MORPHOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN SOCIAL MEDIA SLANG ON TIKTOK AND X: IMPLICATIONS FOR EFL VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION

Abstract

The rapid evolution of digital communication has accelerated linguistic change, particularly through morphological innovations in social media slang. While contemporary research has thoroughly documented the structural classifications and descriptive word-formation patterns of digital expressions, less attention has been paid to the interpersonal mechanics driving these forms in authentic online interactions. Adopting a qualitative content analysis research design informed by pragmatic theory, this study addresses this empirical gap by examining how morphological innovations operate as strategic communicative resources. The dataset consists of 200 purposively sampled public posts and comment threads drawn from three selected accounts of TikTok and X (formerly Twitter). The structural analysis identifies three predominant word-formation processes: acronyms (40%), clipping (32.5%), and blending (27.5%). Interpreted through the lens of Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness framework, the qualitative findings reveal that these innovations function primarily as face-managing mechanisms. Specifically, they serve to foster in-group solidarity (positive politeness), optimize conversational efficiency without sacrificing rapport, and mitigate face-threatening acts (negative politeness) in interactionally risky environments. Rather than serving as mere linguistic shortcuts, these innovations operate as nuanced semiotic tools for stance-taking and relationship management. Finally, this study offers pedagogical implications for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction, demonstrating how integrating authentic digital discourse into vocabulary curricula can foster learners’ morphological awareness, pragmatic competence, and critical digital literacy