Slang's Rapid Spread Risks Shifting Meanings in Formal Contexts

The EF GO Blog notes that English slang evolves rapidly online and spills into daily conversations in 2026. Usage guides such as Garner’s Modern English Usage recommend maintaining clear register distinctions, because terms like "based" or "bussin'" carry connotations that remain appropriate mainly in informal speech. When these expressions enter email or professional writing, the wrong choice can alter intent without the reader pausing to ask for clarification. Even where colloquial use has broadened acceptance, the core rule on context-appropriate diction still applies unless evidence shows the term has fully migrated into standard registers.