Dickens

Charles Dickens’ classic novel ‘Great Expectations’ has been given a Gen Z makeover - reimagined in today’s slang. Renamed ‘Bare Expectations’, the tale has been 'translated' into teen speak to help parents better understand the language their children use today.

It comes after research of 2,000 parents with children between 10 and 16 found 70% have struggled to understand a text message, social media post or online comment written by their child because of slang.

Commissioned by Tesco Mobile, it is available as an audiobook on Spotify and Apple Music. It has been paired with a glossary explaining some of the most misunderstood words and phrases to help parents make sense of modern digital language and encourage conversations about online safety.

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The line “And what coarse hands he has! And what thick boots!” has been reimagined to read “She thought I was an absolute L, and my drip gave her the major ick.” While "I was dreadfully frightened” now says “I was absolutely cooked”.

The modern-day adaptation has been launched alongside the mobile network’s new Safe Start offering – a guided phone-readiness experience, designed to help parents feel more confident that their child’s phone is safely set up and ready for day one.

The phone network partnered with Chloe Combi, author, researcher, and one of the world’s foremost experts on Generation Z and Generation A, to advise on the translation of the novel into modern teen slang and provide crucial insights into youth culture.

Chloe Combi said: "Teen slang is evolving at an unprecedented pace. A word can emerge as a social media craze one day and become everyday language the next.

“'Bare Expectations' funnily shows how much communication has evolved by translating a familiar story into today's youth language, helping parents understand their children's world and start more confident conversations."

To bring the adaptation to life, Tesco Mobile partnered with Kurupt FM’s MC Grindah, who was invited to a youth centre in London to give a reading of ‘Bare Expectations’ to local parents and teens.

MC Grindah, who hopes the project helps families bridge generational language gaps, said, "You’d think the best MC in the galaxy would know all the latest slang, and I do.

“If any kid tells you otherwise, they’re lying. Any words I don’t know are just not cool enough for me to care about."

The study found 41% of parents whose children use slang look up a word, abbreviation or emoji at least once a week in an effort to keep up with the latest terminology.

The glossary and audiobook form part of the launch of Safe Start, which offers customisable parental controls, AI-powered social media monitoring through Sway.ly, and expert online safety resources to help families navigate the digital world with confidence.

Laura Joseph, the mobile network’s chief customer officer, said: "Parents don't need to speak their children's language to help keep them safe online, but they do need the confidence to start the conversation.

“With many parents telling us that teen slang and rapidly changing online trends can make it harder to spot potential issues, Safe Start is designed to help bridge that gap.

“By combining expert online safety guidance with AI-powered social media monitoring through Sway.ly, we're giving families practical tools to better understand the digital world young people are navigating every day and support safer online experiences.”

Nearly half (49%) of parents worry about inappropriate content being shared with their child, while 48% fear strangers making contact online, and 40% worry about bullying and exclusion.

And while parents said the hardest conversation they have with their kids relates to inappropriate content (27%), 84% chat to their child about staying safe online at least once a month, according to the survey by OnePoll.

Daniela Fernandez, co-founder of Sway.ly and who notes that parents want to protect their children online but often struggle to understand their digital world and language, said: “That's why we've partnered on this new Safe Start SIM.

“Our technology gives parents insights into their children's social media use, alongside practical tools and guidance, so they can spot problems early and act with confidence.

“The ‘Bare Expectations’ campaign further helps families start important conversations for a healthier online experience.”