Language and Technology

Digital technology has transformed the way we use language. From text messages to social media posts, from emails to online forums, the explosion of digital communication has created new forms of language use that challenge traditional distinctions between speech and writing. This lesson examines the key features of digital language, evaluates the claims made about its impact on "standard" language, and considers the work of Crystal, Baron, Herring, and others.

Key Definition: Computer-mediated communication (CMC) refers to any form of communication that takes place via digital technology, including email, text messaging, instant messaging, social media, forums, and video calls.

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Crystal: Language and the Internet

David Crystal (2001, 2006, 2011) has been the most prominent linguist writing about language and technology. In Language and the Internet (2001) and Txting: The Gr8 Db8 (2008), Crystal argued that digital communication represents a genuinely new medium — not simply a degraded form of writing or an imitation of speech.

Netspeak

Crystal coined the term "Netspeak" to describe the language of the internet. He characterised it as a variety that sits between speech and writing, borrowing features from both but also developing characteristics of its own.