If one were asked to assess the year 2025, there could be a plethora of answers, but perhaps the most nonchalant response is a noncombative, “Saks lang.”

What does this mean? The generational divide is key here. What would count as “alright,” “fine,” or “groovy” for Baby Boomers, and “word,” “bet,” or “cool” for Gen X, may only elicit a careless “saks lang” from a millennial.

And from the irrepressible Gen Z? “GVs lang (good vibes only),” “G (go),” or “Keri lang (manageable),” depending on who one is talking to.

If you are familiar with these expressions, as spoken, you may likely agree that generations exhibit varying levels of enthusiasm, depending on degrees of cynicism.

But that might be reading too much into it, or overthinking, as millennials might say. The new generation seems to abbreviate everything, or turn the two-letter “go” into “G” for some reason, because in their lives, speed and immediacy are the norm. Technology has influenced their use of language, and everyone must strive to follow their meanings.

The point is that language, whatever changes it goes through, reflects culture and society. What do current colloquialisms reveal about us, or about the next generation?

Research reveals that language is deemed “a primary vehicle for transmitting values, beliefs, and history, fostering group identity, influencing thought patterns (linguistic relativity), and structuring social interactions, norms, and even perceptions of reality, while society’s structure, in turn, shapes language’s evolution and usage.”

This is true of the Filipino language, where words and expressions have gone through an interesting evolution, and where words seem to be chopped into fewer and fewer syllables, much like the classic Ilonggo penchant for shortening names into nicknames.

One thing that has stood out lately is the seeming disappearance of “ay” from Filipino sentences, where people now say “is,” as if it makes the speaker sound more knowledgeable.

Asked, for instance, “Ano ang masasabi mo tungkol sa korupsyon na sinasabing laganap na sa bayan?”

The reply: “Ang masasabi ko tungkol diyan IS….”

Even the simple, “Ano ang masaya sa Pasko mo?”

“Ang nagpapasaya talaga sa akin IS….”

Ayayay. Before you know it, the “ay” is a thing of the past.

So with five days before the turn of another year, we ask: What can you say about 2025?

Saks lang. Sakto lang. Okay lang. Wala lang.

Ibang klase. Langya. Kinikeri.

One wonders what turns of phrase will emerge in the coming year.