Internet slang: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
imported>ClueBot NG m Reverting possible vandalism by Tankboi3 to version by Citation bot. Report False Positive? Thanks, ClueBot NG. (4404801) (Bot) |
fixed grammar. |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Slang languages used | {{Short description|Slang terms and languages used on the Internet}} | ||
{{About|slang used on the Internet|jargon related to the Internet|Glossary of Internet-related terms|a list of terms|Wiktionary:Appendix:English internet slang}} | {{About|slang used on the Internet|jargon related to the Internet|Glossary of Internet-related terms|a list of terms|Wiktionary:Appendix:English internet slang}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} | ||
{{Internet}} | {{Internet}} | ||
'''Internet slang''' (also | '''Internet slang''' (also known as '''Internet shorthand''', '''cyber-slang''', '''netspeak''', or '''digispeak''') is a non-standard or unofficial form of language used by people on the [[Internet]] to communicate with one another.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Zappavigna|first=Michele|title=Discourse of Twitter and Social Media: How We Use Language to Create Affiliation on the Web|year=2012|isbn=978-1-4411-3871-2|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|location=eBook|page=127}}</ref> A popular example of Internet [[slang]] is "[[lol]]", meaning "laughing out loud". Since Internet slang is constantly changing, it is difficult to provide a standardized definition.<ref name="Yin">Yin Yan (2006) World Wide Web and the Formation of the Chinese and English[[Internet]] Union". Computer-Assisted Foreign Language Education. Vol. 1. {{ISSN|1001-5795}}</ref> However, it can be understood to be any type of slang that Internet users have popularized and, in many cases, have coined. Such terms often originate with the purpose of saving [[Typing|keystroke]]s or to compensate for character limit restrictions. Many people use the same [[abbreviation]]s in [[text messaging|texting]], [[instant messaging]], and [[social networking websites]]. [[Acronym]]s, [[Computer keyboard|keyboard symbols]], and abbreviations are common types of Internet slang. New dialects of slang, such as [[leet]] or [[lolspeak]], develop as [[ingroup]] [[Internet meme]]s rather than time savers. Internet slang is also used in face-to-face, [[real life]] communication.{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}} | ||
==Creation and evolution== | ==Creation and evolution== | ||
===Origins=== | ===Origins=== | ||
Internet slang originated in the early days of the Internet with some terms predating | Internet slang originated in the early days of the Internet, with some terms predating it.<ref>{{cite web|last=Daw |first=David |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/248526/web_jargon_origins_revealed.html |title=Web Jargon Origins Revealed |publisher=Pcworld.com |access-date=18 January 2014}}</ref> The earliest forms of Internet slang assumed people's knowledge of programming and commands in a specific language.<ref>{{Cite book|last=McCulloch|first=Gretchen|title=Because Internet: Understanding the Rules of Language|publisher=Riverhead Books|year=2019|isbn=978-0-7352-1095-0|location=New York|pages=88–95}}</ref> Internet slang is used in [[chat room]]s, [[social networking service]]s, [[online game]]s, [[video game]]s and in the [[online community]]. Since 1979, users of communications networks like [[Usenet]] created their own [[shorthand]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Meggyn |url=http://theunderenlightened.com/trolling-for-slang-the-origins-of-internet-werdz/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130216224540/http://theunderenlightened.com/trolling-for-slang-the-origins-of-internet-werdz/ |archive-date=16 February 2013 |title=Trolling For Slang: The Origins of Internet Werdz |publisher=Theunderenlightened.com |access-date=18 January 2014 }}</ref> Internet slang originated as a way to save keystrokes for users, alongside getting around auto-moderated platforms. If a platform banned users for typing a specific word, they would create new ones that had a communal understanding of the definition, allowing them to avoid the ban filter.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Andreeva |first=E. A. |date=2014 |title=Modern English Internet Slang: Leetspeak (also known as “eleet”, “leet”, “1337” or “L33t5p34k”) |url=https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/bitstream/handle/2311/18331/s19_001.pdf?sequence=1 |journal=Language and Culture, Siberian Federal University}}</ref> | ||
===Motivations=== | ===Motivations=== | ||
The primary motivation for using a slang unique to the Internet is to ease [[communication]]. | The primary motivation for using a slang unique to the Internet is to ease [[communication]]. While Internet slang shortcuts save time for the writer, they can also take two times as long for the reader to understand, according to a study by the [[University of Tasmania]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't be 404, know the tech slang|date=10 December 2008|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7775013.stm|work=[[BBC]]}}</ref> On the other hand, similar to the use of slang in traditional face-to-face speech or written language, slang on the Internet is often a way of indicating [[social group|group membership]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Crystal, David |date=1997|title= The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language|edition= Second |location=Cambridge|publisher= Cambridge University Press}}</ref> | ||
Internet slang provides a channel which facilitates and constrains the ability to communicate in ways that are fundamentally different from those found in other semiotic situations. Many of the expectations and practices which we associate with spoken and written language are no longer applicable. The Internet itself is ideal for new slang to emerge because of the richness of the medium and the availability of information.<ref name=bas /> Slang is also thus motivated for the "creation and sustenance of online communities".<ref name=bas /> These communities, in turn, play a role in solidarity or identification<ref name=Yin /><ref name= miao /> or an exclusive or common cause.<ref name=mud /> | Internet slang provides a channel which facilitates and constrains the ability to communicate in ways that are fundamentally different from those found in other semiotic situations. Many of the expectations and practices which we associate with spoken and written language are no longer applicable. The Internet itself is ideal for new slang to emerge because of the richness of the medium and the availability of information.<ref name=bas /> Slang is also thus motivated for the "creation and sustenance of online communities".<ref name=bas /> These communities, in turn, play a role in solidarity or identification<ref name=Yin /><ref name= miao /> or an exclusive or common cause.<ref name=mud /> | ||
| Line 26: | Line 26: | ||
! Class !! Description | ! Class !! Description | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | rowspan="2" | [[Rebus]]es (Homophones & homographs) || Included within this group are [[abbreviation]]s and [[acronym]]s. An abbreviation is a shortening of a word, for example "CU" or "CYA" for "see you (see ya)". An acronym, on the other hand, is a subset of abbreviations and are formed from the initial components of each word. Examples of common acronyms include "LOL" for "laugh out loud", "BTW" for "by the way" and "TFW" for "that feeling when". There are also combinations of both, like "CUL8R" for "see you later". | ||
