Every day, new slang is being created and updated. Slang can be a wonderful way to meet our ever-changing linguistic requirements. It’s like this: “cheugy”What did they look like? “Live, Laugh, Love” posters? It can be hard to keep up with all the new terms and meanings. This is especially true given the speed at which things are moving online. If you’re on TikTok or Twitter, you’ve probably seen the term “ASL.”There are many meanings to the acronym.
ASL is popping up more often than usual lately. It is a common term that many people agree on. ASL may be something that is very special to those of us who have grown up in chat rooms, IM-ing or spent time playing online games such as Habbo Hotel and Club Penguin. TikTok now controls much of what we say and do. And, it looks like ASL’s different meanings are driving yet another wedge between Millennials and Gen-Z. What was ASL used to mean in the past? And what is its new meaning today?
What does ASL stand for?
ASL was the acronym for ASL. American Sign Language. American Sign Language is the main language used by the Deaf community of the United States. So, for obvious reasons, this remains ASL’s most well-known meaning. If you see ASL in a more formal situation, it’s almost certainly referring to American Sign Language.
But slang and internet-speak constantly change definitions and assign double meanings. Back in the (very) early ’00s, ASL (also written as A/S/L) was a popular and well-known acronym. It was popular in online spaces where strangers could interact. It was a symbol of respect. Age/Sex/Location. People would then send the acronym to a friend they were talking with. The acronym would be asked as a question and waited for a reply. The other person would then respond in the same way, with their age, sex and location. It was a fairly basic tactic of getting to know people who you couldn’t see or hear, but it was also a useful way of speeding up small talk when meeting someone new—or, at least you could get to know who they wanted you to think they were.
What Does ASL Stand For On TikTok
ASL has been popularized on Twitter and TikTok. Yet another meaning, and it’s confusing folks who may have used the acronym in the past. So, what’s the newest meaning of ASL on TikTok? “As hell.” If you’re wondering how “as hell” could be shortened to ASL, you’re not alone. We all know what AF means, but AH may sound too loud to be a scream. “as hell.”The new is not etymologically related. “as hell,” we’ll never really know how this slang came to be. The confusion surrounding the new slang term is not surprising. And, like many TikTok trends and slang, it’s shedding more light on millennial and gen-z differences.
Despite all the different hats “ASL” wears in internet-speak, of course, the acronym’s most official meaning still rings true even on TikTok. The hashtag #ASL is used by the Deaf community to discuss sign language. The only way to tell which type is which is by looking at the context clues. “ASL”It doesn’t matter what language someone uses, but it is helpful to know all the meanings.