The Oxford Dictionary has declared “kindness” the children’s word of the year 2024. And “slay” has become the most popular slang.
As noted by Oxford University Press, to choose the word of the year, language experts surveyed more than 6,000 British children aged 6 to 14. The shortlist included “kindness,” “artificial intelligence,” and “conflict.”
“Kindness” received the most votes – 61%. A quarter of the children voted for “artificial intelligence” and only 7% for “conflict”.
When children chose “kindness,” they often used words like “need” and “should”: “There’s so much going on in the world that we all need to be kind to each other.”
At the same time, references to violence and conflict highlighted how sensitive children are to events in the world.
“We know from previous years that young people are very aware of the big issues that can divide us as a society, and understand the important role that language plays in uniting people.
“This choice speaks to something more personal: children’s awareness of mental health issues and the hidden challenges that others may face,” said Andrea Quincy, a spokesperson for Oxford University Press.
The study also found that children are enthusiastic about AI. 53% of those who voted for “artificial intelligence” were “excited” or “optimistic” about it. However, some children expressed concerns about fake online content and “superintelligence.”
The most popular slang word of the year was “slay,” which is used to indicate admiration and approval. It was preferred by 28% of those surveyed.
The words “sigma” (to describe a self-sufficient and independent person) and “skibidi” (a meaningless and sometimes derogatory expression) came in second and third with 16% and 15% of the votes.
As a reminder, the Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year for 2024 is “brain rot.” It reflects concerns about endless scrolling on social media and the popularity of low-quality content.