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Article published In: Dialogic Dimensions of the Digital
Edited by Răzvan Săftoiu
[Language and Dialogue 16:1] 2026
► pp. 30–48

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Linguistic creativity on digital platforms

Exploring neologism motivation on social media

 | University of Łódź
Published online: 30 September 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ld.00218.szy
Abstract
Social media platforms function as key environments for the creation, modification, and eventual standardisation of neologisms. This study seeks to investigate the communicative objectives of internet users when employing linguistic forms that have not yet been incorporated into conventional language. The real-time, interactive nature of social media accelerates the diffusion and transformation of novel linguistic expressions, making it an optimal setting for examining language adaptation in response to users’ needs and technological limitations. By analysing neologisms across three prominent platforms, namely TikTok, X and Instagram, the research aims to identify the motivations driving linguistic innovation. This study contributes to the understanding of neologism production and linguistic creativity in digital contexts, offering an updated framework for their analysis and demonstrating that social media acts as an active catalyst in linguistic evolution, rather than a passive repository of language change.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Neologisms and social media
  • 2.Gerrig and Gibbs’ model of linguistic motivation
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Data collection
    • 3.2Data analysis
  • 4.Motivations behind neologism creation on social media
    • 4.1Speed and efficiency in communication
    • 4.2Neologisms as attention-grabbers
    • 4.3Socialisation
    • 4.4Coded language: Avoiding content moderating algorithms
    • 4.5Technology and naming new phenomena
    • 4.6The online-only forms
  • 5.Conclusions
  • 6.Possible future research
  • References
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