|- | |||
|Mostly a puzzle device, but it can be used as Internet slang using [[Unicode]] characters like emojis or letters. Examples include "[[Ỽ]]", Latin letter [[V]] shaped like an egg in the [[Middle Welsh]] language and "[[Cyrillic O variants#Multiocular O|ꙮ]]", Cyrillic letter Multiocular O shaped like grapes. | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Heterographs || Using one word in place of another, different but similarly sounding, word. Alternatively, a deliberate misspelling. For example, using "sauce" instead of "source" when asking for the source of an image or other posted material online.<ref>[http://ysu.am/files/Liana%20BARSEGHYAN.pdf] Barseghyan, L. (2013). On some aspects of Internet slang. Graduate School of Foreign Languages N, 14, 19-31.</ref> For example, TikTok algorithms monitor 'explicit' content by censoring certain words or promoting videos based on the inclusion of certain hashtags; the intentional misspelling of words bypasses censorship guidelines and subsequently creates a range of platform-specific slang, renders trigger warnings as ineffective and can end up promoting harmful content (e.g. misspelling anorexia, pro-eating disorder content can be featured on the For You page via algorithms that promote popular content).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sung|first=Morgan|date=31 August 2020|title=It's almost impossible to avoid triggering content on TikTok|url=https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-algorithm-triggers|access-date=26 August 2021|website=Mashable|language=en}}</ref> | | Heterographs || Using one word in place of another, different but similarly sounding, word. Alternatively, a deliberate misspelling. For example, using "sauce" instead of "source" when asking for the source of an image or other posted material online.<ref>[http://ysu.am/files/Liana%20BARSEGHYAN.pdf] Barseghyan, L. (2013). On some aspects of Internet slang. Graduate School of Foreign Languages N, 14, 19-31.</ref> For example, TikTok algorithms monitor 'explicit' content by censoring certain words or promoting videos based on the inclusion of certain hashtags; the intentional misspelling of words bypasses censorship guidelines and subsequently creates a range of platform-specific slang, renders trigger warnings as ineffective and can end up promoting harmful content (e.g. misspelling anorexia, pro-eating disorder content can be featured on the For You page via algorithms that promote popular content).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Sung|first=Morgan|date=31 August 2020|title=It's almost impossible to avoid triggering content on TikTok|url=https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-algorithm-triggers|access-date=26 August 2021|website=Mashable|language=en}}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[Punctuation]], capitalizations, and other [[ | | [[Punctuation]], capitalizations, and other [[symbol]]s|| Such features are commonly used for emphasis. Periods or exclamation marks may be used repeatedly for emphasis, such as "........" or "!!!!!!!!!!". Question marks and exclamation marks are often used together in strings such as "?!?!?!?!" when one is angry while asking a question. Grammatical punctuation rules are also relaxed on the Internet. "E-mail" may simply be expressed as "email", and apostrophes can be dropped so that "John's book" becomes "johns book". Examples of capitalizations include "STOP IT", which can convey a stronger emotion of annoyance as opposed to "stop it". Bold, underline and italics are also used to indicate stress. Using a tilde ~ can be a symbol of sarcasm, like "~That was so funny ~".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kimball Leslie|first=Jess|date=5 June 2017|title=The Internet Tilde Perfectly Conveys Something We Don't Have the Words to Explain|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A494472666/ITOF?u=temple_main&sid=ITOF&xid=b51da47c|journal=Science of Us|volume=Science of Us|via=Vox Media, LLC}}</ref> The period can also be used in a way to symbolize seriousness, or anger like "ok." | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Onomatopoeic or stylized spellings || [[Onomatopoeia|Onomatopoeic]] spellings have also become popularized on the Internet. One well-known example is "hahaha" to indicate laughter. Onomatopoeic spellings are very language specific. For instance, in Spanish, laughter is spelled as "jajaja" instead because J is pronounced as {{IPA|/h/|lang=sp}} (like English "h" in "hahaha") in Spanish. In Thai, it is "55555" because 5 in Thai ("ห้า") is pronounced {{IPA|/haː˥˩/|lang=th}}. | | Onomatopoeic or stylized spellings || [[Onomatopoeia|Onomatopoeic]] spellings have also become popularized on the Internet. One well-known example is "hahaha" to indicate laughter. Onomatopoeic spellings are very language specific. For instance, in Spanish, laughter is spelled as "jajaja" instead because J is pronounced as {{IPA|/h/|lang=sp}} (like English "h" in "hahaha") in Spanish. In Thai, it is "55555" because 5 in Thai ("ห้า") is pronounced {{IPA|/haː˥˩/|lang=th}}. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Keyboard-generated emoticons and smileys || [[Emoticon]]s are generally found in web forums, instant messengers, and online games. They are culture-specific and certain emoticons are only found in some languages but not in others. For example, the Japanese equivalent of emoticons, kaomoji (literally "face marks"), focus on the eyes instead of the mouth as in Western emoticons. They are also meant to be read right-side up, as in ^_^ as opposed to sideways, :3. | | Keyboard-generated emoticons and smileys || [[Emoticon]]s are generally found in web forums, instant messengers, and online games. They are culture-specific and certain emoticons are only found in some languages but not in others. For example, the Japanese equivalent of emoticons, [[kaomoji]] (literally "face marks"), focus on the eyes instead of the mouth as in Western emoticons. They are also meant to be read right-side up, as in ^_^ as opposed to sideways, :3. Kaomoji are used to convey a wide range of statements about the tone of an accompanying message, such as seeking to soften a message that may otherwise be read as overly strict or formal.<ref>Sugimoto, T. and Levin, J. A. (2000), [https://pages.ucsd.edu/~jalevin/S-L/index.html Multiple Literacies and Multimedia: A Comparison of Japanese and American Uses of the Internet], In C. Self & G. Hawisher (Eds), Global literacies and the World-wide Web, London: Routledge</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Katsuno |first1=Hirofumi |first2=Christine R. |last2=Yano |title=Face to Face: On-Line Subjectivity in Contemporary Japan |date=June 2002 |journal=[[Asian Studies Review]] |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=205–231 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10357820208713341 |access-date=27 January 2026}}</ref> More recently than face emoticons, other emoticon symbols such as <3 (which is a sideways heart) have emerged. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Emojis | |Emojis | ||
