Ever had someone say something that made you do a double take? 

Like, “Wait… what did you just call me? That happened to me the other day. I was having a conversation with an old client and friend, he was listening to what I was saying, nodding along, then completely straight-faced he said, “There’s nothing for the dumb.”Now, I’ll be honest, for a minute, I thought he was calling me stupid. Turns out, that wasn’t the case at all. He wasn’t calling me dumb. It was just a generational miscommunication. 

You see, this guy has lived a little more of life than I have. We’re in different generations, and one thing that’s become more apparent now than ever is that it’s not only fashions and trends that change with the times, but language and meaning do too. You see, to him, “There’s nothing for the dumb.” meant there’s no such thing as a dumb question.

This got me thinking. Words, phrases, the way we communicate – it’s all changed so much. The things we say, or even how we say them, can mean completely different things depending on who you’re talking to.Take Gen Z and Gen Alpha, for example. I’m convinced they’re living in an alternate universe where “slay” doesn’t mean what it used to, and “cap” has absolutely nothing to do with hats. Ask them a basic question and suddenly you’re “giving NPC energy” or “feeling lowkey sus.” (Seriously, what is NPC energy?)

But here’s the thing: as confusing as it might feel at times, it’s just the natural evolution of language. What was once “don’t have a cow” for Boomers turned into “chill out” for Millennials and “take the L” for Gen Z. Language shifts, cultures change and sometimes, we’re left standing there wondering if we’re still fluent in our ownlanguage. It’s not just about sounding cool or trying to keep up (though let’s be honest, no one wants to get the piss taken out of them for sounding ancient). It’s about understanding each other better, connecting across generations, and realising that every question – no matter how it’s phrased – is worth asking.

So, whether you’re worried about sounding “basic” or “cringe” when you ask for clarification, remember this: the only dumb thing is not asking at all. And remember, those kids today – give them 10 years and they’ll be your company’s customers! Better make sure you know how to communicate with them – even if their words do sound stupid to us dinosaurs. 

How about you? Have you got any funny miscommunication stories to share? I’d love a good giggle…