EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF ENGLISH MORPHEMES

Abstract

In the contemporary digital age, the widespread use of social media has significantly influenced linguistic structures, particularly within English morphology. This study investigates how social media platforms—X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram—contribute to both the creation of new morphemes and the transformation of traditional morphological processes, such as derivation and inflection. Employing a mixed-methods research design and purposive sampling, the study explores the role of these Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in shaping the morphological patterns of English in informal digital communication. Findings reveal two key outcomes: first, English, as used on social media, demonstrates high adaptability and creativity; second, the continuous evolution of digital communication fosters the emergence of novel linguistic forms. Notably, morphological processes such as abbreviation, acronym formation, and blending are among the most impacted. The study concludes that social media serves as a potent agent of morphological change, contributing to the integration of newly formed morphemes into the everyday lexicon.