Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language

By reading this koob, you’ll discover how the digital world is transforming the English language, adding layers of complexity, not the opposite.

You will also learn:

• How Twitter and Facebook posts are changing the study of linguistics;

• The science behind why your parents and grandparents text differently than you;

• How emojis relate to physical gestures;

• The linguistic value of a meme;

• How language, community, and identity are interconnected.

Linguist Gretchen McCulloch specializes in demystifying the informal language that we use on the Internet every day. She uses the wealth of unfiltered language found in social media posts, chats, and IMs combined with cutting-edge linguistic research to understand how the Internet is changing communication. While some people think that the Internet has a negative effect on language, by studying our online interactions, McCulloch argues that language is evolving quickly and in enlightening ways. For her, the Internet produces innovative language practices that can teach you new ideas about society today.