|Emojis are relatively new to internet slang,<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Petra Kralj Novak |author2=Jasmina Smailović |author3=Borut Sluban |author4=Igor Mozetič |title=Sentiment of emojis |journal=PLOS ONE|year=2015|volume=10|issue=12| | |Emojis are relatively new to internet slang,<ref>{{Cite journal |author=Petra Kralj Novak |author2=Jasmina Smailović |author3=Borut Sluban |author4=Igor Mozetič |title=Sentiment of emojis |journal=PLOS ONE|year=2015|volume=10|issue=12|article-number=e0144296|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0144296|pmid=26641093|pmc=4671607|arxiv=1509.07761|bibcode=2015PLoSO..1044296K|s2cid=5526153|doi-access=free | issn = 1932-6203}}</ref> and are much like emoticons in the way that they convey messages in a visual way. However, while emoticons create an image using characters from the keyboard, emojis are a whole new level of communication and slang that portray messages in small cartoons. With culture comes different meaning for different emojis. For example, in 2016, Emojipedia and Prismoji took 571 peach emojis tweets and associated them with six different meanings varying from the fruit, feeling peachy, or sexual connotations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Azhar|first=Hamden|date=2016|title=How We Really Use The Peach|url=https://blog.emojipedia.org/how-we-really-use-the-peach/}}</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Leet || [[Leet]]speak, or 1337,<ref>{{cite web|title=1337 - what is it and how to be 1337|url=http://www.1337.net/|access-date=30 April 2012}}</ref> is an alternative alphabet for the English language which uses various combinations of ASCII characters to replace Latinate letters. For example, Wikipedia may be expressed as "\/\/1|<1p3[)14". It originated from computer hacking, but its use has been extended to online gaming as well. Leet is often used today to set up effective security password for different accounts.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Li|first1=Wanda |last2=Zeng|first2=Jianping |date=January 2021|title=Leet Usage and Its Effect on Password Security|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348361712}}</ref> Leet is also used on social media platforms that employ content control algorithms to censor topics that may be controversial or inappropriate; using leet for potentially problematic terms (e.g. "k1ll"; "s3x"; "ant1s3m1t1sm") can avoid censorship. | | Leet || [[Leet]]speak, or 1337,<ref>{{cite web|title=1337 - what is it and how to be 1337|url=http://www.1337.net/|access-date=30 April 2012}}</ref> is an alternative alphabet for the English language which uses various combinations of ASCII characters to replace Latinate letters. For example, Wikipedia may be expressed as "\/\/1|<1p3[)14". It originated from computer hacking, but its use has been extended to online gaming as well. Leet is often used today to set up effective security password for different accounts.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Li|first1=Wanda |last2=Zeng|first2=Jianping |date=January 2021|title=Leet Usage and Its Effect on Password Security|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348361712}}</ref> Leet is also used on social media platforms that employ content control algorithms to censor topics that may be controversial or inappropriate; using leet for potentially problematic terms (e.g. "k1ll"; "s3x"; "ant1s3m1t1sm") can avoid censorship. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Novel [[syntax|syntactic]] features || Unusual syntactic structures such as "[[I Can Has Cheezburger?]]" and "You are doing me a frighten" have been encouraged and spread by highly successful memes. Pluralization of "[[Internets|the internets]]" is another example, which has become common since it was used by [[George W. Bush]] during a televised event.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Menning|first=Chris|date=2000|title=Internets|url=https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/internets}}</ref> | | Novel [[syntax|syntactic]] features || Unusual syntactic structures such as "[[I Can Has Cheezburger?]]" and "You are doing me a frighten" have been encouraged and spread by highly successful memes. Pluralization of "[[Internets|the internets]]" is another example, which has become common since it was used by [[George W. Bush]] during a televised event.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Menning|first=Chris|date=2000|title=Internets|url=https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/internets}}</ref> | ||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 51: | Line 52: | ||
On the other hand, [[Linguistic description|descriptivists]] have counter-argued that the Internet allows better expressions of a language.<ref name=www.newjerseynewsroom.com /> Rather than established linguistic conventions, linguistic choices sometimes reflect personal taste.<ref name=baron>Baron, Naomi S. (2002). Who sets email style: Prescriptivism, coping strategies, and democratizing communication access. The Information Society 18, 403-413</ref> It has also been suggested that as opposed to intentionally flouting language conventions, Internet slang is a result of a lack of motivation to monitor speech online.<ref>Baron, Naomi (2003) "Why Email Looks Like Speech: Proofreading Pedagogy and Public Face." In New Media Language, ed. Jean Aitchison and Diana M. Lewis, 85–94. London: Routledge.</ref> Hale and Scanlon describe language in emails as being derived from "writing the way people talk", and that there is no need to insist on 'Standard' English.<ref name=hale /> English users, in particular, have an extensive tradition of etiquette guides, instead of traditional prescriptive treatises, that offer pointers on linguistic appropriateness.<ref name=baron /> Using and spreading Internet slang also adds onto the cultural currency of a language.<ref name=Garcia /> It is important to the speakers of the language due to the foundation it provides for identifying within a group, and also for defining a person's individual linguistic and communicative competence.<ref name=Garcia /> The result is a specialized subculture based on its use of slang.<ref name="annemarie">Simon-Vandenbergen, Anne Marie (2008) Deciphering L33t5p34k: Internet Slang on Message Boards. Thesis paper. Ghent University Faculty of Arts and Philosophy</ref> | On the other hand, [[Linguistic description|descriptivists]] have counter-argued that the Internet allows better expressions of a language.<ref name=www.newjerseynewsroom.com /> Rather than established linguistic conventions, linguistic choices sometimes reflect personal taste.<ref name=baron>Baron, Naomi S. (2002). Who sets email style: Prescriptivism, coping strategies, and democratizing communication access. The Information Society 18, 403-413</ref> It has also been suggested that as opposed to intentionally flouting language conventions, Internet slang is a result of a lack of motivation to monitor speech online.<ref>Baron, Naomi (2003) "Why Email Looks Like Speech: Proofreading Pedagogy and Public Face." In New Media Language, ed. Jean Aitchison and Diana M. Lewis, 85–94. London: Routledge.</ref> Hale and Scanlon describe language in emails as being derived from "writing the way people talk", and that there is no need to insist on 'Standard' English.<ref name=hale /> English users, in particular, have an extensive tradition of etiquette guides, instead of traditional prescriptive treatises, that offer pointers on linguistic appropriateness.<ref name=baron /> Using and spreading Internet slang also adds onto the cultural currency of a language.<ref name=Garcia /> It is important to the speakers of the language due to the foundation it provides for identifying within a group, and also for defining a person's individual linguistic and communicative competence.<ref name=Garcia /> The result is a specialized subculture based on its use of slang.<ref name="annemarie">Simon-Vandenbergen, Anne Marie (2008) Deciphering L33t5p34k: Internet Slang on Message Boards. Thesis paper. Ghent University Faculty of Arts and Philosophy</ref> | ||
