Scientific Discoveries

Author: Mataeva М.R.
master’s student Kyrgyz State University after named I. Arabaev Bishkek c.

LEXICO-SEMANTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUTH SLANG IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Key words: jargon, slang, social networks, lexico-semantic analysis, Instagram, TikTok, abbreviation.

Annotation. This article is devoted to the study of the lexical and semantic features of youth slang functioning in social networks. The research material consists of slang lexical units actively used by young people on the Instagram and TikTok platforms. Special attention is paid to the reasons for the emergence of youth slang, its connection with social, cultural, and psychological factors, as well as the role of digital communication in the formation of new vocabulary. In the course of the study, slang units are classified into thematic groups, and their semantic as well as emotional and expressive features are identified. Lexemes expressing evaluation, emotions, and group identity are analyzed, along with the influence of the English language on contemporary youth speech. The active use of borrowings, abbreviations, and shortenings is noted, which is associated with the tendency toward language economy and the specifics of Internet communication. The article emphasizes that youth slang in social networks is a dynamic and rapidly evolving layer of language reflecting modern cultural and communicative processes. The results obtained can be used in further studies of youth speech, Internet linguistics, and sociolinguistics.