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The digital age has transformed the way we communicate, interact and express ourselves. Such transformation is obvious with almost all people from all ages and walk of life having access with social media. Social media have now become an integral part of our daily life, almost affecting our daily activities including language usage and communication. According to Chomsky, “language is dynamic” which means that it constantly changes and evolves continuously according to the needs of the users. New linguistic norms and patterns have come into existence as a result of the acceleration of these changes because of the advent of technology, the internet and the rise of social media.
The most observable impact of social media on language is probably the introduction and widespread use of new vocabularies like “rizz,” “viral,” “selfie,” “hashtag” and “unfriend” among others. Given that social media is interactive, it allows the immediate sharing of newly formed words which led to the rapid adoption of new language forms. Almost all users, regardless of age, would be heard using such terms which in most cases leaves the “boomers” or the older generation to ponder the meaning of the words as it is a new term they have never heard of.
Another contribution of social media to language is the adoption of image-centric language. Platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) have imposed a limited number of words thus users came up with a way on how to express themselves despite such limitations, that is to say they replaced texts with emojis and other visual elements.
While it is important to note that social media is a driving force in language evolution, it is not without challenges. As teachers, the problematic effects of social media norms on learners’ skills are quite noticeable in their written activities and there is also a decline in their communication skills in the classroom. Students often carry over informal writing styles from social media to the way they write academic requirements when asked to write essays. Even the use of simple punctuation and words to capitalize have been forgotten. It raises the question, “Have we failed our learners?” or it is just that we are simply lagging behind in this fast-changing world?
Perhaps the most problematic would be when students use slangs or informal languages learned online during recitations, responding with answers such as “hakdog” or “eyy”. Their reliance on slang and informal language hinders effective communication in the classroom. Such cases illustrate the informal nature of social media discourse, which undermines traditional language norms and poses dilemma to teachers.
Language change cannot be stopped. Despite this, we as educators must always strive to teach our students how to balance formal and casual language. We must be the models of clear and effective communication. With this, we can help our students benefit from social media and the same time help them avoid or at least minimize its negative effects on their communication skills.
In the end, the relationship between social and media and language is complex and diverse. It is without doubt that it created new opportunities for expression and connection among users. It is therefore up to us now to find the balance between accepting innovations and preserving linguistic standards not only in the classroom but beyond. By Jersey Dupagan