THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON LANGUAGE: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

In the modern digital era, social media has become a powerful factor influencing language development and communication patterns. This study examines the impact of social media on language from a sociolinguistic perspective, focusing on lexical innovation, grammatical transformation, and communicative behavior. The research analyzes how digital platforms contribute to the emergence of new linguistic forms, including abbreviations, slang, and multimodal expressions. The findings reveal that social media accelerates language change and reflects social identity, particularly among young users. The study also highlights both positive and negative effects of digital communication on language norms and literacy.