From unserious kings to constant yappers, Gen Z knows a thing or two about the power of their words. Just ask Esnyr Ranollo.
Related: Esnyr’s New YouTube Skit Is Basically The Avengers: Endgame of Pinoy Pop Culture
If you want to know where the culture is currently at or what has the zeitgeist in a chokehold, just look at what people are talking about, or, more importantly, their language. Language and vocabulary, after all, have been among the greatest parameters that determine where we are as a society. Every generation has used language to establish cultural shifts, which continues with Gen Z.
Our vocabulary, and especially the slang terms and phrases we use, are driven by how we see the world. It has led to a colorful Gen Z lexicon that, while some may have a hard time decoding, shows that our generation isn’t afraid to put self-expression at the forefront of who we are. This is something Esnyr Ranollo knows quite well.
Tweed Jacket and skirt by @exploreeastofeden
Over the past couple of years, the Gen Z content creator and actor has amassed a following in the millions thanks to his viral high school skits that, aside from their nostalgia and relatability, are known for their fun use of Gen Z slang in ways that gives what needs to be given. Such is the life of a rising star who just gets the vibe.
EXPRESSIVE KING
Say what you want about Gen Z, but we’re a generation that never misses when it comes to turning the seemingly mundane into the next big trend. “[Gen Z] are incredibly creative people,” says Esnyr. “We are somehow unserious but at the same time socially aware and expressive.” Gen Z slang reflects what goes on in our day and age as youth culture drives the conversation, literally and figuratively.
“Most people are deeply immersed on the internet lalo na sa generation namin ngayon, which allows us to adapt and discover slang based on trends, issues, and even memes circulating on social media that heavily influenced the people.” The result makes for a vocabulary that is creative and witty while also adding a layer of relatability to many conversations.
Coat, vest, shirt tunic, and skirt by @vandrocasiwanatelier, Bow brooch with long ribbon by @exploreeastofeden
A key factor in all this is how Gen Z is the digital generation. Most of us have social media, and Esnyr himself has a career thanks to online platforms like TikTok. So, it’s no surprise for the content creator that Gen Z slang has evolved the way that it has. “We are quick when it comes to absorbing and catching up on the trends. Whether galing ba siya sa viral meme on FB, influencers on TikTok, or even societal issues on X, we can quickly adapt and add this to our everyday language.”
In here lies the imagination of Gen Z to give nearly anything new meaning to those in the know (aka IYKYK). From acronyms like IJBOL for a generation looking for new ways to make life quicker to turning the word “mother” into a high form of praise, it’s all there. “[C]reative and invented wordplay siya which I think the upcoming generation will continue to use in the future.”
LANGUAGE CARD NEVER DECLINES
If society is what drives culture, then social media supercharges it. Like with many things that connect Gen Z, social media has, is, and will continue to play a pivotal role in the way we speak. Sub-cultures on the internet, such as stan communities, are known to create their own words or slang or attach new meanings to certain phrases that are fit for the spaces they are in. What starts as a niche or a bubbling trend then makes its way to the wider Gen Z discourse.
Admittedly, some of Gen Z’s most popular slang was taken from or started by minority groups and co-opted for a more mainstream audience. But, social media has made Gen Z slang a universal language. “[Social media] somehow made us connected globally amidst diversity. Almost like a shared language that bonds the generation together. Thus, this just proves na we are socially conscious and immersed in a global online culture that describes the generation as a whole,” reflects Esnyr.
For all the faults social media has, there’s also no denying that the online world has shaped how we talk to each other. “[A]ng laking pagbabago ng naidulot ng digital space lalo na on how we convey our thoughts. It influenced and will continue to affect our language for it allows us to unlock new ‘vocabulary’ shaped by our online culture, content creators, and of course activism,” says the content creator, who counts “LARO!!!” “ATAKE SIYA” “GOAT”, and “FACE CARD NEVER DECLINES” as topping his Gen Z slang bias list.
