It's giving incel: The evolution of internet slang

Code Switch

NPR

Society & Culture

4.6 • 14.9K Ratings

🗓️ 27 May 2026

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How have recommendation algorithms affected language? Linguist Adam Aleksic — aka the Etymology Nerd — says most “Gen-Z slang” is either appropriated from Black people or incels. This week, we trace how -maxxing went from the eugenicist looksmaxxing subculture to trending TikToks to the Pentagon tweeting about “lethality maxxing.” And we ask what’s actually at stake when we use words without knowing where they come from.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Just a heads up, y'all, before we get started.
0:02.6	In June, Code Switch is going to start coming out on Tuesdays and Fridays.
0:07.1	You ain't got to change nothing.
0:08.1	Just we will be here appearing your feed just on different days.
0:11.6	And this episode is all about language, particularly some salty and offensive language.
0:18.8	Be warned.
0:22.2	Hey, everyone. You're listening to Code Switch, the show about race and identity from NPR.
0:28.5	I'm Bea Parker. And I'm Gene Debbie.
0:31.5	So, Gene, I had this thing happened recently that stuck with me.
0:36.0	Uh-huh.
0:36.7	I went to a Broadway show, and there were a couple of kids looking at the stage and I heard
0:42.8	this white kid of elementary school age say, it's giving Christmas.
0:48.5	It's giving Christmas. Okay.
0:50.2	It's giving Christmas. I mean, there were like disco balls and twinkly lights.
0:54.1	Anyways, it made me twinkly lights.
0:59.8	Anyways, it made me think about how language trickles down.
1:01.4	Or, like, spreads?
1:07.4	Because, like, a phrase, like, it's giving comes from the ballroom scene in places like New York City.
1:11.2	And the people in that space are mostly queer black and Latino folks.
1:12.3	Yes.
1:19.8	And then the phrase filters out into the mouth of a white, maybe third grader at Cats to Jellicle Ball.
1:20.7	You went to see Cats?
	...

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