Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC), Vol. 2, No.

1, June 2014

SOCIAL MEDIA: SHAPING AND TRANSMITTING

POPULAR CULTURE
Obiageli Pauline OHIAGU, Ph.D.
University of Port Harcourt.
&
Victor Ogbonnaya OKORIE, Ph.D.
Obafemi Awolowo University.
Abstract: Communication is the bedrock of any culture. In fact, language, dressing, music,
lifestyle, taste, values of life, and whatever that constitutes any given culture are expressed
through communication. Accordingly, the media through their several stages of development
and transformation have always played the role of transmitting a people‟s cultural heritage
across generations and borders. In contemporary society, much of media communication
finds expression in various social media platforms. Social media have also become
embedded in our everyday lives that they largely fashion our perceptions, understandings,
construction of meanings, and general view of reality or the world. It is against this premise
that one wonders if social media have maintained this responsibility of shaping and
transmitting culture. It became crucial, therefore, to investigate specifically what role social
media play in the construction and transmission of popular culture. Evidence from the study
sustains the thesis of the Reflective Projective Theory that the media, in this case social
media, replicate societal values and norms, yet those societal inputs are defined and shaped
by the same media.
Key words: Culture, Communication, Social Media, Popular culture, Reflective Projective
Theory.

INTRODUCTION is a cultural aggregation that

The advancement of the emerges when people, machine,
Internet has facilitated the rapid and animal bump into each other
emergence of complex interactions often in cyberspaces (Rheingold,
of dispersed groups of people with 1993). The uniqueness of the
shared interests, or at times virtual world lies in its dynamism
contradictory goals, across the and weird compositions; its
globe. Ultimately, it has led to the profound interactions and intimacy
formation of the online community often blur the boundaries hitherto
or virtual world, which serves a existing. This makes the virtual
variety of purposes and exhibits a world a powerful site for cultural
wide range of cultural production; and several
characteristics. Online community ethnographic studies suggest that

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such productions completely a group. This learning process is

constitute culture in their own right done through watching, listening
(Bolestuff, 2008; Hine, 2000). and reading what others do. With
Thus, this study explores how the emergence of some new media
mediated popular culture in virtual of communication such as the
world shapes and is reshaped by Internet and mobile phones, these
real community. It analyzes how researchers are inquisitive to
popular culture propelled and investigate if the new media also
animated by communication in play the same fundamental mass
online community remakes and is media role of helping people
remade by society. express their cherished values and
Whether in offline or online setting, lifestyles. Since much of
the concept of communication has communication in contemporary
been widely delineated; although in society takes place in various social
its simplest form it merely denotes media platforms, the nucleus of this
the exchange of meaning. This study is therefore, identifying
research limits it to Carey‟s (1975) specifically if social media play
description in Baran (2009) as a any role in the transmission of
“symbolic process whereby reality popular culture. It is also vital here
is produced, maintained, repaired to examine if and how social media
and transformed” (p. 9). Baran interactions influence people‟s
argued that this definition links language/slang use.
communication and reality, projects Based on the foregoing, we
communication aptly as a process anchored this study on these three
entrenched in our everyday lives, premises: an acknowledgment that
which informs our perception, culture cannot truly be discussed
understanding and construction of outside the realm of
reality and the world around us. communication; a conviction that
Hence, communication is not only the traditional role of the mass
the foundation of culture, but has media in the transmission of
become a primary podium for the cultural values is nonnegotiable;
debate about any culture. and then recognition that the
The mass media are the key central place of social media in
conduits through which contemporary mass media is also
communication flows. Their role in invariable.
cultural transmission has long been To ensure the reading of this
established as one of the traditional discourse from a common stance, it
functions of communication. is essential to draw at this point a
Through socialization, the mass lucid picture of our understanding
media make individuals learn and of the prime concepts: social
imbibe the values and behaviour of media, virtual world and popular

