Twitter, an exclusively written forum of language with fixed parameters and functions, is propelling a linguistic phenomenon.
The phenomenon involves lexis, grammar and voice (i.e./e.g. hashtags): how information is made and communicated, among other things.
“Speaking” of the hashtag: it is one of Twitter’s key functions—a term which has been almost universally adopted.
And regarding universality, the forum has just about achieved it, for it might be described as transcending both space and language.
However, it may be limited, for a tweet cannot exceed 140 characters. Although, every link/article/word above was found using Twitter.
A parameter and function: search the hashtags #language and #Twitter to find the articles above.
A question: how will Twitter’s influence extend beyond its limits, beyond its (seemingly) exclusively written composition?
Another: how has it already affected modern language—both spoken and written—as we know it?
