The Impact Of Social Media On The English Language In India

Abstract

The paper describes the role of social media networks in changing the English language in India, analyzing it linguistically, sociocultural and educationally. It notes that the grammatical structures of the English language are disregarded in contexts of code-mixing, use of informal English and slang through WhatsApp, Instagram and other similar platforms. English is the lingua franca which displaces the native languages and at the same time, the English language is considered to be a language of the youth and a means of social change by the youth. This paper also explains the effect of the use of unofficial English on scholastic achievement and advocates for educational strategies that provide a balanced perspective on language and social media use as a way to enhance the digital space.