20 popular slangs used by Nigerian university students

Slang words are often, by nature, transitory and limited to particular age groups, subcultures and eras. But a few slang words do endure and make the transition from marginality to respectable mainstream usage.

There are many words in mainstream Nigerian English that also started as university student slang words but are now in general use in Nigeria.

In fact, many people don’t recognize these words and their meanings as nonstandard. Slang terms are difficult to trace because they are usually first primarily spoken for a long time before they are written.

Nigerian students however always make use of different kinds of slangs when having a conversation with their mates or friends whether on campus or at home. They usually flow in local, pidgin English and English languages.

Some of these popular slangs include dub, gist, swag and so on.

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Check out 20 of the most popular slangs used by Nigerian university students:

1. Tush: A refined person

2. Dub: It means to cheat during exams by copying another person’s test answers word for word.

3. Chips: Small papers where as much as can be written to take into the exam halls to cheat.

4. Gist (sometimes misspelled as “jist”): In both formal and informal Nigerian English “gist” now means light informal conversation, especially about other people’s private business.

5. Cassava flakes: Garri

6. Form: To put on airs, that is, affect manners with intent to impress others

7. After one: A girl with one child prior to marriage

8. Popsy: An informal word for father.

9. Mumsy: This is the feminine version of “popsy,” which is an informal word for mother.

10. FFF: Friend for food

11. Swag: This is a pompous manner of walking intended to impress others.

12. Aristo: Married men that like young girls

13. Runs: It generally tends to be used to denote illegal or immoral activities.

14. Jambite: This refers to a first-year undergraduate.

15. Bakassi: A girls’s bum.

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16. Fashi: Forget.

17. Number six: It means one’s brain.

18. Toast: To talk to a girl.

19. Bone face: To snub somebody.

20. FFO: For food only.

Source: Legit.ng