From grunts to ‘smol’: Why you need a copywriter

I don’t think any of us knew all those years ago that the primitive grunting sounds we’d make to survive could turn into such powerful little things called words. We evolved language as a communication tool for survival purposes (I think? Idk), and it’s wound us up here, now, at the centre of very many arguments and disputes, both big and small.

What started out as a primordial ‘ooga-booga!” to say “Watch out — there’s a hungry leopard behind yo-” has snowballed into complexities so human they’re both frustrating and humbling. I could talk about mistranslations and the havoc they’ve caused, but those aside, words can make waves and language is never static.

A recent example is the word ‘smol’. Now, you might think ‘smol’ means ‘small’, but you’d be wrong.

It was born from an internet niche — doggo culture. A thriving online metropolis filled with dog pics and videos, groups like Big Hecking Group of Dang Doggos and pet shaming, dog rates, thoughts of dog, and more. The people there have developed a lingo to match what they assume a dog would speak like. Dog phenomena have their own names, common examples of which are blep, mlem, and sploot, pictured below. Bark = bork, snacks = schmackos, and so on.

Three images each of a different dog. The first dog is licking its nose; the second has it’s tongue sticking out ever so slightly; the third is lying on its belly with itsback legs out behind it.

Within this new language, are new descriptors of doggo size and shape. They include smol, thicc, chonky, and long. ‘Smol’ is not the same as ‘small’, but rather a diminutive of it. It does not mean ‘small’, but has taken on its own meaning, a fun reminder of the fluidity of language.

Jess, what does this have to do with copywriting?

Shh, I’m getting there, I swear.

The thing about ‘smol’ is, it’s fairly niche. Millenials know about ‘smol’, but boomers, for the most part, don’t. My mom is learning doggo speak, and spells ‘sploot’ as ‘splute’. Case in point. The nuances of doggo lingo and meme culture are sometimes, ok, no, often, lost on her. And that’s ok! No shade to her — love you, mom! The point is, copywriters use words to influence your target market. A copywriter could use ‘smol’ effectively in a trendy dog accessory brand for millennial dog parents, and would steer away from it for more traditional dog brands like most dog food brands, for example.

We know the connotations tied to specific words, and that goes for all words, not just doggo speak. We know that, deep down, all humans*feel* the meanings and connotations of words, even if they aren’t wordy people, and can’t necessarily explain them. It comes down to that first grunt all those thousands of years ago.

Some of us might not be able to explain *why* words like ‘moist’, ‘masticate’, and ‘smear’ make us uncomfortable, or why ‘blissful’, ‘spunky’, and ‘placid’ are uplifting and influential in a good way. You don’t need to understand that, but a copywriter already does, and she can use that to your business’ advantage.

*Disclaimer: I am not a linguist. The facts presented here may not be facts at all, but rather my assumptions. I am, however, a copywriter, so while I don’t know everything about the evolution of language, I know a thing or two about words.