Slang terms like ‘six-seven’ have no definition. But they’re loaded with meaning

‘Part of the psychosocial development of young people is differentiating themselves from their community, from older people,’ says Dr Nicole Holliday, an associate professor of linguistics at University of California, Berkeley. Photograph: Emma Kim/Getty Images/Image Source

A linguistic panic has swept America in recent months, corrupting our youth, annoying our teachers and leaving countless adults hopelessly confused. The question that has sparked the uproar: what, exactly, does it mean when an otherwise upstanding young person blurts out the phrase “six-seven”?

As you probably know by now if you read, listen to or watch major media outlets from across the political spectrum, the answer is: it doesn’t really mean anything.