The evolution of language through social media | The Stream

Summary

This episode explores how language is evolving in the digital age, with a focus on Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang. Hosted by Stephanie Decker, the discussion highlights how social media, internet culture, and gaming communities influence new words and expressions like 'skiibbidity' and 'NPC.' Experts Hayat Al-Katib, Jonas Fintan, and Oliver Carter examine the impact of internet language on youth identity, multilingualism, and cultural preservation, including phenomena like Arabizi. The conversation emphasizes the fluidity of language, its adaptation across generations, and the balance between global influences and maintaining cultural and linguistic heritage.

Takeaways

• 😀 Gen Z and Gen Alpha are rapidly creating new slang and expressions, influenced heavily by internet culture and social media.
• 😀 Words like 'skiibbidity' exemplify 'nonsmations'—nonsense words created for a specific occasion that can gain meaning over time.
• 😀 Internet English has evolved into a distinct linguistic variety, shaped by digital communication and global youth culture.
• 😀 Social media platforms and online communities act as incubators for new words and expressions, which may eventually reach mainstream usage.
• 😀 Younger generations use language innovatively to establish their identity and differentiate themselves from older generations.
• 😀 Emojis, gifs, and other visual communication forms are becoming integral to conveying tone, emotion, and meaning online.
• 😀 English dominance online can influence minority languages, but local adaptations and mixed languages like Arabizi show resilience and creativity.
• 😀 Many new slang terms draw on shared cultural knowledge from video games, similar to how older metaphors originated from sports or chess.
• 😀 Multilingual individuals often learn languages both organically through their environment and actively through study, incorporating internet language as a functional variant.
• 😀 Language evolution is ongoing; while new forms and words emerge rapidly, the core structure and essence of language remain recognizable across generations.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video discussed in the transcript?

The video explores how Gen Z and Gen Alpha are transforming language through slang, internet culture, and digital communication, examining the social, cultural, and linguistic impacts of these changes.

What is 'skiibbidity' and how does it relate to language evolution?

'Skiibbidity' is an example of a nonsmation, a word created for a single occasion, often nonsensical, which may develop real meaning over time. This illustrates how new words emerge in internet culture.

What role does social media play in shaping youth language?

Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube accelerate linguistic changes by creating micro-communities where new slang and expressions are coined, shared, and spread rapidly among young people.

How do nonsmations compare to historical word creation?

Nonsmations are similar to words coined by Shakespeare or in Dr. Seuss books, initially created for a specific context. Some may catch on and enter general usage, just like historical linguistic innovations.

What is Internet English, and how is it viewed linguistically?

Internet English is a variety of English influenced by digital communication and youth culture. While it is not a separate language, it functions as a distinct dialect with unique slang, abbreviations, and online conventions.

How does Arabizi illustrate language adaptation?

Arabizi combines Arabic and Latin scripts, often using numbers for Arabic sounds not available on standard keyboards. It reflects practical adaptation to digital communication and the blending of languages in multilingual societies.

How do video games influence modern slang?

Video games provide shared cultural references that inspire slang terms like NPC, side quest, and noob. These terms migrate into everyday language, similar to how sports or chess metaphors have historically influenced English.

What impact does internet language have on formal reading and writing habits?

While younger generations still engage with formal texts for education, internet language often dominates casual communication, emphasizing brevity, visuals, and playful expressions over traditional reading habits.

Is the rise of English online a threat to minority languages?

English dominance online can influence minority languages, but often it results in borrowing and hybridization rather than complete erosion. Languages adapt, integrate English terms, and maintain unique structures, as seen in Singapore and Thai examples.

How do emojis and visual communication fit into modern language?

Emojis, GIFs, and abbreviations enrich written communication by conveying tone, emotion, and context that text alone may not. They represent a new visual layer of language, especially important in online interactions.

What are the long-term implications of these linguistic trends?

Language evolution is ongoing; while older generations may find some slang unfamiliar, these changes reflect cultural adaptation, identity formation, and creativity. Over time, some terms may become fully integrated into mainstream language, while others fade away.

How do multilingual speakers interact with internet language?

Multilingual individuals, like Jonas Fintan in the transcript, integrate internet language into their linguistic repertoire. While internet English interacts with other languages, it generally acts as a digital dialect rather than a fully separate language.