How TikTok is reshaping the English language
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TikTok users in Australia and beyond are changing how English works, according to UNSW Sydney researcher Cathy Xu.
Xu studies how people on the platform manipulate language, and her research shows phrases like “it’s giving” are not just temporary trends.
This phrase, evolving from “giving off a certain vibe,” now allows users to describe the impression something creates without using words like “resembles” or “evokes.” Xu found that TikTok provides a space for users to develop an intuitive understanding of correct usage, even without formal grammar rules. People on the platform will correct each other’s use of “it’s giving,” demonstrating a shared sense of how the phrase should function, specifically, to create analogies.
This rapid spread of new expressions is possible because TikTok’s algorithm delivers videos to 1.59 billion monthly users and can make content viral quickly. Beyond “it’s giving,” TikTok users are also redefining words related to food and cooking. “Eat” and “ate” can now signify success or doing something well, while “serving” means presenting something confidently. Even “tea” has taken on a new meaning, referring to an attractive physique.
Xu believes these changes aren't a sign of language decline, but rather active experimentation and the creation of new conventions happening in real time.
