This study investigates the evolution of the word slay on Twitter from 2006 to 2024, comparing its usage to the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and previous studies of online language change. The research identifies new meanings that have emerged during this period, such as ‘to excel’ and ‘to look good,’ evolving from the traditional meaning of ‘to kill.’ The study examines the factors that may drive language change on social media and the mechanisms by which it occurs. Additionally, it incorporates previous research on online language to provide a comprehensive understanding. The study demonstrates how online platforms can serve as catalysts for semantic change. The findings reveal a decline in the word’s traditional negative connotation and an increase in its positive connotation. This research aims to generate new hypotheses about the factors influencing semantic change on social media and to identify language trends that offer new insights, as well as other words that may have initiated or undergone a similar process.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:mau-68552 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Nilsson, Emily |
| Publisher | Malmö universitet, Institutionen för konst, kultur och kommunikation (K3) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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