LARO BEHAVIOR
If you were to draw a line connecting Gen Z slang and Gen Z humor, it would be straight as an arrow. The two have a direct relationship that shapes each other. As the “unserious” generation, Gen Z and their humor just hits different. “I think these Gen Z slangs are something our generation can call our own ‘inside jokes’. Also, I think it somehow ‘lightens the load’ on our daily conversation, and I don’t see any problem with adding them. A little humor won’t hurt in this cruel world.”
Shoes by @bucroe
Esnyr knows this firsthand with his inherent comedic talents and ability to adapt Gen Z slang and culture to our high school days. Relatability has proven to be a key factor in the success of his school content, something Esnyr says was always the intention. But, believe it or not, what he didn’t see coming was how many Gen Z would latch on to his work.
Blazer, necktie and skirt by @patricklazol
So, what does Esnyr think is the secret behind the virality? “I believe a major factor is that I not only focus on ‘Filipino Classroom Culture’ as a whole but also incorporate trending topics and Gen Z slang, making it relatable to my generation.”
Regardless of who watches his content though, Esnyr has welcomed the love, first from TikTok and now on YouTube, as a great sign of things to come. “Seeing the positive feedback fills my heart with gratitude. I’m committed to continuing to create content that resonates not only with past generations but also with the ones to come.”
FACTS ONLY
They say the only constant thing in life is change, and that holds for language. How our parents spoke or the slang terms they used are different from how we speak and what words we think are giving. It’s a change that also shapes how Gen Z Filipinos have been using Tagalog. Just go on social media and see how Gen Z uses Tagalog to see what we mean.
It’s a shift from how the language was taught to many of us in school. But rather than seeing it as a bad thing, Esnyr, who is knee-deep in what is in or out among Gen Z, looks at it as a natural change. “[L]anguage evolves as we evolve. It’s not gonna stay the same forever. Makikipagpustahan pa ako sa inyo na kahit sina Rizal pa yan o si Balagtas inexpect na itong wika natin ay aadapt sa agos ng panahon.”
Shoes by @dant.ph
Trends come and go, and so do slang terms and phrases. It’s cyclical in the sense that once words or phrases start losing their cultural luster, the cycle then continues (see the evolution of LOL to IJBOL). Future generations, such as Gen Alpha, will then take on the mantle of organically organizing the modern lexicon. “[T]he slangs we use today? They’ll change. Mga memes? That too will change. And when the rest of this is history, I think our generation will look back to these years fondly.”
People can and will continue to try to decode Gen Z slang and say what it means for society as a whole. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to a form of self-expression in how we as a generation use our vocabulary to adapt to the times and say what we want and need to say, our way.
There will always be those who will try to draw a link between how Gen Z speaks and their perceived failures as a generation (even though most of our problems are a direct result of the older generations, but that’s a conversation for another time). But you can never fault Gen Z for speaking their mind with their slang words and memes at the ready.
Shoes by @bucroe
As Esnyr puts it, “I am rather fond of believing na the way we behave is just a response to problems that need to be addressed. Right now the world thinks we’re just spoiled brats na nagtatantrum kasi gusto ng ice cream but when push comes to shove at tumanda na tayo, I know they will realize na we don’t complain ‘just because’ kundi dahil we see something we need changed.” And that’s on period!
Order your copy of the Lingo Issue print pack now featuring exclusive photo prints of Esnyr and Gen Z slang-coded worksheets and stories HERE.
Creative and Fashion Direction and Styling by ANDRE CHANG
Assisted by KURT ABONAL and MARIA PAZ GAMUS
Art Direction by GELO QUIJENCIO
Photography by ALAN SEGUI
Assisted by LYNDON KYLE ASUNCION and JEO JINGCO
Videography by BIMPOMAN
Makeup by JAKE GALVEZ
Hair by DALE MALLARI
Nails by D’DREAM NAILS and LASHES LOUNGE
Production Design by ARJ MADZ OF JAGGER STUDIOS
Shoot Coordination by JASMIN DASIGAN
Editor-in-Chief MAGGIE BATACAN
Managing Editor RAFAEL BAUTISTA
Brand Associate BIANCA LAO
Special thanks to: RISE ARTISTS STUDIO and STAR MAGIC
Continue Reading: Esnyr Ranollo’s Biggest Production To Date Perfectly Captures The Hilarity and Nostalgia of High School
