Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language

by Adam Aleksic Narrated by Adam Aleksic

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Adam Aleksic, the Etymology Nerd, delivers an intriguing read about the evolution of language and the ever-changing vocabulary algorithm in the social media world. This is the perfect book for linguistics enthusiasts and anyone who’s curious about the origins of modern slang.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ¿ From linguist Adam Aleksic, known as @etymologynerd on social media, comes a captivating exploration of how internet algorithms are transforming language and communication in unprecedented ways.

“Packed with fascinating facts, of-the-moment observations, and a sparkling voice, Algospeak is a gift to any word nerd. Deftly covering everything from emoji etymologies and trendbait to Taylor Swift fanilects... Adam Aleksic is the wise, yet accessible internet linguistics oracle we need.”-Amanda Montell, author of The Age of Magical Overthinking and Cultish

From “brainrot” memes and incel slang to the trend of adding “-core” to different influencer aesthetics, the internet has ushered in an unprecedented linguistic upheaval. We're entering an entirely new era of etymology, heralded by the invisible forces driving social media algorithms. Thankfully, Algospeak is here to explain. As a professional linguist, Adam Aleksic understands the gravity of language and the way we use it: he knows the ways it has morphed and changed, how it reflects society, and how, in its everyday usage, we carry centuries of human history on our tongues. As a social media influencer, Aleksic is also intimately familiar with the internet's reach and how social media impacts the way we engage with one another. New slang emerges and goes viral overnight. Accents are shaped or erased on YouTube. Grammatical rules, loopholes, and patterns surface and transform language as we know it. Our interactions, social norms, and habits-both online and in person-shift into something completely different.

As Aleksic uses original surveys, data, and internet archival research to usher us through this new linguistic landscape, he also illuminates how communication is changing in both familiar and unexpected ways. From our use of emojis to sentence structure to the ways younger generations talk about sex and death (see unalive in English and desvivirse in Spanish), we are in a brand-new world, one shaped by algorithms and technology. Algospeak is an energetic, astonishing journey into language, the internet, and what this intersection means for all of us.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Aleksic offers an insider’s view of a new oral tradition. . . . The fact that he’s chosen to explain this moment in the long, careful, linear form of a book is part of what makes Algospeak so valuable. Aleksic is a code-switcher for the algorithmic age, fluent in both the old language and the new.”
—Sadie Dingfelder, The Washington Post

“[A] savvy book. . . . Aleksic is [a] peppy ambassador of the extremely online’s resourcefulness.”
—Alexandra Jacobs, The New York Times Book Review

“Algospeak is a fascinating blend of etymology, psychology, cultural analysis and first-person perspective. The book acts as both a snapshot of our current, social media-imbued society and as an intellectual foundation for language developments to come. . . . Aleksic’s writing feels personable and knowledgeable as he translates his online presence offline, and in doing so, demonstrates his own claims about parasocial relationships and owning one’s audience.”
—Rachel S. Hunt, Associated Press

“Aleksic is an enthusiastic guide with an infectiously optimistic outlook. . . . He’s refreshingly candid about the tactics influencers have developed to monetize engagement and go viral online—and that these tricks are a form of emotional manipulation in the Darwinian competition for attention. . . . Algospeak reaches an optimistic conclusion—that we are not, in fact, ‘cooked.’”
—Helena Aeberli, Los Angeles Review of Books

“Packed with fascinating facts, of-the-moment observations, and a sparkling voice, Algospeak is a gift to any word nerd. Deftly covering everything from emoji etymologies and trendbait to Taylor Swift fanilects, incel slang, and the true origins of ‘cool’ words, Adam Aleksic is the wise, yet accessible internet linguistics oracle we need.”
—Amanda Montell, New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Magical Overthinking and Cultish

“There’s no one who understands the internet and language better than Adam Aleksic. Blending meticulous research, original data, and an unmatched fluency in online culture, Adam unpacks how our vocabularies are evolving in real time. Algospeak is a masterclass in linguistic evolution and online culture. It doesn’t just unpack what’s happening to language, but also reveals the many ways the internet is impacting culture and the ways we communicate and connect in person. Incisive and funny, this is a page turner from start to finish. Algospeak is a must read for anyone seeking to understand how we communicate today.”
—Taylor Lorenz, author of Extremely Online

