TEDx Talks - From Trend to Vocabulary | Phyo Zay Yan | TEDxYouth@BrainworksSchool
The speaker discusses how social media has transformed language evolution from a top-down process controlled by academics to a bottom-up process driven by everyday users. Historically, words took years to become widely accepted, but now, thanks to platforms like Twitter and TikTok, new terms can spread globally within weeks. The term 'Goblin mode' became Oxford's Word of the Year in 2022, not due to scholarly endorsement, but because it resonated with the public's post-pandemic feelings. This democratization allows words to emerge from niche communities and gain mainstream acceptance, bypassing traditional gatekeepers. The 'language ripple effect' describes how words coined in specific communities spread through social media, eventually entering mainstream usage and even dictionaries. Examples include 'Riz' from the gaming community and 'pew pew' as a workaround for social media censorship of the word 'gun'. The survival of words depends on their utility and resonance with shared experiences, as seen with terms like 'brain rot' and 'gaslighting'. This shift in language creation reflects broader cultural changes, impacting advertising, politics, and everyday communication.
Key Points:
- Social media enables rapid global spread of new words, bypassing traditional linguistic gatekeepers.
- Words like 'Goblin mode' and 'Riz' illustrate how terms from niche communities gain mainstream acceptance.
- The 'language ripple effect' shows how words spread from specific communities to global usage.
- Words survive based on their utility and resonance with shared experiences, such as 'brain rot'.
- Language evolution now reflects broader cultural shifts, influencing advertising and politics.
Details:
1. 📊 The Power of Social Media on Language
- Social media phrases like 'looks maxing' and 'get mogged' are becoming common in professional settings, creating a communication gap between employees familiar with social media and those who are not.
- Statistics show that 50% of meeting attendees understand social media jargon, while the other 50% are often confused, indicating a significant generational or cultural divide.
- To address this gap, companies are encouraged to implement training or onboarding programs that include education on current social media language trends.
- Examples of successful strategies include workshops on digital literacy and regular updates on evolving online language to ensure inclusivity and effective communication.
2. 🔤 Historical Evolution of English Language
- Social media terms like 'brain rot' and 'Gat skibidi' illustrate how modern vocabulary emerges from social media's creative environment.
- In the 16th century, linguistic development was primarily driven by academics and figures like William Shakespeare, who introduced numerous words, including 'lonely', to the English language.
- The word 'lonely' took over 10 years from its first usage to become widely accepted.
- Social media is now accelerating language evolution, creating a shift in how new vocabulary gains acceptance, compared to historical norms.
- In the Middle Ages, the English language was significantly influenced by Latin and French due to political and cultural exchanges, which introduced many new terms and phrases.
- The Industrial Revolution further spurred vocabulary expansion with technological and scientific advancements, leading to the creation of new terminologies.
- Modern English is continually evolving with digital communication, which not only speeds up the acceptance of new words but also introduces global influences more rapidly.
3. 🌍 Democratization of Language Creation
- Anyone with a phone and a good idea can create a word that spreads globally within weeks or months.
- Oxford's 2022 Word of the Year, 'Goblin mode', was popularized not by a famous author but because it resonated with the global community feeling post-pandemic burnout.
- Words like 'brain rot' and 'pandemic' have emerged from shared real-time interactions on platforms such as Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram.
4. 💡 The Language Ripple Effect
- Language evolution is becoming a bottom-up process where everyone contributes, likened to a collaborative project.
- A new word is first coined within a niche community, which could be any specialized group, such as a biology class or NASA.
- The coined word spreads to other communities through social media platforms like Instagram or direct messages, increasing its exposure.
- As the word gains relevance, it is adopted by broader audiences and recognized by influencers and streamers.
5. 🌟 Revolutionary Language Evolution
- The term 'Riz' originated from the gaming community, initially used to rate game or charm in male-female interactions within that context.
- Its popularity surged when Twitch streamer Kai Sonat, who has millions of followers, used it extensively, bringing it into the mainstream.
- 'Riz' has since been incorporated into daily vocabulary, used in advertising campaigns, and embraced by marketing circles, eventually making its way into dictionaries.
- This phenomenon exemplifies how language is evolving beyond traditional gatekeeping, with society playing a significant role in shaping language trends.
- Similar instances include words like 'selfie' and 'hashtag', which have also quickly integrated into common language through social media influence.
6. 🕰️ Words That Survive and Words That Fade
- Words act as essential tools for communication, enabling the sharing of ideas, expressing emotions, and solving problems.
- Certain words, like 'love' and 'freedom,' have the potential to endure for centuries due to their universal relevance.
- The term 'defenestration,' once common during the Black Plague era, illustrates how some words lose prominence as societal conditions evolve.
- Words can fade when their practical utility diminishes or when they no longer resonate with contemporary societal values; examples include words tied to outdated technologies or practices.
7. 🚀 Social Media's Impact on Words
- Social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok impose restrictions on using the word 'gun', considering it violent, leading to age-restricting and shadow banning of videos containing it.
- To navigate these restrictions, content creators have adopted the term 'pew pew' as a substitute for 'gun', effectively bypassing community guidelines.
- The use of 'pew pew' not only avoids restrictions but also increases viewer retention rates, as YouTube analytics indicate videos with 'pew pew' perform better than those using terms like 'firearm'.
- The success of 'pew pew' as a term has extended its discussion into media, academic, and policymaking circles, highlighting its impact beyond social media.
8. 🧠 Emotional Power and Utility of Words
- Words survive if they capture shared experiences or fulfill linguistic gaps.
- The word 'brain rot' captures a shared universal experience of losing track of time during 'doom scrolling'.
- Social media-driven language emerges from real-time shared experiences, illustrating the emotional power of words.
- An example of a word evolving due to shared experience is 'ghosting', which describes the act of suddenly ending all communication without explanation, a concept widely recognized in modern dating.
9. 🔄 Transformation of Complex Concepts
- The term 'gaslighting,' originally a complex psychological concept, has been popularized through social media, allowing millions to express feelings of manipulation and abuse more articulately.
- Internet slang, including terms like 'gaslighting,' now features in one out of five advertisements, showcasing its integration into mainstream culture.
- Social media's influence extends to politics, with politicians like Australian senators using such language to connect with Gen Z audiences, demonstrating a strategic adaptation to cultural shifts.
10. 📈 Language's Role in Society and Politics
- Social media has fundamentally changed the rules of language evolution, leading to a cultural shift where words like 'Gat' and 'Skibidi' become significant.
- Language creation is now accessible to everyone, enabling viral word creation that can enter dictionaries within a person's lifetime.
- The democratization of language reflects a societal change, empowering meme creators, social media users, and casual individuals to contribute to language evolution.
- Future generations face a choice to adapt and shape language or risk being left behind, highlighting the dynamic nature of language in societal development.