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culture, especially as they apply in participation, interaction,

this research. Many scholars have collaboration and building
attempted to unveil the meaning of relationships through conversations
social media from very comparable are other qualifying features of any
perspectives. For example, medium to be rated as a social
according to Tobin and Baziel media device. As Dominick (2013)
(2008) social media are digital observed, the first tool for social
technologies “that allow people to media was the telephone until the
share content, opinions, insights, dawn of the Internet, which rolled
experiences, perspectives and out many new channels for social
media among themselves” (p. 13). media. In addition, today “social
The ability of any technological media are popular because they can
device to allow its users share be accessed on a variety of
messages with other users qualifies platforms – PCs, laptops, netbooks,
the tool as a social medium. In tablet computers, and smartphones”
Dominick (2013), “social media are (Dominick 2013, p. 94). Examples
online communications that use of social media sites on the Internet
special techniques that involve include, Facebook, LinkedIn,
participation, conversation, sharing, MySpace, Twitter, You Tube,
collaboration and linkage” (p. 24). Blogs, Message boards, etc.
Dominick also stressed that On its part, virtual world refers to
because they allow users to share the formation of online community
data, they are highly interactive. In whose members engage in non-
his words, “social media are media physical interactions and intimacy
for social interaction, using highly with one another, which often
accessible and scalable distort other boundaries previously
communication techniques. Social existing among them. With its
media is the use of web-based and unique dynamism and composition
mobile technologies to turn of people from across the globe
communication into interactive who exhibit a wide range of
dialogue” (p. 94). In Straubhaar, cultural characteristics, virtual
LaRose and Davenport (2013), the world is accepted as a viable place
term is an elastic one that for studies on pop culture.
accommodates any medium
“whose content is created and Culture, on the other hand, is
distributed through social socially constructed or learned
interaction” (p. 20). The common behaviour. In the words of
denominator in these illustrations Dominick (2013), it is a “complex
of social media lies in the ability of concept that refers to the common
the user to share digital outputs values, beliefs, social practices,
with other users. Besides sharing, rules and assumptions that bind a
related notions such as group of people together. Hence, it

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is possible to identify a street in other media of communication

culture … or even a college student such as online interactions. Again
culture” (p. 47). Harris (1983) cited pop culture spans far beyond
in Baran (2012) described culture language whether spoken, written
as the “learned, socially acquired or digitalized. Straubhaar, LaRose
traditions and lifestyles of the and Davenport(2013) noted that:
members of a society, including “Besides language, other aspects of
their patterned, repetitive ways of culture are important in defining
thinking, feeling and acting” (p. 8). audiences: jokes, slangs, historical
It is “historically transmitted references, political references,
pattern of meanings embodied in gossip about stars, and remarks
symbolic forms by means of which about current people and events are
people communicate, perpetuate often culture - and even nation –
and develop their knowledge about specific” (p. 502). However, this
and attitudes toward life” (Geertz research is delimited to linguistic
cited in Baran, 2012, p. 8). One styles and slangs used by social
basic notion here is that culture is a media users as a benchmark to
learned and repetitive behaviour, measure the possibility of cultural
which is imbibed through regular construction and transmission on
exposure to others‟ lifestyles and social media.
shared with others who also adopt
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
the same values. This notion of
AND QUESTIONS
culture can be narrowed down to As earlier noted, this research is
popular culture or pop culture, as designed to ascertain the role social
all socially acquired traditions and media play, if any, in the
lifestyles learned and made popular construction and transmission of
through the media. Components of popular culture in the virtual world.
popular culture considered in this Another study objective is to
work are: linguistic styles and investigate if and how social media
slangs (language). shape popular culture. It is also our
Language is an important goal to examine if popular culture
component of popular culture that influences social media contents.
formed the base for this research. The following questions were
According to Dominick (2013), addressed:
“Language developed about RQ. 1: How do social media
200,000 years ago and led to the interactions contribute to
development of an oral culture - the transmission of popular
one that depended on the spoken cultural outputs in the
word” (p. 54). Today, culture does virtual world?
not depend only on the spoken RQ. 2: In what ways do social
word or on the printed word but media contents shape
also on expressions that take place

