection.
What to use instead: You can tell someone they perfected or dominated something.
■ [Spilling] Tea
Meaning: to gossip.
What to use instead: Nothing.
■ Stan
Meaning: to adore or be a big fan of something or someone.
What to use instead: Say "I adore that" or "I'm obsessed with that."
■ Sus
Meaning: suspicious.
What to use instead: suspicious, or similar words.
■ Swag/Swagger
Meaning: to be cool or confident.
What to use instead: Other adjectives that describe a person's demeanour, such as confident, smooth, self-assured, or smug.
T
■ Thick | Thicc
Meaning: a curvaceous body.
What to use instead: Adjectives like curvy or voluptuous.
■ Thirst/Thirsty
Meaning: desperate, usually for attention.
What to use instead: Adjectives like desperate.
■ Thot
Meaning: an acronym used to characterize female figures.
What to use instead: Nothing.
■ Tight
Meaning: cool, neat, or interesting.
What to use instead: other synonyms of cool: such as exciting, awesome, fascinating. I'm also fond of older slang words like rad and gnarly.
■ Trash
Meaning: something really bad, or lacking in quality.
What to use instead: negative adjectives such as poor, awful, atrocious, terrible, or horrendous.
■ Tussle
Meaning: fight.
What to use instead: the word fight.
■ Tweak/Tweaking
Meaning: a verb similar to lag, used to describe a person or thing whose behaviour is abnormal.
What to use instead: Describe slow movements of electronics with words/phrases like "lagging" or "being slow". Describe someone's abnormal behaviour as eccentric, unusual, odd, or atypical.
W
■ What's Poppin'?
Meaning: What's up?
What to use instead: What's up? or How's it going?
■ Woke
Meaning: to be open-minded or alert, generally politically.
What to use instead: We can describe ourselves as politically aware, open minded, or knowledgeable.
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Sources
https://aaveglossary.carrd.co/#a-e
https://thetab.com/uk/2021/04/15/aave-words-202195
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/sydneethompson/aave-language-appropriation
https://katblaque.tumblr.com/post/122522946957/queerkents-mintflavoredroses-queerkents
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ioy3CDX_iR75DNJwvz7ftq51EXAvZ99C51HP1V_zPOY/edit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_Vernacular_English#Origins
https://www.garfieldmessenger.org/6418/articles/news/a-brief-history-of-aave/
About the Creator
choreomania
i'm a queer, transmasc writer, poet, cat lover, and author. i'm passionate about psychology, human rights, and creating places where lgbt+ youth and young adults feel safe, represented, and supported.
30 | m.
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Comments (3)
well written piece
I already knew some of these but hadn't heard of many others. So fascinating!
i work at a school, and many of the children use AAVE, which i didn't recognize before, but now i do! thank you :) i can have a conversation with them about using language that is not theirs to use and consistently correct terms...again. i see now that my talk with them before was not heeded...they just changed their terms... i also learned language i was using that i can change as well! for example, i will be saying "makes a lot of money" from now on!! this was super helpful and i appreciate the thoroughness of the two parts.