More than two thirds (67%) of people admit to regularly using slang words and phrases whilst having no idea what they actually mean, according to a survey of 1,000 people commissioned by tour operator Crystal Ski Holidays.
‘Biffed’, ‘shredder’ and ‘touching base’ were cited as some of the terms used by people who suffer from ‘fear of sounding stupid’ (FOSS).
The research found that almost a quarter of people (24%) use phrases like ‘gnarly’ without knowing what the word meant, with just over a fifth (21%) saying they do so impress friends and 17%) confessing they’re, “desperate to fit in.” The trend was more prevalent in men, with almost one third (30%) admitting that it is the ‘cool-factor’ that keeps them coy when it comes to acknowledging they have no clue what certain slang means.
“As ski and snowboard experts, we know there’s a whole raft of slang that accompanies the sport, which can baffle those who are new to the experience,” said an in-resort Crystal Ski Holidays expert, “This season, we’ve created our very own Crystal Guide to Ski Slang, posted on our Facebook page, to give newbies a chance to get up-to-speed with all the latest terminology to sound like a pro in front of their friends. Furthermore, our skilled in-resort local experts are on hand to make sure guests don’t feel any shame on the slopes and know the difference between saying when they’ve ‘biffed’ and they’re ‘bombing’.”