The Battle for Words in the Digital Era
The Battle for Words in the Digital Era

Summary/Abstract: The present study is intended to reveal the most important aspects that have led to vocabulary changes in both Romanian and Spanish due to the massive use of new technologies, with users (i.e. communicators using social media) turning to social networking sites in order to communicate with each other or to express their attitudes and feelings. Whether synchronous or asynchronous, communication uses a dynamic language, which is brought before our eyes and modified by the users – a fact that has led to real “battles of words” as to whether the change should be viewed as linguistic enhancement, refinement and progress or degradation, downfall and ruin. Obviously marked by informality, the new language used in communication, often referred to as Globish, Netlish, Weblish or Neoespañol, is more flexible, playful and eloquent than ever. Focusing on three major perspectives in the analysis of the new language used in computer-mediated communication, namely practicality, convenience and novelty, the following analysis attempts to explain how some words have gained popularity and come to prevail over others; that is, how language alters and readjusts or “updates” itself, in order to suit the speakers’ need for socialization in an era dominated by technology.

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