TikTok’s Latest Nonsense phrase, ‘6-7,’ Signals a Broader Shift in How Teens Use Language
A seemingly random pairing of numbers - “6-7” – has become a viral sensation on TikTok, prompting confusion from adults and, increasingly, eye-rolls from the middle schoolers who initially popularized it. The phrase, devoid of inherent meaning, exemplifies a growing trend where the act of using language outweighs it’s communicative purpose, according to experts.
Linguist Gretchen fairhurst told CNN that while phrases like “6-7” aren’t inherently harmful and won’t dismantle the English language, its popularity could be a symptom of a “post-truth” society where interpretation trumps specificity. “It seems like it’s sort of a relative of that kind of phenomenon, where we’re just using language to use language, and not because we see somthing especially meaningful or particularly real about it,” she said.
The trend, which has persisted for nearly a year – a meaningful lifespan in the fast-moving world of TikTok – appears to be fading as quickly as it rose. Some teachers are already observing the emergence of replacements, like “41,” which is being actively “pushed” as the next viral phrase, according to Philip Lindsay, a middle school teacher and comedian. “6-7 just happened.41 was pushed,” Lindsay explained.
while the phenomenon may be irritating, educators emphasize it’s a far cry from previous disruptive trends. Dannenbring, a teacher who spoke to CNN, recalled past slang-inspired incidents involving damaged school property, like pencils jammed into laptops and sinks ripped from bathroom walls. He described the “6-7” trend as “significantly less annoying” than the “Skibidi toilet” craze.