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popular culture? In other life situations. Consequently, while

words, do social media social media contents
contents influence social hypothetically shape and transmit
media users‟ linguistic style popular culture, conversely social
and slang use? If so, how media contents are also influenced
does this happen? by cultural expressions. In a
RQ. 3: In what ways does popular discourse on the reflective nature of
culture influence social the media, Hanson (2005) using the
media contents? movie example argued that:
LITERATURE REVIEW movie makers claim that
Theoretical Review: they don‟t shape society,
The study is anchored on the they just reflect it. But this
Reflective - Projective theory. The ignores the fact that movies
major thesis of this theory as put are a central part of society,
forward by Lee Loevinger is that and even a mirror has an
the mass media „mirror‟ society, effect… movies have been
reflecting an ambiguous mirror to an immensely powerful
the society by reproducing societal social and cultural force…
norms and values. The mass media they have produced social
seen thus are mere reflections of changes – in ways of dress,
the society. The theory further patterns of speech, methods
posits that the society in turn of courting. And they have
echoes or reflects the media. The mirrored social changes –
society conversely assimilates and in fashion, sexual mores,
replicates the values and virtues political principle (p. 224).
presented by the media. Irrespective of the channel through
Applying the two dimensions of the which movies are delivered to the
theory specifically to social media audience, whether in cinema
are both relevant to this research. theatres, on television screens or
First, social media posts, computer screens, the power of
comments, shares, overall movies to mirror or shape social
experiences and expressions are and cultural changes remains
reflections of media users‟ immensely powerful. The same can
perceptions of reality and the be said of other media contents
society. On the other hand, beyond transmitted through social media or
being shaped by the users‟ mainstream media. Discussing the
cultural expressions and general cultural implications of
worldview, social media in turn Loevinger‟s postulation, Ohiagu
shape most offline expressions and (2010, p. 638) observed that:
behaviour since people export their although the media can
social media experiences into real actively influence society,
they also mirror it, and

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scholars constantly strive to when they asserted that: “every

delineate the differences. If other person in the world using the
the media reflect the societal Internet is using social media sites”
values as propounded by (p. 7). Confirming this with
Lee Loevinger in the statistics, a Jue, Marr and
Reflective-Projective Kassotakis‟ (2010) research cited in
Theory, then the influence Ohiagu (2012) revealed, “25
of media content (ICT) on percent of the global online
the society would be that of population has joined social
cultural reinforcement rather networking sites” (p. 119).
than cultural definition. Describing the social media
Findings of this study are expected growth, Dominick (2013) cited the
to sustain or jettison this argument Facebook example, that with a
of a reflective social media that population of more than 500
mirror societal values and are million users in 2011, Facebook
influenced by the society, which would rank third in the world, if it
they influence. were a country. Although
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter,
Conceptual Review:
MySpace and YouTube are more
In modern society, it is hard to
easily recognized, in contrast to
imagine the Internet without the
many other unfamiliar social media
social media. Besides, social media
sites such as travelocity,
are so embedded in our daily lives
StumbleUpon, Friendster,
that we cannot truly discuss any
LiveJournal, Hi5, Xanga, Evans
segment of life without referring to
(2010) made a more comprehensive
social media. Even most of our
listing and grouping of social
offline social activities and events
media into nine classes. They are:
are now linked up to one social
(1) social networking sites
media site or another. We create
(Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace,
online social networks where we
etc.); (2) social news sites (Digg,
share with others, information and
Reddit, NewsVine, Kirtsy,
experiences that are vital to us. Jue,
BallHype, etc.); (3) social
Marr and Kassotakis (2010)
bookmarking sites (Delicious,
observed that various reports reveal
Magnolia, Diigo, etc.); (4) social
that year over year, the use of
sharing sites (YouTube, Flickr,
global social media tools has
etc.); (5) social events sites
increased fourfold and greater;
(Eventful, Meetup and Upcoming);
there are various types of social
(6) Microblogging (Twitter); (7)
media everywhere and we cannot
Wikis (Wikipedia); (8) Blogs; (9)
escape them. Similarly, Tobin and
Forums and message boards.
Baziel (2008) have supported social
media usage blast and revolution

