Discourse (Slang)

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Part of a series on Internet Slang. [View Related Entries]

About

Discourse is a slang term used in meme communities on the internet that refers to internet discussions or debates that are widely shared or debated. Such discussions often take place on social media platforms like Twitter and Tumblr, but the word "discourse" is also used to describe any widespread arguments, especially when they receive subsequent media coverage. Discourse can also take the form of hot takes, cancelations and general debates among popular creators.

Origin

On June 25th, 2016, Twitter^[1] user @glassbeachband posted a joke about "new discourse," gathering over 1,600 likes in seven years (seen below, left). On July 20th, 2017, Twitter^[2] user @nise_shi posted a series of screenshots about Japanese "rubber ducky discourse," gathering over 6,000 likes in six years (seen below, right).

On January 9th, 2021, Urban Dictionary^[3] user commissar_nik uploaded a definition for the term "discourse" as used in relation to Twitter (seen below).

Spread

In late 2017, Twitter user @KrangTNelson posted a series of tweets captioned "the discourse." The tweets shared screenshots of various examples of what can be considered "Twitter discourse," although there is no indication that the pictured discussions were widely shared or debated outside the threads they were shared in. ^[4]^[5]^[6]

On May 29th, 2018, Twitter^[7] user @meaghan_garvey shared a tweet that read, "tfw you opt out of the discourse," gathering over 4,000 likes in four years (seen below, left) On December 14th, 2018, Twitter^[8] user @gothbabys posted a joke about "timeline discourse," gathering over 50,000 likes in five years (seen below, right).

On January 19th, 2020, the Instagram^[9] page @gay_girl_inc posted a meme about "top and bottom discourse," gathering over 2,000 likes in three years (seen below, left). On February 3rd, 2020, Instagram^[10] page @the_philosophers_shirt posted a meme about discourse as well, gathering over 2,000 likes in three years (seen below, right).

On August 17th, 2020, Twitter^[11] user @egg_dog posted a meme about Twitter discourse, gathering over 30,000 likes in two years (seen below).