How do I pronounce these new slangs

August 20, 2021 10:23 AM

Recently I learned that AF means "as foretold" (like the fulfillment of a prophecy in an epic saga).

So for instance saying "The party was lit AF" would mean that the celebration was so well illuminated it was legendary, the hosts should expect a large electricity bill later.
So the question arises, is AF pronounced "Ay-Eff" or is it pronounced "Aph"?

But the larger question is, what other new slangs are useful to know and how to pronounce them?

posted by otherchaz to Society & Culture (12 answers total)

That's... not what "AF" stands for in "party was lit AF." It means "as [f-word]." Pronounced "ay-eff."
posted by primethyme at 10:24 AM on August 20, 2021 [17 favorites]

Who told you this? Don't trust them.
posted by amtho at 10:25 AM on August 20, 2021 [28 favorites]

Lmao it means "as fuck", not "as foretold." The latter was a joke that was circulating on Twitter and Tumblr. I also pronounce it as "Ayyy-efff," or "As fuhh,'" depending on who I am with.
posted by Hermione Granger at 10:29 AM on August 20, 2021 [1 favorite]

Yeah whoever told you this is messing with you. Sorry.
posted by nayantara at 10:30 AM on August 20, 2021

Best answer: OP seems to be aware of this - see tags, and similar "misunderstanding" of what "lit" means. Seems kind of a weird way of framing the question (deadpan humor clearly doesn't come across as easily in print...)

So to answer the question, I guess, smh? No idea whether people say "ess-em-aitch" or "shaking my head".
posted by trig at 10:31 AM on August 20, 2021 [3 favorites]

I've heard/seen this a few times recently. I think it's just a retcon to make it less "naughty". The same way some people define FUBAR as "fouled up beyond repair" and KISS as "keep it simple, silly".

Also, "lit" does not mean "illuminated" in this instance.
posted by jonathanhughes at 10:31 AM on August 20, 2021 [1 favorite]

Urban Dictionary. For all your slang needs.
posted by cooker girl at 10:32 AM on August 20, 2021 [1 favorite]

You need better friends if a friend told you that.

AND you need better bull**** detector.
posted by kschang at 10:34 AM on August 20, 2021

SMH (sounds muchlike horseshit) because I totally heard a kid pronounce AF "aph" on NPR (Nbirkenstocks Pbirkenstocks Rbirkenstocks). "Aph" is way more hilarious than "ay eff," IMO (issuing mulish outlook).
posted by Don Pepino at 10:44 AM on August 20, 2021 [2 favorites]

Yes, pretty sure "as foretold" is simply the PG coverup for when you accidentally call something, e.g. "lit AF" in front of your grandma or no-sense-of-humor-boss and they ask what it means.
posted by ktkt at 10:50 AM on August 20, 2021

Best answer: "AF" is like "gif" in that the correct pronunciation is whichever pronunciation most annoys your interlocutor.
posted by kevinbelt at 10:52 AM on August 20, 2021 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Neither, the correct pronunciation is "as eff".

This reminds me of an old coworker who referred to people who did something wrong or were somewhat lazy as "idgafing" (he was in on the joke). Finally someone was accused of idgafing, but he felt he had not been. I still hear his plaintive cries: "I gaff, David, I gaff!!"
posted by Emmy Rae at 10:53 AM on August 20, 2021 [2 favorites]