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The use of all social media sites is expressions leading to a global

on the increase for several reasons. culture. Social media users
For example, Flickr and YouTube irrespective of other geographical,
mean a lot of ease in sharing religious and ethnic affinities now
pictures and music or videos share some common ways of
respectively. However, of these expression understandable to most
nine classes of social media, social of them, often to the exclusion of
networking sites are more popular those who do not use these media.
than the others are. The reason is For example, slangs such as
not farfetched as Ohiagu (2012, p. swaging, sagging, don, flex, etc; or
89) underlined thus: tendencies for abbreviations like
Social networking sites OMG (oh my God), UWC (you are
allow community members welcome), HBD (happy birthday);
to upload photos and videos, LOL, (variously interpreted as
tag their friends, post laugh out loud, lots of laughter,
comments on each other‟s laughing out loud, lots of love),
walls, create groups, add TGIF, (thank God it is Friday),
fans, invite friends to events, WULLIP (wishing you long life
post bulletins, and integrate and prosperity ), LLNP (long life
applications. Physical and and prosperity), etc.; and even use
virtual events can be of different icons to depict various
promoted by using free sites emotions are all acceptable and
for social events like understandable expressions on
Eventful and Upcoming. social media. Without any formal
training on these expressions, many
In one sentence, social media have users get to know and adopt them
taken the centre stage in the by their interactions with others on
communication arena, and may not social media, irrespective of other
be easily relegated to the existing differences.
background even in the future.
Therefore, any such discourse However, critics of global culture
about the place of the media of consider it utopian that people who
communication in cultural are different in many other ways
construction cannot be properly will for sheer virtue of being
concluded in isolation of social interconnected by new
media. communication technologies share
the common assumptions of any
One of the arguments of this paper, single culture. They perceive no
which will be refuted or supported possibility of individual cultures
by evidence from the study, is that and national identities
social media interactions play disappearing; neither do they
significant role in the production envisage the emergence of a one
and circulation of popular cultural culture for the world community.

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Yet, some scholars in the past were social media, yet, we refrain from
so concerned about cultural erosion imagining that a global culture
and imperialism to demand for a means that people irrespective of
New World Information Order as their differences will have a
far back as in the 1980‟s. These uniform worldview, lifestyle,
scholars feared, as Baran (2009) values, and sameness of thought on
observed, that protecting the all issues. This is impossible even
integrity of local cultures in our among identical twins and is only
increasingly, mediated world may feasible with cloned beings.
not be an easy task especially with Selective exposure and perception
the intrusions of direct satellite theories made us understand that
broadcasts and the Internet. people respond variously to the
Straubhaar, LaRose and Davenport same media messages because of
(2013) also captured that growing their other differences that also
apprehension among people. In play out in the communication
their words: “One of the fears in process. Uses and gratifications
many countries is that unbalanced theory confirm that the audience
media flows will diminish national use the same media content to
sovereignty, reducing countries‟ gratify different needs. Therefore, it
cultural autonomy, and would be misleading to “assume
governments‟ abilities to support that because people are exposed to
and protect their cultures” (p. 526). the same mass media messages,
They further described national that their lifestyles, worldviews,
sovereignty as: “the policy of habits, beliefs, etc. would all be
keeping domestic forces in control „electronically uniformed‟ by the
of a nation‟s economy, politics and media, irrespective of all other
culture” (p. 526). These concerns variables” (Ohiagu 2010, p. 636).
resonate with those of the 1980s Rather Straubhaar, LaRose and
that led to the formation of the Davenport (2013) suggested that:
United Nations Educational, “an alternative vision of the global
Scientific and Cultural future is that media and
Organization (UNESCO) information technologies will
committee headed by Macbride to decentralize the global village, so
find solution to Western cultural that information and culture will
imperialism. Interestingly, the so- flow in many directions, from a
called dominant culture nations variety of sources, with many
such as U.S. also worry about the different messages” (p. 526).
loss of their cultural identity in the Hence, our stance of global culture
maze of the global interconnected vibrates with Straubhaar, LaRose
society. and Davenport‟s (2013) perspective
Although we make a case for a of globalization as: “reducing
global culture being orchestrated by differences that existed between

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nations in time, space and culture” media audience through selective