In the workspace, internet slang and abbreviation is becoming more acceptable.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=2014-03-28 |title=On Internet Slang, IMHO (Published 2014) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/30/fashion/on-internet-slang-imho.html |access-date=2025-11-18 |language=en}}</ref> People are resonating with each other when they see a quickly jotted down message with lots of contractions and slang added in. As long as 'Sent from my iPhone' appears at the bottom of an email, most people are willing to look the other way when it comes to formal grammar.<ref name=":4" /> | |||
In American schools, internet slang has started to become more common in a real-life setting.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Andrew |first=Scottie |date=2025-10-18 |title=The '6-7' meme can be annoying. But kids are shouting it for good reason |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/18/us/6-7-meme-slang-explained-cec |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> The current '6-7' trend has spread to most middle schools in America, now being spoken in person. '6-7,' slang initially derived from the internet, has now made its way into the classroom, and people have conflicting views on it. The slang itself does not have much meaning, leaving some teachers confused and angry, while others are just happy that their students are smiling and having fun. Taylor Jones, a linguist and social scientist, attempted to explain what people thought of its lack of meaning: “I think that’s part of what upsets people about it, and I think that’s part of what people like about it.”<ref name=":5" /> | |||
Internet slang has borrowed heavily from [[African-American Vernacular English]] (AAVE), which is often seen as an example of [[cultural appropriation]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Sydnee |date=2021-09-07 |title=So Much Modern Slang Is AAVE. Here's How Language Appropriation Erases The Influence Of Black Culture. |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/sydneethompson/aave-language-appropriation |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=BuzzFeed News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shammet |first=Tagwa |date=2021-02-18 |title=AAVE is not your internet slang. It is Black culture. |url=https://commonwealthtimes.org/2021/02/18/aave-is-not-your-internet-slang-it-is-black-culture/ |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=The Commonwealth Times |language=en-US}}</ref> | Internet slang has borrowed heavily from [[African-American Vernacular English]] (AAVE), which is often seen as an example of [[cultural appropriation]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Sydnee |date=2021-09-07 |title=So Much Modern Slang Is AAVE. Here's How Language Appropriation Erases The Influence Of Black Culture. |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/sydneethompson/aave-language-appropriation |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=BuzzFeed News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Shammet |first=Tagwa |date=2021-02-18 |title=AAVE is not your internet slang. It is Black culture. |url=https://commonwealthtimes.org/2021/02/18/aave-is-not-your-internet-slang-it-is-black-culture/ |access-date=2025-06-25 |website=The Commonwealth Times |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
| Line 59: | Line 64: | ||
===Journalism=== | ===Journalism=== | ||
In April 2014, ''[[Gawker]]''{{'}}s [[editor-in-chief]] Max Read instituted new writing style guidelines banning internet slang for his writing staff.<ref name="Gawker bans 'Internet slang'">{{cite news|first1=Andrew|last1=Beaujon|url=http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/246113/gawker-bans-internet-slang/|title=Gawker bans 'Internet slang'|work=[[Poynter Institute]]|date=3 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128120629/http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/246113/gawker-bans-internet-slang/|archive-date=28 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="Gawker Rips Buzzfeed in Ban on 'WTF,' 'Epic' and Other Internet Slang From Its Website">{{cite news|first1=James |last1=Crugnale |url=http://www.thewrap.com/gawker-rips-buzzfeed-ban-internet-slang/|title=Gawker Rips Buzzfeed in Ban on 'WTF,' 'Epic' and Other Internet Slang From Its Website|work=[[TheWrap]]|date=3 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="'Massive' Attack: Gawker Goes After Whopping Word">{{cite news|first1=Matthew |last1=Kassel |url=http://observer.com/2014/04/massive-attack-gawker-goes-after-whopping-word/|title='Massive' Attack: Gawker Goes After Whopping Word|work=[[The New York Observer]]|date=3 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="Gawker Editor Bans 'Internet Slang,' Challenges Staff to 'Sound Like Regular Human Beings'">{{cite news |last1=Weaver |first1=Alex |date=3 April 2014 |title=Gawker Editor Bans 'Internet Slang,' Challenges Staff to 'Sound Like Regular Human Beings' |url=http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/04/03/gawker-editor-bans-internet-slang/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101041447/http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/04/03/gawker-editor-bans-internet-slang/ |archive-date=2016-01-01 |access-date=4 January 2014 |work=[[BostInno]]}}</ref><ref name="A ban on internet slang? That's derp">{{cite news|first1=Steven |last1=Poole |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/10/ban-internet-slang-steven-poole-derp-amazeballs-lulz-wtf|title=A ban on internet slang? That's derp|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=10 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="Gawker is Trying to Use 'Adult' Language. Good Luck to Them.">{{cite magazine|first1=John |last1=McWhorter |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/117289/gawker-language-memo-encourages-use-adult-language|title=Gawker is Trying to Use 'Adult' Language. Good Luck to Them.|magazine=[[The New Republic]]|date=7 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref> Internet slang has gained attraction, however in other publications ranging from [[BuzzFeed]] to The Washington Post, gaining attention from younger viewers. Clickbait headlines have particularly sparked attention, originating from the rise of BuzzFeed in the journalistic sphere which ultimately lead to an online landscape populated with social media references and a shift in language use. <ref>{{Cite book |last=Mormol |first=Paulina |title=On the Linguistic Features of BuzzFeed Headlines |date=January 2019 |publisher=Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego }}</ref> | In April 2014, ''[[Gawker]]''{{'}}s [[editor-in-chief]] Max Read instituted new writing style guidelines banning internet slang for his writing staff.