“As someone who has neither Tik'd or Tok'd, I found Algospeak enthrallingly enlightening, written in an enticingly friendly way by one of the medium's most linguistically aware and experienced practitioners. Any Gen V [vintage] linguist like me has to read it. But not just us. All who use social media, or are puzzled by it, or are infuriated by it, will benefit from a reading. It's a brilliant exposé of the aims and strategies underlying the algorithms that control these media, and of the motivations of the companies who create them, as well as providing a beautifully illustrated account of how users change language in order to respond to them. Algospeak takes our understanding of online communication to a new level.”
—David Crystal, author of How Language Works

“A breezy tour through how young people are speaking with each other online.”
—Gretchen McCulloch, author of Because Internet

“Here is your chance to decode the linguistic mysteries of TikTok with one of the internet’s most astute linguistic content creators. Algospeak is a fun and engaging read, and Adam Aleksic is the perfect guide to understanding how social media users are morphing their language to avoid algorithmic censorship and to keep their content monetized.”
—Sarah Ogilvie, author of The Dictionary People

“This was a glorious romp through the myriad of ways video-powered social media is changing how we speak. Few have studied or witnessed this as closely as Adam, as expert in content creation as he is in linguistics. Turns out, he's a great writer too. Is there anything he can't do? For linguists, this is desperately needed research and commentary that expands language change analysis beyond the text-based social media of yesteryear; for the rest of us, it's insight into how we too might be innovating language change in the doomscrolls, livestreams and—heaven forbid—skibidi toilet references we make every day.”
—Sophia Smith Galer, founder of Viralect and author of How to Kill a Language

“Etymology meets the algorithm in this sharp debut from linguist Aleksic. Drawing on archival research and his own posts on TikTok and Reddit, Aleksic explains how social media triggers innovations in language and creates ‘algospeak,’ in which algorithms, which filter and prioritize certain information, ‘shape who gets exposed to certain words, how those words spread, and how popular’ they become…. An energetic and eye-opening study.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Aleksic is more than a worthy guide through the complexities of algospeak. . . . [The book] is overall a fun, illuminating read. Language evolves, as does culture. But humans remain, at our core, a hopeful, creative and loving species. No cap.”
—Amy Scribner, BookPage

“An insightful and entertaining examination of social media’s impact on how we speak.”
—Kirkus

Kirkus Reviews

2025-05-01
“Navigating our new linguistic landscape.”

According to Gen Z linguist and content creator Aleksic, social media algorithms are changing how we speak. “They shape who gets exposed to certain words, how those words spread, and how popular the words eventually become.” Furthermore, the author says, words initially used to circumvent content moderation are now being used offline, blurring the boundaries. For example, as Aleksic notes, “unalive” was initially used online to avoid censorship but has come to be used in general conversation as a euphemism for “kill” or to “commit suicide.” The author’s interest in algorithm censorship is what drew him to studying the language of social media, and through his research he found that every aspect of our language is being shaped by algorithms. Another form of evasive language that he explores is “subtweeting”—talking about someone online without stating their name, such as referring to the president as “cheeto” or “orange man.” By not mentioning the person directly, “Language, then, becomes an act of resistance.” Aleksic also explores the origins and meanings of popular terms used among young people, including “sussy baka” (“suspicious fool”) and “sigma” (“successful male”). Although some have labeled such slang words as “brainrot,” claiming that kids are corrupting the English language, Aleksic contends that slang has always provided youth with a sense of community and helped build their identity. The author considers, as well, the popularity of accents online—notably the “influencer accent,” with its rising intonation at the end of sentences—as American English has become the lingua franca of the internet. Hey, guys, the world is getting smaller?

An insightful and entertaining examination of social media’s impact on how we speak.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940193442035
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	07/15/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

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