P.O.V SEPTEMBER – A SUMMER RETROSPECTIVE

A language update as the heat and drought recedes Mid and late summer’s geopolitical turmoils, together with the highest temperatures on record, have pushed discussions of linguistic and cultural innovation to the sidelines. At the outset of the new semester I can begin to post again, thanks to collaborators and colleagues, with updates on the language of youth (I have also been adding items of contentious political and media jargon to my glossary of weaponised words and will comment on these separately). Data specialist Randoh Sallihall has published his latest lists of the slang terms most often searched online in 2026 and has once again kindly shared these… UK’s most searched slang words (monthly searches): 1. 67 (185 500 searches) – There is no literal meaning to six seven. Its absurdity is the point, making it a prime example of “brainrot” internet humor where the randomness itself becomes funny. It originates from the song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla. LaMelo Ball a basketball…