Frontiers of Discourse Studies
FDS, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2026, pp. 85-92.
Print ISSN: 3106-809X; Online ISSN: 3106-8103
Journal homepage: https://www.fdsjournal.com
DOI：Https://doi.org/10.64058/fds260107rlsmi
A Review of The Linguistics of Social Media: An Introduction
Yan Xihan, Zhang Wei
Abstract: Social Media Linguistics: An Introduction by Andreea S. Calude is set against the backdrop of the digital communication era, integrating traditional linguistic theories with multimodal language practices on social media. From the perspectives of genre, register, audience design and speech acts, among other analytical dimensions, the book analyzes the systematic features, communicative functions and cultural values of social media language. It combines theoretical elaboration with platform-based case studies, and serves the dual purposes of popularizing academic knowledge as a textbook and conducting in-depth academic research. This paper sorts out the framework and core contributions of the book in three parts: fundamental theories, functional analysis and concluding prospects. It also looks into future research directions of social media linguistics, incorporating cutting-edge fields including generative artificial intelligence, platform algorithms and interdisciplinary research.
Keywords: Social media linguistics; Multimodal communication; Internet language; Discourse analysis
Author Biography: Yan Xihan, Master’s Student, School of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Nanjing Normal University. Research interests include cognitive linguistics and discourse studies. E-mail: anneyan994@163.com. Zhang Wei (Corresponding author), Associate Professor, Master’s Supervisor, Associate Dean, School of Foreign Languages, Nanjing Audit University. Research interests include cognitive linguistics, discourse studies, and international communication. E-mail: zhangwei3046@163.com
题目：《社交媒体语言学：导论》评介
摘要：Andreea S. Calude所著《社交媒体语言学：导论》立足数字传播时代语境，融合传统语言学理论与社交媒体多模态语言实践。该书从体裁语域、受众设计、言语行为等维度，剖析社交媒体语言的系统特征、交际功能与文化价值，兼顾理论阐释与平台案例分析，兼具教材普及与学术研究双重价值。本文从基础理论、功能分析、总结展望三大板块梳理全书框架与核心贡献，并结合生成式人工智能、平台算法及跨学科研究等前沿方向，展望了社交媒体语言学的未来研究路径。
关键词：社交媒体语言学；多模态传播；网络语言；话语分析
作者简介：闫熙涵：硕士研究生，南京师范大学外国语学院，研究方向：认知语言学，话语研究。电邮：anneyan994@163.com。张薇（通讯作者）：副教授，硕士研究生导师，副院长，南京审计大学外国语学院。研究方向：认知语言学、话语研究、国际传播。电邮：zhangwei3046@163.com
Received: 02 Jan 2026 / Revised: 01 Jun 2026 / Accepted: 09 Jun 2026 / Published online: 15 Jun 2026 / Print published: 30 Jun 2026
