Linguistics expert reveals how Gen Z uses video game terms in everyday language

Published: 12 April 2024 at 17:09

Harvard-trained linguistics expert Adam Aleksic explains how Generation Z has incorporated video game terms into their everyday vocabulary, likening it to previous generations using sports metaphors. Terms like 'NPC' (non-player character), 'nerf' (reduce in power), and 'sidequest' (additional task) are now common among Gen Z, reflecting a shared cultural knowledge of video games as a way to express reality. Aleksic notes that this phenomenon creates a new etymological category, similar to how sports metaphors evolved in language over time.

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