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Patterns of linguistic simplification on social media platforms over time
N Di Marco1, Edoardo Loru2, Anita Bonetti3
1Department of Computer Science, Sapienza University of Rome, Roma 00161, Italy.
Summary
Digital platforms influence user comments, causing reduced text length and lexical richness over 34 years. However, users consistently introduce new words, indicating intrinsic linguistic evolution beyond platform effects.
Area of Science:
- Computational Linguistics
- Digital Communication Studies
- Sociolinguistics
Background:
- Digital platforms significantly impact user behavior, influencing polarization, misinformation, and news consumption patterns.
- Comparative analyses across platforms and time are crucial for understanding these complex dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the linguistic characteristics and temporal shifts in user comments over 34 years.
- To analyze vocabulary size and linguistic richness in approximately 300 million English comments across diverse platforms and topics.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a large dataset of approximately 300 million English comments from eight diverse platforms and topics.
- Examination of linguistic complexity, vocabulary size, and lexical richness over a 34-year period.
Main Results:
- Consistent patterns of reduced text length, diminished lexical richness, and decreased repetitiveness observed across platforms and topics.
- Users maintain a nearly constant rate of introducing new words into their comments, irrespective of platform or topic.
- Platform influence on comment complexity is partial, with broader social triggers driving linguistic change.
Conclusions:
- User comment complexity reflects intrinsic linguistic tendencies and social triggers rather than solely platform design.
- Observed linguistic changes align with historical processes of linguistic hybridization and contamination.
- Understanding these user-driven linguistic shifts is key to comprehending online communication dynamics.
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