A Diachronic Corpus Analysis of English Vocabulary: The Role of Social Media in Shaping Lexical and Semantic Shifts in Language

Abstract

This research examines the lexical and semantic transformation of the diachronic corpus influenced by swift usage of social media particularly in post pandemic era (2020-2024). The research investigates that how evolution, dissemination and spread of new lexical items is fastened by frequent use of social media platforms. This study utilizes the mixed method approach combining quantitative meta level frequency analysis of lexical shifts and qualitative thematic and comparative analysis in order to analyse the semantic change in language. The findings of the study reveal that new lexicons are evolved more frequently because of the swift usage of digital media and post pandemic effects of COVID-19. The new words are spread and become popular by both factors. For instance, “doom scrolling”, “quarantine”, “viral” and “social distancing” are some examples of evolved lexicons. Moreover, the study demonstrates a notable change in the meaning of existing words, such as “viral” and “friend” reflecting the impact of social media and cultural effect on semantic shift. Furthermore, the study contributes in the field of linguistic, teaching and communication strategies by providing comprehensive understanding of language as dynamic and adaptive system. It shows the importance of diachronic studies to investigate the rapidly evolving language in the age of digitalisation.