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How to Cite
Semantic Change in English Language: Social Media Neologisms
Abstract
English has faced a gradual change since its inception. Apart from other changes, semantic change is quite obvious. This article analyses the semantic changes in English language and also highlights the role of CMC in semantic change which is a result of language contact. Focusing on neologisms used in social media, the study highlights a series of words and their meanings as used in CMC. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube etc. are popular social media/ chat messengers which have altogether given new expressions to the old English words. For the analysis of the neologisms used in CMC, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter were selected as sample. Using purposive sampling technique, the most popular terminologies used on these social media were analyzed to know whether and to what extent neologisms are created by CMC. The study discloses that so many meanings of the words of English language have changed, or used in slightly different sense.
Authors
Jahanzeb Jahan
Lecturer, Department of English, University of Education, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Dr. Humaira Irfan
Associate Professor, Department of English, University of Education, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Keywords
Change and Neologism, CMC, English, Impact, Semantic
