The language

One of the most interesting things about the social media is how they wrangle punters into certain modes of thought and expression. Whether this process is by design or not is open to question but no such debate can be staged concerning the effect. Nowhere is this more evident than in the language that is littered throughout users’ walls and there is a mind-numbing similarity to it all. However, before disclosing the unique rules and features of written communication on the dubdubdub, four essential markers of these platforms must be highlighted. The first marker is best described by Johnny Oleksinski (New York Post, 3 January 2017)- ‘ Fundamentally, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are tools for self-promotion. They are personal websites topped with someone’s name, and everything beneath the header is a carefully curated version of how they want to be perceived. ’ There’s nothing essentially significant about Johnny’s summary but if you accept it, then it does hav...