<ref name="Gawker bans 'Internet slang'">{{cite news|first1=Andrew|last1=Beaujon|url=http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/246113/gawker-bans-internet-slang/|title=Gawker bans 'Internet slang'|work=[[Poynter Institute]]|date=3 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141128120629/http://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/246113/gawker-bans-internet-slang/|archive-date=28 November 2014}}</ref><ref name="Gawker Rips Buzzfeed in Ban on 'WTF,' 'Epic' and Other Internet Slang From Its Website">{{cite news|first1=James|last1=Crugnale|url=http://www.thewrap.com/gawker-rips-buzzfeed-ban-internet-slang/|title=Gawker Rips Buzzfeed in Ban on 'WTF,' 'Epic' and Other Internet Slang From Its Website|work=[[TheWrap]]|date=3 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014|archive-date=5 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140405234754/http://www.thewrap.com/gawker-rips-buzzfeed-ban-internet-slang|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="'Massive' Attack: Gawker Goes After Whopping Word">{{cite news|first1=Matthew |last1=Kassel |url=http://observer.com/2014/04/massive-attack-gawker-goes-after-whopping-word/|title='Massive' Attack: Gawker Goes After Whopping Word|work=[[The New York Observer]]|date=3 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="Gawker Editor Bans 'Internet Slang,' Challenges Staff to 'Sound Like Regular Human Beings'">{{cite news |last1=Weaver |first1=Alex |date=3 April 2014 |title=Gawker Editor Bans 'Internet Slang,' Challenges Staff to 'Sound Like Regular Human Beings' |url=http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/04/03/gawker-editor-bans-internet-slang/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101041447/http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/04/03/gawker-editor-bans-internet-slang/ |archive-date=2016-01-01 |access-date=4 January 2014 |work=[[BostInno]]}}</ref><ref name="A ban on internet slang? That's derp">{{cite news|first1=Steven |last1=Poole |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/10/ban-internet-slang-steven-poole-derp-amazeballs-lulz-wtf|title=A ban on internet slang? That's derp|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=10 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="Gawker is Trying to Use 'Adult' Language. Good Luck to Them.">{{cite magazine|first1=John |last1=McWhorter |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/117289/gawker-language-memo-encourages-use-adult-language|title=Gawker is Trying to Use 'Adult' Language. Good Luck to Them.|magazine=[[The New Republic]]|date=7 April 2014|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref> Internet slang has gained attraction, however in other publications ranging from [[BuzzFeed]] to The Washington Post, gaining attention from younger viewers. Clickbait headlines have particularly sparked attention, originating from the rise of BuzzFeed in the journalistic sphere which ultimately lead to an online landscape populated with social media references and a shift in language use.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mormol |first=Paulina |title=On the Linguistic Features of BuzzFeed Headlines |date=January 2019 |publisher=Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego }}</ref> | ||
Beyond the clickbait, internet slang is now used in modern news articles. After Faker, a professional League of Legends player, won the 2025 League of Legends world championship and his sixth championship total, The New York Times' Athletic wrote about him. In the title they reference Faker as the 'GOAT' of League, a commonly used term in internet slang.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Daniel |last2=Wu |first2=Yifan |date=2025-11-10 |title=As League of Legends esports celebrates 15 years, its GOAT adds another title |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6785538/2025/11/07/league-of-legends-faker-15-years-china/ |access-date=2025-11-13 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> | |||
The scene of journalism as a whole has become increasingly interested in internet slang over the past few years. The New York Times has published many articles covering internet slang, or as they refer to much of it, 'Gen Alpha' slang.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |date=2023-11-08 |title=Gen Alpha Is Here. Can You Understand Their Slang? (Published 2023) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/08/style/gen-alpha-slang.html |access-date=2025-11-20 |language=en}}</ref> Journalists are interested in explaining the lexicon of the youth, helping older generations better understand what their children are talking about. One Times article alone covers over 10 different words of internet slang, ranging from terms like 'gyat' to what a 'rizzler' is.<ref name=":7" /> Two years later, the Time published yet another article, explaining more of the Gen Z and Gen Alpha vernacular.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-08-13 |title=What Does It Mean to Be Chopped? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/13/style/chopped-slang-gen-alpha.html |access-date=2025-11-20 |language=en}}</ref> This article spent less time explaining multiple terms and instead focused in on a specific one: 'chopped.' As internet slang becomes more ubiquitous in the modern era, journalists are looking to keep people informed on the changing ways that people are communicating. | |||
==Use beyond computer-mediated communication== | ==Use beyond computer-mediated communication== | ||
| Line 66: | Line 75: | ||
At the same time, Internet slang has also taken a place as part of everyday [[offline]] language, among those with digital access.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> The nature and content of [[online]] conversation is brought forward to direct offline communication through the [[telephone]] and direct talking, as well as through [[Orthography|written language]], such as in writing notes or letters. In the case of interjections, such as numerically based and abbreviated Internet slang, are not pronounced as they are written physically or replaced by any actual action. Rather, they become [[Lexicalisation|lexicalized]] and spoken like non-slang words in a "stage direction" like fashion, where the actual action is not carried out but substituted with a verbal signal. The notions of flaming and [[troll (Internet)|trolling]] have also extended outside the computer, and are used in the same circumstances of deliberate or unintentional implicatures.<ref name=bas /> | At the same time, Internet slang has also taken a place as part of everyday [[offline]] language, among those with digital access.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> The nature and content of [[online]] conversation is brought forward to direct offline communication through the [[telephone]] and direct talking, as well as through [[Orthography|written language]], such as in writing notes or letters. In the case of interjections, such as numerically based and abbreviated Internet slang, are not pronounced as they are written physically or replaced by any actual action. Rather, they become [[Lexicalisation|lexicalized]] and spoken like non-slang words in a "stage direction" like fashion, where the actual action is not carried out but substituted with a verbal signal. The notions of flaming and [[troll (Internet)|trolling]] have also extended outside the computer, and are used in the same circumstances of deliberate or unintentional implicatures.<ref name=bas /> | ||
