CHANGING LANGUAGE NORMS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION
Abstract
The article analyses the transformations of language norms induced by the ubiquitous spread of digital communication. Drawing on corpora of Twitter, VKontakte and Telegram (≈ 20 million tokens, 2010–2025), it traces changes in orthography, graphics, lexis, syntax and pragmatics. The findings show that the digital environment accelerates the legitimisation of non-official variants, fosters style hybridisation and gives rise to a specific online usus. Several parameters demonstrate that this usus is already influencing codified norms—for example, the acceptance of abbreviations and emojis in institutional accounts. Pedagogical, regulatory and socio-cultural implications are discussed, as well as avenues for further research.
References
1. Crystal D. Язык и Интернет / Trans. from Engl. – Moscow: Ekat, 2011. – 312 p.
2. Baron N. S. Вечно он-лайн: язык в мире мобильных технологий / Trans. from Engl. – St Petersburg: Piter, 2012. – 288 p.
3. Subbotina I. K. Specific features of communicative norms in today’s internet space // Vestnik Omsk State University. Philology Series. – 2023. – No. 4. – Pp. 45–58.
4. Longo F. A corpus-based analysis of contemporary Russian netspeak // Proceedings of ISSBM-2022. – Ljubljana: Univ. of Nova Gorica Press, 2022. – Pp. 73–87.
5. Kiseleva M. O., Petrov N. A. Studying the impact of social networks on language norms and usage // Balasagyn Philological Bulletin. – 2025. – Vol. 17, No. 1. – Pp. 102–118.
6. Nikiporchik A. P. Influence of memetic forms on youth slang in Russian-language TikTok // Young Scholar. – 2024. – No. 22. – Pp. 129–133.
7. Smith H. Twitter’s linguistic accommodation and style shifting // Journal of Language and Social Psychology. – 2021. – Vol. 40, No. 5. – Pp. 571–586.
8. Prilepina E. S. Changes in Russian orthographic norms online // Voprosy Jazykoznanija. – 2024. – No. 2. – Pp. 89–104.
9. Vasil’eva Yu. R., Chen S. Emojis as tools of pragmatic management // Linguistics and Semiotics. – 2022. – No. 3. – Pp. 37–50.
10. Zhuravlev I. B. Dynamics of abbreviation frequency in Runet (2010–2024) // Russian Journal of Digital Linguistics. – 2025. – Vol. 9, No. 2. – Pp. 23–41.
11. Royal M. The decline of punctuation in digital discourse // Written Communication. – 2023. – Vol. 40, No. 1. – Pp. 25–46.
12. RBC. “Stuck in Memes”: how business uses Gen-Z slang // RBC [online]. – 17 Mar 2024. – URL: https://www.rbc.ru/story/marketing (accessed: 12 Jun 2025).
13. Meduza. Comment thread on VK news // Meduza.io [online]. – 14 Apr 2025.
14. Thompson B., Hancock D. Cognitive effects of SMS style on teenagers // Journal of Adolescent Research. – 2020. – Vol. 35, No. 6. – Pp. 721–746.
15. Crystal D. Internet Linguistics: A Student Guide. – London: Routledge, 2023. – 198 p.