Social media hasn\u2019t just changed the way we communicate. In the space of a few decades, sites like TikTok and Instagram have fundamentally altered the English language.<\/p>\n
New internet slang seems to pop up<\/strong><\/span><\/em> all the time. But keeping up with these changes can be tough, especially if you\u2019re focused on learning formal English for work or an exam.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where our guide comes in. Let us show you how social media has changed the English language and what you really need to know. By the end of the article, we promise you\u2019ll know your brat from your BRB.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whenever there are advances in technology, people must come up with new words for all the gadgets<\/strong><\/span><\/em> and software. Social media is no different.<\/p>\n It started in the 2000s as social networks like Facebook and Myspace became more popular. Some vocabulary came directly from the site creators. For example, Reddit was one of the first platforms to let users rank content and introduced the words \u2018upvote\u2019 and \u2018downvote\u2019. Twitter gave us the idea of \u2018tweets\u2019 and \u2018hashtags\u2019.<\/p>\n Other vocabulary developed over time as people wanted to describe all the new things they were seeing and doing. Take \u201cselfie\u201d for example. As shops started selling camera phones and it became easier than ever to take photos, people needed a word to describe all these pictures of themselves.<\/p>\n How can you make it easier to learn all this new vocabulary? The good news is that these words usually come from existing and related language you may already know.<\/p>\n Take the word \u2018clickbait\u2019 for example. This is a combination of the words \u2018click\u2019 (the sound your computer mouse makes) and \u2018bait\u2019 (the food you use to attract animals when hunting). Put them together and you can guess it\u2019s online content designed to get your attention and make you want to \u2018click\u2019 on a link.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Social media hasn\u2019t just given us new vocabulary. It has also borrowed words from various contexts and given them new definitions. Some basic examples are \u2018like\u2019, \u2018follow\u2019 and \u2018block\u2019, which are all common English words and actions you can perform on social media.<\/p>\n In fact, have you tried switching your language settings? You could learn a lot of new vocabulary just by using your social media in English for a couple of weeks.<\/p>\n Some words have less obvious or intuitive definitions than others. For example, \u2018bump\u2019 means to like or comment on online content so more people in your network can see them. But other common definitions of \u2018bump\u2019 in English are \u2018to hit something hard\u2019 or \u2018to remove something\u2019, which are seemingly the opposite.<\/p>\n Try looking at this vocabulary in context to understand what it means. What do the other words there mean? Are people reacting positively or negatively to what was said? If you\u2019re still unsure and don\u2019t want to risk saying something offensive, you can always look up the word or phrase before you respond.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many people send messages while they\u2019re on the go<\/strong><\/span><\/em> or busy with another task. We often use shorter versions of words and phrases so we can type more quickly.<\/p>\n You\u2019re probably familiar with the acronym<\/strong><\/span><\/em> \u2018lol\u2019 (laugh out loud). But how many of these other ones do you know? The answers are at the end of the article.<\/p>\n 1. brb<\/p>\n 2. afaik<\/p>\n 3. btw<\/p>\n 4. fwiw<\/p>\n 5. dm<\/p>\n 6. tl;dr<\/p>\n 7. smh<\/p>\n Although acronyms have become popular, they\u2019re not appropriate for every situation. Many see them as too casual or even flippant<\/strong><\/span><\/em>. Avoid using them when applying for a job or talking about a serious topic.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Images aren\u2019t just used to illustrate text online. They can often replace or complement<\/strong><\/span><\/em> what we write, to convey more complex ideas and emotions.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a basic example. Imagine your friend messages you \u2018I can\u2019t believe I fell over\u2019 followed by an emoji.<\/p>\n \ud83d\ude02 tells you they found it funny.<\/p>\n \ud83d\ude22 suggests they got hurt.<\/p>\n \ud83e\udd2d probably means they\u2019re embarrassed.<\/p>\n Thinking about what the emoji tells you can be important. Many English-speaking countries have a sarcastic sense of humour and may use these images to reveal they actually mean the opposite.<\/p>\n Memes<\/strong><\/span><\/em> and GIFs<\/strong><\/span><\/em> can also be used for the same effect. Most are straightforward, but you may find others tricky to interpret if you haven\u2019t watched the TV or film they\u2019re referring to. Luckily, there happens to be a website called Know Your Meme<\/a> where you can look up any clips you don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The internet is full of communities based around shared interests, hobbies and backgrounds. They often develop their own slang.<\/p>\n Online gamers are one of the biggest and most impactful communities. They\u2019ve developed a lot of new vocabulary such as \u2018gg\u2019 as shorthand for \u2018good game\u2019 and \u2018nerf\u2019 to mean you\u2019ve weakened someone or something.<\/p>\n Fanbases<\/strong><\/span><\/em> are often responsible for new slang online. You may have noticed a lot of people using the word \u2018brat\u2019 online to describe someone bold and rebellious. Charli xcx made this the name of her 2024 album and fans started using it online, leading to it becoming a major trend. \u2018Brat\u2019 even became the Collins Dictionary Word of the Year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Social media has had a deep and lasting impact on the English language. It introduced a lot of vocabulary and changed the meaning of others.<\/p>\n But nothing says you need to learn every new word or expression you come across online. The internet is vast. Lots of the language you come across online is mostly only used by certain groups or for niche situations.<\/p>\nNew vocabulary<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Changed meanings<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Digital shortcuts<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Visual language<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Internet slang<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
The TL;DR<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n