THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL MEDIA ON LANGUAGE EVOLUTION
Keywords:
Keywords: Digital media, language evolution, emojis, internet slang, globalization, hybrid languages, language preservation, internet communication, social media, linguistic innovation, writing norms, minority languages, cultural exchange.Abstract
The advent of digital media has significantly influenced language evolution, shaping how individuals communicate, interact, and express themselves in the 21st century. Through platforms such as social media, messaging apps, and online forums, new forms of communication have emerged, characterized by the widespread use of emojis, abbreviations, and internet slang. These developments have contributed to the globalization of language, with English terms and phrases crossing linguistic boundaries and influencing other languages worldwide. Additionally, the informal nature of digital communication has led to relaxed writing conventions and the creation of hybrid languages. While the digital age promotes linguistic innovation, it also raises concerns about the preservation of minority languages.
References
Adegbija, E. (2012). Multilingualism: A Nigerian Case Study. International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2012(218), 5-18. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijsl-2012-0005
Androutsopoulos, J. (2015). Networked multilingualism: Some language practices on Facebook and their implications. International Journal of Bilingualism, 19(2), 185-205. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006913489198
Baron, N. S. (2013). Words Onscreen: The Fate of Reading in a Digital World. Oxford University Press.
Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2012). Sociality through social network sites. In The Oxford Handbook of Internet Studies (pp. 151-172). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199589074.013.0011
Crystal, D. (2013). Language and the Internet (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139061197
Danesi, M. (2017). The Semiotics of Emoji: The Rise of Visual Language in the Age of the Internet. Bloomsbury Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781474281997
