Trends in Teenagers’ Language Use on TikTok: A Systematic Literature Review Comparing Malaysia and the United States

Abstract

TikTok has rapidly evolved into a dominant communication platform among teenagers, enabling unique forms of language play, identity display, and social interaction. This systematic literature review compares linguistic trends among Malaysian and American adolescents aged 13–19 on TikTok, focusing on slang and viral expressions, code-mixing and translanguaging practices, identity construction, and language–culture relations. Guided by PRISMA 2020, a comprehensive search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, LLBA and Google Scholar, covering studies published between 2020 and 2025. Twenty-nine peer-reviewed publications met the inclusion criteria. Thematic synthesis reveals that (i) American teenagers drive global slang innovation shaped by pop culture, African American Vernacular English (AAVE), and fandom discourse; (ii) Malaysian teenagers engage in extensive creative code-mixing between English, Malay, and local vernaculars to perform humour, solidarity, and online persona; (iii) TikTok’s multimodal affordances encourage linguistic hybridisation, enabling young users to construct cultural identity and navigate peer norms; and (iv) digital trends increasingly influence offline youth communication in both countries. The review highlights significant gaps in longitudinal data, Southeast Asian representation, AI-mediated captions, and ethical considerations in researching minors on social media. Implications emphasise the need for culturally responsive digital language policies in Malaysian education to recognise youth multimodal repertoires. Future research should include computational linguistic analysis and cross-regional comparison of youth TikTok communication practices.