Vocabulary development in the age of social media

This study investigates the impact of social media on vocabulary development among university students, analyzing how internet sources affect vocabulary development. From a qualitative study in the form of structured interviews with ۲۰ female university students, the study reveals that social media exposes people to new words, slang, and abbreviations (e.g., "LOL," "POV"), facilitating independent learning through contextual exposure. While the participants reported learning and understanding new words, there were challenges in transferring to formal situations for words, revealing the double-edged nature of social media as both enriching language and complicating language skills. The findings validate the role of visual and interactive features (e.g., subtitles, quizzes) in word mastery. The study concludes that social media is a potent tool for vocabulary development. The present study contributes to the understanding of online-age language learning as well as making suggestions for instructors who wish to use social media as part of pedagogical interactions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Language ، Vocabulary development ، Social media