THE HASHTAG EFFECT: FROM LANGUAGE EVOLUTION TO LANGUAGE LOSS
Asta Pukienė
Pagini: 25-34
Primit: 1 Jul 2025
Publicat: 13 Dec 2025
DOI: 10.62991/LIS1996620593
Vizualizări: 474
Descărcări: 42
Rezumat: While English increasingly establishes itself as a world lingua franca, many local and minority languages are subject to a steady decline, often facing significant challenges to their survival. The current research considers the growing predominance of English on social media and its impact on the future of local languages. Focusing on cases of code-switching that are common among influencers and online communities, the research analyses how digital communication contributes to contemporary language change. While the use of foreign words and phrases may demonstrate linguistic creativity and wider accessibility, they may also accelerate language shift and even diminish the status of less popular languages. Through the observation of social media discourse, this research raises questions whether these trends represent a natural process of language evolution or a catalyst for language decay in the digital age. The findings suggest that while English helps to achieve specific communicative goals and expand global reach, it also subtly displaces native-language functions in certain semantic domains.
Cuvinte cheie: code-switching, social media discourse, language shift, dominant language, non-dominant language
Citează acest articol: Asta Pukienė. THE HASHTAG EFFECT: FROM LANGUAGE EVOLUTION TO LANGUAGE LOSS. Journal of International Scientific Publications: Language, Individual & Society 19, 25-34 (2025). https://doi.org/10.62991/LIS1996620593
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