Generations often develop unique slang, but Millennials took things a step further by utilizing an entirely separate language to keep their conversations hidden from adults.
On May 26, 2024, a TikTok creator known as @comfywith_kerry posted a video demonstrating the hyper-fast, heavily modified speaking style she used throughout her childhood. The dialect is commonly referred to by various names, including “Gibberish,” “Pig Latin,” and “Alibi.”
If you know, you know
“If you understand what I am about to say in this secret language, stitch me with your response,” she said in the clip before rattling off a fluent string of coded words.
She assumed only a niche group of people born in the 1980s and 1990s would understand the dialect. Instead, the video reached audiences globally and proved that millions of children across the world were independently speaking the exact same coded language.
Two days after the original post went viral, she uploaded a follow-up video to address the massive influx of responses.
“I would have never thought that so many people around the world knew gibberish,” she said.
The creator noted that the language unlocked deeply buried childhood memories for her viewers. While a few commenters recalled school bullies using the language to talk behind their backs, the vast majority associated the dialect with close friendships and sibling bonding.
“For most people, it’s happy times…It reminds them of how they would cause havoc or use it as a secret language with their siblings or their best friends,” she added.
It’s not just kid stuff; It’s science
While gibberish became a popular cultural phenomenon for school-aged kids in the 1990s, the concept of children developing private dialects is rooted in science. Research from the International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders observing twins and siblings born close together shows that private language development is highly prevalent during early childhood.
Children often develop distinct vocal interactions that parents cannot comprehend but their siblings easily understand. This behavior usually appears around the age of two and naturally phases out as standard language skills improve. For some sibling sets, however, the private communication continues well into their developmental years, according to the research.
Decades later, those refined secret language skills are still coming in handy. Many adult commenters admitted they still use gibberish today to speak to their spouses or siblings when they want to keep a conversation hidden from their own children.
You can follow @comfywith_kerry on TikTok for more lifestyle content.
