An Evaluation of Online Linguistic Innovation in Nigerian Social Media: A Case Study of Instagram Meme Culture
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Background of the study
Instagram meme culture has become a vibrant engine of linguistic innovation in Nigeria. Memes on Instagram combine humor, cultural references, and visual creativity to produce new words, expressions, and syntactic forms (Ibrahim, 2023). Nigerian users leverage memes to comment on social, political, and cultural issues, often embedding novel lexical items that quickly enter popular usage. The interplay between image and text encourages a playful manipulation of language, leading to the formation of neologisms and unconventional grammatical constructions. This study examines how Instagram meme culture drives linguistic innovation by analyzing a representative corpus of memes. It explores the processes of word formation, semantic shift, and syntactic experimentation that emerge from this digital phenomenon. The research aims to document the evolution of meme-driven language and assess its broader impact on traditional language norms, contributing to our understanding of digital language change (Okafor, 2024).
Statement of the problem
Although Instagram memes are influential in shaping language trends in Nigeria, there is limited empirical research on the linguistic innovations they generate. Existing studies often emphasize the humorous and cultural dimensions of memes while neglecting the detailed analysis of lexical and syntactic changes. This gap limits our comprehension of how digital creativity influences language evolution and hinders the development of comprehensive models of digital linguistic innovation (Chukwu, 2023).
Objectives of the study
- To analyze lexical and syntactic innovations in Nigerian Instagram memes.
- To identify processes of neologism formation and semantic shift.
- To assess the impact on traditional language norms.
Research questions
- What new linguistic forms emerge from Instagram meme culture in Nigeria?
- How are these forms created and propagated?
- What effects do they have on conventional language?
Significance of the study
This study is significant as it investigates the role of meme culture in driving linguistic innovation in Nigeria. Its findings will provide valuable insights for digital linguistics and media studies, informing language education and policy development (Ibrahim, 2023).
Scope and limitations of the study
The study focuses exclusively on Instagram memes among Nigerian users, excluding other platforms and offline expressions.
Definitions of terms
• Meme Culture: The creation and sharing of humorous digital content that influences language.
• Neologisms: Newly coined words or expressions.
• Linguistic Innovation: The development of new language forms.
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