SEMANTIC CHANGE IN ONLINE SLANG: NEW MEANINGS OF OLD WORDS IN SOCIAL MEDIA ENGLISH

Abstract

Language is living and changes all the time with society, culture, and technology. The most powerful propagator of current linguistic change is the social network that enabled English internet lingo to sprout through such dramatic speed. This paper explores the processes of semantic change of online slang in its trajectory from traditional English words to new meanings in social media. Based on theory of semantic change and the concurrent study in sociolinguistics, this research’s goal is to determine possible types of semantic change: metaphorical extension, broadening-narrowing-amelioration and contextualization that are most frequently observed in digital discourse. Utilizing a qualitative descriptive method, the research examines specific slang words used frequently in online interaction regarding how their traditional dictionary definitions are at variance with their meanings today as they appear in social media. The data are obtained from standard dictionaries and current on-line discourse. The results show that metaphorical extension and semantic generalization are the most frequent processes, reflecting the fact that social media users rely heavily on re-lexifying existing lexical items to signal new social, emotional and cultural facts. The research also reveals the role of online slang as an identity and group affiliation marker, especially among younger people. Together, the studies exhibit that SNSs provide a strong stimulus for word-meaning change in contemporary English. The study brings a new perspective on linguistic innovation in the digital age and reminds us of the need to include internet slang as one of its objects in linguistic, educational and lexicographical inquiries.