Social Media and the Transformation of Linguistic Communication Behaviors in the Contemporary Social Context

Abstract

The objective of this article is to analyze the relationship between social media and the transformation of linguistic communication behaviors within a contemporary social context. The analysis concludes that the evolution of the Thai language in the digital era, relative to the contemporary social context, manifests in four key components: 1) the emergence of new vocabulary; 2) the blending of spoken and written language; 3) the use of visual imagery and symbols; and 4) the adoption of concise and abbreviated language. Furthermore, the study identifies several factors influencing these linguistic shifts in contemporary society: 1) the erosion of linguistic standards; 2) communication inequality; 3) the loss of nuanced or deep meaning; and 4) the proliferation of ungrammatical language. Regarding the impact of social media on Thai language usage, the findings reveal four major effects: 1) abbreviation and symbolization; 2) linguistic hybridization; 3) structural changes in syntax; and 4) the creation of group-specific communication cultures. To address these issues, this article proposes four developmental guidelines for Thai language use in the contemporary context: 1) promoting the use of Standard Thai in educational and public media; 2) fostering linguistic awareness; 3) developing digital media that supports language learning; and 4) conducting in-depth sociolinguistic research.