The expansion of Internet slang has been furthered through codification and the promotion of digital literacy. The subsequently existing and growing popularity of such references among those online as well as offline has thus advanced Internet slang [[Digital literacy|literacy]] and globalized it.<ref>Wellman, Barry (2004) The glocal village: Internet and community. Arts and Science Review. University of Toronto. Issue 1, Series 1.</ref> Awareness and proficiency in manipulating Internet slang in both online and offline communication indicates digital literacy and teaching materials have even been developed to further this knowledge.<ref>{{cite web |last=Singhal |first= M. |title=The Internet and foreign language education: Benefits and challenges |publisher=The Internet TESL Journal |year=1997 |url=http://iteslj.org/}}</ref> A South Korean publisher, for example, has published a textbook that details the meaning and context of use for common Internet slang instances and is targeted at young children who will soon be using the Internet.<ref>Ashcroft, Brian (2010) Hey Korean Kids, Let's Learn Leetspeak And Internet Slang. Published 11 February 2010. Retrieved from [ | The expansion of Internet slang has been furthered through codification and the promotion of digital literacy. The subsequently existing and growing popularity of such references among those online as well as offline has thus advanced Internet slang [[Digital literacy|literacy]] and globalized it.<ref>Wellman, Barry (2004) The glocal village: Internet and community. Arts and Science Review. University of Toronto. Issue 1, Series 1.</ref> Awareness and proficiency in manipulating Internet slang in both online and offline communication indicates digital literacy and teaching materials have even been developed to further this knowledge.<ref>{{cite web |last=Singhal |first= M. |title=The Internet and foreign language education: Benefits and challenges |publisher=The Internet TESL Journal |year=1997 |url=http://iteslj.org/}}</ref> A South Korean publisher, for example, has published a textbook that details the meaning and context of use for common Internet slang instances and is targeted at young children who will soon be using the Internet.<ref>Ashcroft, Brian (2010) Hey Korean Kids, Let's Learn Leetspeak And Internet Slang. Published 11 February 2010. Retrieved from [https://kotaku.com/hey-korean-kids-lets-learn-leetspeak-and-internet-slan-5469239]</ref> Similarly, Internet slang has been recommended as language teaching material in second language classrooms in order to raise communicative competence by imparting some of the cultural value attached to a language that is available only in slang.<ref>Quintana, M. (2004) Integration of Effective Internet Resources for Future Teachers of Bilingual Ed. National Association of African American Studies, 2004</ref> | ||
Meanwhile, well-known dictionaries such as the [[Oxford Dictionary of English|ODE]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/category/word-trends-and-new-words/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704113254/http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/category/word-trends-and-new-words/ | Meanwhile, well-known dictionaries such as the [[Oxford Dictionary of English|ODE]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/category/word-trends-and-new-words/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704113254/http://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/category/word-trends-and-new-words/ |archive-date=4 July 2011 |title=Oxford Dictionary official blog |publisher=Blog.oxforddictionaries.com |access-date=18 January 2014}}</ref> and [[Merriam-Webster]] have been updated with a significant and growing body of slang jargon. Besides common examples, lesser known slang and slang with a non-English etymology have also found a place in standardized linguistic references. Along with these instances, literature in user-contributed dictionaries such as [[Urban Dictionary]] has also been added to. Codification seems to be qualified through frequency of use, and novel creations are often not accepted by other users of slang.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jones |first=Brian |url=http://www.noslang.com/rejects/ |title=Rejects |publisher=Noslang.com |access-date= 28 November 2017}}</ref> In the past few years, internet slang has been seeing a massive rise in acceptance from dictionaries on the web. Dictionary.com's word of the year for 2025 was the term '67,' a piece of internet slang largely used by Gen Alpha on TikTok, and now, real life.<ref name=":6" /> | ||
=== Politics === | |||
In recent years, politicians have begun using internet slang in their campaigns. In the 2025 New York City Mayoral race, Curtis Sliwa, the Republican nominee, used the term 'glazing' in a debate with Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Patterson |first=Kenneal |date=2025-10-31 |title=The Internet's New “Babygirl” is Curtis Sliwa |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/the-internets-new-babygirl-is-curtis-sliwa |access-date=2025-11-13 |website=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref> Sliwa ended up receiving 7% of the overall vote.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-11-04 |title=New York City Mayoral Election Results |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/04/us/elections/results-new-york-city-mayor.html |access-date=2025-11-13 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> On the other hand, Mamdani used a largely online platform, featuring many Instagram Reels to convey information to his target audience. He catered to Gen Z and Millennials by taking to the internet and proving he was one of them by using his own variants of Internet Slang.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-11-11 |title=The Demographic Trends That Shaped Mamdani's Win |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/11/us/mamdani-nyc-voters-election-demographics.html |access-date=2025-11-13 |language=en}}</ref> | |||
A study showed that online, most people are interacting with political news utilizing slang.<ref name=":3">{{cite conference |last1=Hossain |first1=Nabil |last2=Tran |first2=Thanh Thuy Trang |last3=Kautz |first3=Henry |year=2018 |title=Discovering Political Slang in Readers' Comments |url=https://www.cs.virginia.edu/~rmw7my/papers/icwsm18-slang.pdf |access-date=2025-11-13 |book-title=Proceedings of the 12th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media (ICWSM 2018)}}</ref> In comment sections of news article, sub dialects of internet slang are being created, solely based around politics and current movements. The study also found that depending on the news site being commented on, slang differences would heavily vary. Internet slang used on The New York Times site would be incredibly different than that seen on Breitbart.<ref name=":3" /> | |||
===Present=== | ===Present=== | ||
Although Internet slang began as a means of "opposition" to mainstream language, its popularity with today's globalized digitally literate population has shifted it into a part of everyday language, where it also leaves a profound impact.<ref>{{Unbulleted list | {{cite web |last= Eller |first= Lara L. |year= 2005 |work= Thesis |title= Instant Message Communication and its Impact upon Written Language |publisher= [[West Virginia University]] |url= http://www.wvu.edu/ }} | Although Internet slang began as a means of "opposition" to mainstream language, its popularity with today's globalized digitally literate population has shifted it into a part of everyday language, where it also leaves a profound impact.<ref>{{Unbulleted list | {{cite web |last= Eller |first= Lara L. |year= 2005 |work= Thesis |title= Instant Message Communication and its Impact upon Written Language |publisher= [[West Virginia University]] |url= http://www.wvu.edu/ }} | ||
{{cite web |title= Alternate source |website= WVU Scholar |url= http://wvuscholar.wvu.edu/ |url-access=subscription }} | {{cite web |title= Alternate source |website= WVU Scholar |url= http://wvuscholar.wvu.edu/ |url-access=subscription }} | ||
