Abstract
This paper is on the topic of Language variation and social identity in relation to the world of social media. In the first section of the paper will discuss the morphological analysis of some new words in the English language and the compounding of these words. The second section will discuss the how social media helps in creating social identity of the language speakers.
Introduction
Diverse demographics like Age or gender demonstrate significant variation in the use of language, especially in case of informal contexts like social media. Any language spoken between group people of has different ways of referring or speaking a certain word. This variation can be linguistic difference in terms of structure (grammar) or sound (phonetics). It is possible that only a slight variation might exist between different forms of one language like minor change in word pronunciation or small change in structure which does not inhibit intergroup communications. In some cases there might be difference between speech of women and men, social classes and age groups. Language variation study guides the activities of language development like development of a writing system should be done in such a manner that it is acceptable and useful for the greatest number of language speakers (Volkova et al).
Language tends to have 2 principal functions with being the means to communicate a common one, but it also constitutes the means to assert one’s distinctiveness or social identity. Language can become a robust identification of social identity which divides and binds groups and is capable of displacing other identities like religion and ethnicity. Sociolinguistics has primarily concerned itself with identity and language questions (Rampton, 1995).
Morphological Analysis of English Language in Social Media
Before people started to flood social media sites, many words did not exist in the English dictionary. Blogging and Social Media sites have been responsible for many new words being introduced. In past few years some of the words which have been added to English dictionary which relate to social networking are ‘Blog’ this term is derived from coalition of Web and log and further added few new words to like ‘blogosphere’ which means blogging community and ‘vlogging’ video blogging. Another example is ‘Retweet’ which means to Repeat-Tweet someone else’s message. ‘Selfie’ is a classic example of word added to Oxford English Dictionary; it means someone clicking their own picture (Ruth, 2013). Similarly, Oxford English Dictionary adds new words every year and most of these words are cut short versions of phrases and words like ‘Srsly’ means seriously and ‘TL;DR’ means ‘too long; didn’t read’ (Kleinman, 2013).
Let us take some other words which have been added to the English language lately;
Affluenza: It is blending ‘affuence’ and ‘influenza’. It means a social disease which results from excessive consumerism and extreme materialism.
Burkini/Burquini: By Blending ‘burqa’ and ‘bikini’ we get a swimsuit which is worn by Muslim women to cover their whole body.
Frape: It is blending of ‘Facebook’ and ‘Rape’ which is changing someone’s Facebook profile or pages without their permission.
Jumbrella: By blending ‘Jumbo’ and ‘Umbrella’ we get Jumbrella which is a very large umbrella set outside or in outdoors of restaurant, pub or coffee shop.
Quintastic: Blend of ‘fanstastic’ and ‘Quin’. It is saying informally that a person above age of 50 is smart, sexy, successful and energetic and mostly popular.
Many other new submissions which might enter the English language are ‘Tebowing’, ‘Tweeps’, ‘Yolo’ and ‘Cray’. The words are currently quite popular as social media has enabled them become influencers of pop culture. Popular online sites like Twitter, Facebook, Google and LinkedIn have fuelled many discussions and have increased their rate of adoption. While it is possible some of these upcoming words will vanish in coming years to be replaced by the newer words, but some of them are here to stay and remain in our vocabularies for many years to come (Fine, 2012).
Changing English Language and Social Identity
Social Media is quite clearly changing the way we communicate. This influenced by the Character limit of Twitter and other text messaging limited which have made us express in condensed manner. This has increased the number and usage of acronyms in such a manner that they have started to replace the words. Social Media is growing at increasing speed making it impossible for any professional translation organization to continually translate the acronyms, slang words and ‘fresh’ words. This is exactly where this new Hybrid comes in picture and becomes useful for users (Sarson, 2013). The shift of American society into text-based mode of communication has raised many concerns regarding the integrity of English language to adapt to new exchange contexts. Purists also argue that prioritization of word and speed economy inspired through compact and quick communication method corrupts the command of English speakers’ over their tongue. Many have warned that conventions such as capitalizations and punctuations are getting abandoned while current words get inappropriately reformed with ‘new slang’ terms given larger clout. Though, this is myopic as it firstly assumes falsely that these changes are unnatural and unprecedented and secondly, the assumption of modern text-based communication is representation of written language standard. In terms of reality, certain criticisms are latest grievance iteration which has recurred over past centuries with evolution of English language. In addition, digital technology won’t threaten the written words’ integrity as we are not supplanting the written text; rather it is being used in communicating over text-based of communication. Since the genesis, language has been proven dynamic by nature as it has shaped by geographic shifts in socio-economics, population, politics, commerce and advent of technology which fosters dissemination and exchange of thoughts and ideas. This, it is no surprise that mobile and digital communication technology has achieved certain level of ubiquity (Newman, 2013).
One of the biggest concerns with these Social networking sites is internet finding ways to help people learn new languages with use of social oriented software. Facebook has served as a social environment in which people interact with each other, viewing the terms of interactions and learn from these interactions. Feuerstein (2003) stressed on the fact that medication is quite fundamental for all human development which includes learning. Learning successfully can be seen as depending on learners’ interaction with people near them for overcoming issues they cannot tackle themselves, so they can move on to next development stage. Role of mediators or significant leaders can help others to learn the basic essentials of language and interact with their group. Feuerstein also emphasised on the role of mediators being fundamental in culture transmission and find the means for examining the role of culture and language in human development and creation of social identities (Feuerstein, 2003).
Conclusion
Social media has become an important medium for human communication and development of language and it will have long term impact on language and social identities. In presence of Social media, societies are applying and shaping their own language and this change is forming at an alarming rate. Coming generations might look at these changes retroactively and view the role of social media affecting the language as a social marvel and mark of an era of unparallel progress for the speakers of English Language.
References
Volkova, S., Wilson, T., & Yarowsky, D., Exploring Demographic Language Variations to Improve Multilingual Sentiment Analysis in Social Media. Retrieved 7 Jan 2014 from http://aclweb.org/anthology/D/D13/D13-1187.pdf
Rampton, B. (1995).Crossing: Language and ethnicity among adolescents. London, Longman
Ruth. (9/18/2013). How social networking and blogging have added new words to the English language. Retrieved 7 Jan 2014 from http://www.bubblews.com/news/1160546-how-social-networking-and-blogging-have-added-new-words-to-the-english-language
Kleinman, A. (8/28/2013). Oxford English Dictionary Adds Selfie, Derp, FOMO And More Words We Use Online. Retrieved 7 Jan 2014 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/28/new-words-dictionary_n_3829770.html
Fine, B. (9/10/2012). Social Media Transforms the English Language: CollinsDictionary.com Begins Crowdsourcing New Words. Retrieved 7 Jan 2014 from
http://thesocialmediamonthly.com/social-media-transforms-the-english-language-collinsdictionary-com-begins-crowdsourcing-new-words/#sthash.ZPqcJcg4.dpuf
Sarson, M. (3/21/2013). How social media is changing the English language. Retrieved 7 Jan 2014 from http://www.comtranslations.com/translation-blog/how-social-media-is-changing-the-english-language/
Newman, K. (10/13/2013). English in a Social, Mobile World; Evolution or Devolution?. Retrieved 7 Jan 2014 from http://gnovisjournal.org/2013/10/13/english-in-a-social-mobile-world-evolution-or-devolution/
Feuerstein R.(2003). The dynamic assessment of cognitive modifiability: The learning propensity assessment device: theory, instruments and techniques. Jerusalem. The ICELP Press.
