FROM 'RIZZ' TO ROUTINE: A CONCEPTUAL PAPER ON THE ACQUISITION, DIGITAL DISSEMINATION, AND NORMALIZATION TRAJECTORIES OF MODERN ENGLISH-BASED SLANG AMONG MALAYSIAN YOUTH

Abstract

The prevalence of modern English slang among Malaysian youth, particularly on digital platforms, reflects significant shifts in language use, identity construction, and communication practices. However, despite its growing prevalence, there remains limited theoretical understanding of how such informal expressions are acquired, disseminated, and normalized within multilingual societies like Malaysia. This conceptual paper aims to examine the sociolinguistic, technological, and psychological factors that contribute to the life cycle of these linguistic forms among Malaysian youth. Using a narrative review methodology, relevant literature was collected from the Scopus database and synthesized through integrative thematic analysis. The review identified four key trajectories: the acquisition of slang driven by bilingual peer interaction and global media; its dissemination accelerated by social media and digital communication platforms; its normalization through repeated usage and integration into Malaysian English; and its cognitive and psychological impacts, which include identity expression and increased communicative complexity. The study proposes a conceptual framework and four propositions that illustrate these interrelated processes. Theoretically, this study contributes to sociolinguistics and digital discourse studies by offering an interdisciplinary model that explains how slang evolves within digitally mediated environments. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of acknowledging youth language practices in educational settings and suggest more culturally responsive approaches to language instruction. Although conceptual in nature, this study lays a foundation for future empirical research and encourages a deeper examination of informal linguistic innovation within Malaysia’s evolving digital landscape.