| {{cite web |title= Alternate source |website= University of Hong Kong |url= http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/ER/detail/hkul/3632984 |url-access=subscription }} | {{cite web |format= pdf |title= Alternate source |website= Research Gate |url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267419817 }} }}</ref> | | {{cite web |title= Alternate source |website= University of Hong Kong |url= http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/ER/detail/hkul/3632984 |url-access=subscription }} | {{cite web |format= pdf |title= Alternate source |website= Research Gate |url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267419817 }} }}</ref> 6–7, a meme that grew to fame in 2025 is an example. It is a term that does not have a true meaning to it, but was developed and catalysed on the internet as slang.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2025-11-07 |title=What Does '6-7' Mean? Maybe Tweens Don't Want You to Know. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/07/style/gen-z-six-seven-meme-gen-alpha-absurdity.html |access-date=2025-11-13 |language=en}}</ref> The term grew so big that dictionary.com labeled it as their 'Word of the Year' for 2025.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2025-10-28 |title=Dictionary.com’s 2025 Word of the Year Is… |url=https://www.dictionary.com/e/word-of-the-year-2025/ |access-date=2025-11-18 |website=Dictionary.com |language=en-US}}</ref> They stated that its large usage by Generation Alpha in a real world context earned it the number one spot. Its influence reached beyond that of the computer screen, changing how kids interact with their parents, teachers, and friends.<ref name=":6" /> Other terms like 'rizz' have seen massive uses in modern-day life, all while they originated from online figures such as Kai Cenat.<ref name=":2" /> | ||
Frequently used slang also have become conventionalised into memetic "unit[s] of cultural information".<ref name=bas>{{cite web |last=Flamand |first=E |year=2008 |title=The impossible task of dialog analysis in chatboxes |url=http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:D28k7Tswv5wJ:scholar.google.com/+internet+slang+meme&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5}}</ref> These memes in turn are further spread through their use on the Internet, prominently through websites. The Internet as an "information superhighway" is also catalysed through slang.<ref name="annemarie"/> The evolution of slang has also created a 'slang union'<ref name=Yin /> as part of a unique, specialised subculture.<ref name=annemarie /> Such impacts are, however, limited and requires further discussion especially from the non-English world. This is because Internet slang is prevalent in languages more actively used on the [[Internet]], like [[English language|English]], which is the Internet's [[lingua franca]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20332763|title=Learn English online: How the internet is changing language|work=BBC News|date=14 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://jkorpela.fi/lingua-franca.html|title=English - the universal language on the Internet?|quote=English essentially is the universal language of the Internet}}</ref> | Frequently used slang also have become conventionalised into memetic "unit[s] of cultural information".<ref name=bas>{{cite web |last=Flamand |first=E |year=2008 |title=The impossible task of dialog analysis in chatboxes |url=http://scholar.googleusercontent.com/scholar?q=cache:D28k7Tswv5wJ:scholar.google.com/+internet+slang+meme&hl=en&as_sdt=0,5}}</ref> These memes in turn are further spread through their use on the Internet, prominently through websites. The Internet as an "information superhighway" is also catalysed through slang.<ref name="annemarie"/> The evolution of slang has also created a 'slang union'<ref name=Yin /> as part of a unique, specialised subculture.<ref name=annemarie /> Such impacts are, however, limited and requires further discussion especially from the non-English world. This is because Internet slang is prevalent in languages more actively used on the [[Internet]], like [[English language|English]], which is the Internet's [[lingua franca]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20332763|title=Learn English online: How the internet is changing language|work=BBC News|date=14 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://jkorpela.fi/lingua-franca.html|title=English - the universal language on the Internet?|quote=English essentially is the universal language of the Internet}}</ref> | ||
==Around the world== | ==Around the world== | ||
[[File:Grass Mud Horse Seal.svg|thumb|Chinese seal carving work. The character is a combination of three characters, which is done by Chinese [[netizen]]. This is a satire of [[Chinese Internet censorship]]. See [[Grass Mud Horse]]. | [[File:Grass Mud Horse Seal.svg|thumb|Chinese seal carving work. The character is a combination of three characters, which is done by a Chinese [[netizen]]. This is a satire of [[Chinese Internet censorship]]. (See [[Grass Mud Horse]].)]] | ||
Aside from the more frequent abbreviations, acronyms, and [[emoticon]]s, Internet slang also uses archaic words or the lesser-known meanings of mainstream terms.<ref name="Yin" /> Regular words can also be altered into something with a similar pronunciation but altogether different meaning, or attributed new meanings altogether.<ref name="Yin" /> Phonetic transcriptions are the transformation of words to how it sounds in a certain language, and are used as internet slang.<ref>{{Cite CiteSeerX |last=Wells|first=J.C.|title=Phonetic transcriptions and analysis|citeseerx=10.1.1.693.115}}</ref> In places where [[logograph]]ic languages are used, such as China, a visual Internet slang exists, giving characters dual meanings, one direct and one implied.<ref name="Yin" /> | Aside from the more frequent abbreviations, acronyms, and [[emoticon]]s, Internet slang also uses archaic words or the lesser-known meanings of mainstream terms.<ref name="Yin" /> Regular words can also be altered into something with a similar pronunciation but altogether different meaning, or attributed new meanings altogether.<ref name="Yin" /> Phonetic transcriptions are the transformation of words to how it sounds in a certain language, and are used as internet slang.<ref>{{Cite CiteSeerX |last=Wells|first=J.C.|title=Phonetic transcriptions and analysis|citeseerx=10.1.1.693.115}}</ref> In places where [[logograph]]ic languages are used, such as China, a visual Internet slang exists, giving characters dual meanings, one direct and one implied.<ref name="Yin" /> | ||
| Line 92: | Line 104: | ||
The difference in language often results in miscommunication, as seen in an [[Onomatopoeia|onomatopoeic]] example, "555", which sounds like "crying" in Chinese, and "laughing" in Thai.<ref name=lovelovechina.com>{{cite web |author=Crystal Tao |date=6 May 2010 |url=http://www.lovelovechina.com/entertainment/why-thai-laugh-when-chinese-cry/ |title=Why Thai Laugh When Chinese Cry? |publisher=Lovelovechina.com |access-date=25 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420091421/http://www.lovelovechina.com/entertainment/why-thai-laugh-when-chinese-cry/ |archive-date=20 April 2012 }}</ref> A similar example is between the English "haha" and the Spanish "jaja", where both are onomatopoeic expressions of laughter, but the difference in language also meant a different consonant for the same sound to be produced. For more examples of how other languages express "laughing out loud", see also: [[LOL]] | The difference in language often results in miscommunication, as seen in an [[Onomatopoeia|onomatopoeic]] example, "555", which sounds like "crying" in Chinese, and "laughing" in Thai.<ref name=lovelovechina.com>{{cite web |author=Crystal Tao |date=6 May 2010 |url=http://www.lovelovechina.com/entertainment/why-thai-laugh-when-chinese-cry/ |title=Why Thai Laugh When Chinese Cry? |publisher=Lovelovechina.com |access-date=25 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420091421/http://www.lovelovechina.com/entertainment/why-thai-laugh-when-chinese-cry/ |archive-date=20 April 2012 }}</ref> A similar example is between the English "haha" and the Spanish "jaja", where both are onomatopoeic expressions of laughter, but the difference in language also meant a different consonant for the same sound to be produced. For more examples of how other languages express "laughing out loud", see also: [[LOL]] | ||
