“Who are the Millennials?” This is the question that scores of scholars and experts are striving to answer in this digital era where everyday life seems to be the prequel of Black Mirror. But there’s a new generation of kids making its way to the mainstream attention, like Taylor Swift and the pop charts: Generation Z. Born in the late Nineties and early Noughties, they have been plugged into technology since Day One and use their own platforms and language to communicate with the rest of the world. Here are some examples provided by my 14-year-old cousin (grazie Vale!).
Illustration by Leo Cardini
“Sto troppo in sbattimento!”
When you have school in the morning, lunch with a relative, study group, gym and a Netflix marathon after dinner, you are not busy, you are “troppo in sbattimento!”
“Instagrammabile”
When a photo is so beautiful that it needs to be shared on Instagram ASAP. A picture of the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio at sunset, and that selfie that makes you look five years younger.
“Io veramente boh”
You had a fabulous first date with a sweet Italian guy who hasn’t written you since. Use “Io veramente boh!” to express your feelings while downloading Tinder. Again.
“#ognitantounagioia”
When that sweet Italian guy writes you 30 minutes after that date, embrace the hashtag #ognitantounagioia. Yes, it can happen sometimes.
“Ho tutti gli screen!”
Evidence or proof in the form of screenshots or saved snaps.
Maria: “I met Shawn Mendes last night at the club and we sat up drinking and chatting!”
Carla: “Yeah right. Shawn Mendes was here in Florence?”
Maria: “Ho tutti gli screen!”
“Momento youtuber!”
You realize you’re shooting a story on Instagram explaining the importance of the human characters in the latest episode of Peppa Pig. Ahem. Don’t worry, you’re just having a momento youtuber.