In terms of culture, in Chinese, the numerically based onomatopoeia "770880" ({{ | In terms of culture, in Chinese, the numerically based onomatopoeia "770880" ({{Lang-zh|c = |s = 亲亲你抱抱你|t = 親親你抱抱你|p = qīn qīn nǐ bào bào nǐ}}), which means to 'kiss and hug you', is used.<ref name=lovelovechina.com /> This is comparable to "XOXO", which many Internet users use. In French, "pk" or "pq" is used in the place of pourquoi, which means 'why'. This is an example of a combination of onomatopoeia and shortening of the original word for convenience when writing online. | ||
In conclusion, every different country has their own language background and cultural differences and hence, they tend to have their own rules and motivations for their own Internet slang. However, at present, there is still a lack of studies done by researchers on some differences between the countries. | In conclusion, every different country has their own language background and cultural differences and hence, they tend to have their own rules and motivations for their own Internet slang. However, at present, there is still a lack of studies done by researchers on some differences between the countries. | ||
| Line 99: | Line 111: | ||
==Internet slang in advertisements== | ==Internet slang in advertisements== | ||
Internet slang can make [[Advertising|advertisements]] more effective.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Liu S, Gui DY, Zuo Y, Dai Y |date=7 June 2019|title=Good Slang or Bad Slang? Embedding Internet Slang in Persuasive Advertising|journal=Frontiers in Psychology|volume=10|article-number=1251|doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01251|pmid=31231278|pmc=6566129|doi-access=free}}</ref> Through two empirical studies, it was proven that Internet slang could help promote or capture the crowd's attention through advertisement, but did not increase the sales of the product. However, using Internet slang in advertisement may attract a certain demographic, and might not be the best to use depending on the product or goods. Furthermore, an overuse of Internet slang also negatively effects the brand due to quality of the advertisement, but using an appropriate amount would be sufficient in providing more attention to the ad. According to the experiment, Internet slang helped capture the attention of the consumers of necessity items. However, the demographic of luxury goods differ, and using Internet slang would potentially have the brand lose credibility due to the appropriateness of Internet slang.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Internet slang can make [[Advertising|advertisements]] more effective.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Liu S, Gui DY, Zuo Y, Dai Y |date=7 June 2019|title=Good Slang or Bad Slang? Embedding Internet Slang in Persuasive Advertising|journal=Frontiers in Psychology|volume=10| | |||
Another study found that what type of slang used altered how customers perceived a brand.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Liu |first1=Shixiong |last2=Wu |first2=Yi |last3=Gong |first3=Wu |date=2022-01-18 |title=Measuring Internet Slang Style in the Marketing Context: Scale Development and Validation |journal=Frontiers in Psychology |language=English |volume=12 |article-number=751806 |doi=10.3389/fpsyg.2021.751806 |doi-access=free |issn=1664-1078 |pmc=8805681 |pmid=35115982}}</ref> Brands that used amiable slang were more likely to be perceived by consumers as sincere, whereas harsher slang would make consumers feel the brand is more competent. The experiment was conducted entirely in China, sampling only that portion of the world's internet userbase.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
Companies that cater largely to younger demographics have been embracing internet slang as a large portion of their marketing. In December 2025, Fortnite: Battle Royale launched its seventh chapter of the game. To advertise this transition, the company utilized the slang of '67' to better engage with a younger audience.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DRsFqFwggM7/ |access-date=2025-12-03 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> Epic Games, the parent company of Fortnite, have begun using material like this in their marketing more and more. They have also started using basic meme templates, including internet slang within them, to further their connection with Generation Alpha.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DRnCbp9DfAx/ |access-date=2025-12-03 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> | |||
Another example would be that of 'Monopoly GO,' a game that also caters heavily to a younger audience. This advertisement includes tons of comments with internet slang, helping to gain trust with those watching as it makes them seem to be part of the community that they are advertising to.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DRug8qPjKmY/ |access-date=2025-12-03 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> | |||
== Youth slang == | |||
{{Main|Youth slang}} | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| Line 134: | Line 154: | ||
==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
* {{cite book |last= Baron |first= Naomi S. |title= [[Alphabet to E-mail|''Alphabet to E-mail: How Written English Evolved and Where It's Heading'']] |location= London; New York |publisher= Routledge |date= 2000 |isbn= 0-415-18685-4 }} | * {{cite book |last= Baron |first= Naomi S. |title= [[Alphabet to E-mail|''Alphabet to E-mail: How Written English Evolved and Where It's Heading'']] |location= London; New York |publisher= Routledge |date= 2000 |isbn= 0-415-18685-4 }} | ||
* {{cite book |last= Aunger |first= Robert |date= 2002 |title= The Electric Meme: A new theory of how we think |url= https://archive.org/details/electricmemenewt0000aung |url-access= registration |location= New York |publisher= Free Press |isbn= | * {{cite book |last= Aunger |first= Robert |date= 2002 |title= The Electric Meme: A new theory of how we think |url= https://archive.org/details/electricmemenewt0000aung |url-access= registration |location= New York |publisher= Free Press |isbn= 978-1-4516-1295-0 }} | ||
* {{cite journal |first= Jannis |last= Androutsopoulos |date= 2006 |title= Introduction: Sociolinguistics and computer-mediated communication |journal= Journal of Sociolinguistics |volume= 10 |issue= 4 |pages= 419–438 |doi= 10.1111/j.1467-9841.2006.00286.x }} | * {{cite journal |first= Jannis |last= Androutsopoulos |date= 2006 |title= Introduction: Sociolinguistics and computer-mediated communication |journal= Journal of Sociolinguistics |volume= 10 |issue= 4 |pages= 419–438 |doi= 10.1111/j.1467-9841.2006.00286.x }} | ||
* {{cite book |author-link= Naomi Baron |last= Baron |first= Naomi S. |url= https://archive.org/details/alwaysonlanguage00baro_0 |url-access= registration |title= Always on: language in an online and mobile world |location= Oxford; New York |publisher= Oxford University Press |date= 2008 |isbn= 978-0-19-531305-5 }} | * {{cite book |author-link= Naomi Baron |last= Baron |first= Naomi S. |url= https://archive.org/details/alwaysonlanguage00baro_0 |url-access= registration |title= Always on: language in an online and mobile world |location= Oxford; New York |publisher= Oxford University Press |date= 2008 |isbn= 978-0-19-531305-5 }} | ||