(p. 501) and Wilson‟s (2005) exposure and perception actively
definition as “media presentations shape received messages to fit their
in which cultural inputs are drawn own values and viewpoints.
from different countries and “Audiences typically seek
cultures in this global village” (p. messages and produce meanings
165). that correspond to their own
Such a middle ground position cultural beliefs, values and
which neither projects an absolute interests” (Campbell, Martin and
erosion of national sovereignty nor Fabos 2009, p.11). Yet cultivation
a fixation with the demise of native effect of the media over years has
cultures allow us better accept the made us accept that “heavy
emergence of new dominant and viewing of television leads
subcultures in our super individuals to perceive reality in
interconnected society. Bennett ways that are consistent with
(2004) in Baran (2009) observed television portrayals” (Campbell,
that while “geographically based Martin and Fabos 2009, p. 534). If
identities blur and fade, new sub this theory supposedly holds true in
cultures, based on shared tastes in social media communication, then
music or literature or obscure continuous exposure to diverse
hobbies, grow up” (p. 812). This emerging online slangs and
research is expected to provide linguistic styles would similarly
evidence to help us invalidate or lead users to perceive reality in
accept such arguments for a global ways that are consistent with social
culture. media contents, even when these
may differ from their own cultural
Therefore, despite our argument for perspectives.
the emerging global culture through
social media platforms, of course, Cultural studies scholars such as
we are not oblivious of the fact that Morley in Straubhaar, LaRose and
Internet users bring diverse Davenport (2013) postulated that
meanings to social media messages both the media producers who
arising from their different create texts and their audience who
backgrounds such as educational read (interpret) such texts do so
status, experiences, age, gender, through the lens of their own social
social and ethnic affinities, class, culture, significant groups
religious beliefs, philosophies, etc. and personal experience. Campbell,
The resultant diversity of message Martin and Fabos (2009) argued
interpretation certainly means that that whether denoted as high, low,
the same message achieves popular, mass or better still, striped
different effects on various people. of these adjectives and worn-out
Social media users like all other labels, contemporary culture cannot
easily be characterized as one thing

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or another. In their words, “binary more or less common culture

terms such as liberal and occurs through communication,
conservative or high and low have including mass communication.…
less meaning in an environment When media professionals produce
where so many boundaries have content that we read, listen to, or
been blurred, so many media forms watch, meaning is being shared and
have converged, and so many culture is being constructed and
diverse cultures coexist” (p. 31). maintained” (p. 10). And what
Similarly, “visionaries of the happens when much of media
Internet have long heralded the new content is produced and distributed
online world as one without in social media channels by many
traditional geographic, political or individuals who often times are not
legal limits. Media theorist media professionals? Meaning is
Marshall McLuhan wrote in 1972 still being shared and hence culture
that the wired planet has no is constructed and maintained. In
boundaries and no monopolies of fact, anyone who can share
knowledge” Campbell, Martin and meaning with others has an
Fabos (2009, p. 40). The wireless opportunity to construct one‟s own
planet is certainly far more meaning and hence has the power
borderless. to shape and transmit culture. In
Another major thesis of this study Baran‟s view, mass communication
is that new media and specifically is a primary forum where we
social media have continued the debate cultural values with power
traditional function of the mass to shape our definitions and
media of transmitting cultural understanding. In addition, this
heritage across borders, perhaps power could lie with the producers
even more forcefully than the (media professionals) or the
mainstream media. Straubhaar, consumers (audience) of the
LaRose and Davenport (2013) message. Through consistent
consented that “the ability of social communication, messages are
media to define culture may be embedded in our minds until the
eroding the power of the learned behaviour, ways of
conventional media. Ever-growing thinking and feeling become
amounts of the news and patterned and repetitive. This is
entertainment are generated by why culture is said to be socially
those who do not work for constructed and maintained through
established „big media‟ communication.
organizations” (p. 22). On his part, As media ‘prosumers’ (people who
Baran (2009) subscribed that the produce and consume) it is our
media construct and maintain collective responsibility, in the
culture when he asserted that: words of Baran, “to allow mass
“creation and maintenance of a communication not only to occur

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but also to contribute to the Contrary to our initial plan to study

creation and maintenance of various components of popular
culture” (p. 16). This echo with culture such as music, movies, and
Ohiagu‟s (2010) position that dressing, we had to limit the study
media content packaged locally to linguistic styles and slangs and
could be used to reveal our to fewer social media sites. Yet the
capabilities, giftedness and culture findings are strong enough to drive
to the global community rather than the fundamental arguments of this
letting them revolve around ritual study.
and sorcery practices or worse
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
continue the western stereotype of The mass media‟s role as agents of
highlighting Africans as poor, lazy socialization is not negotiable,
and unintelligent people. “The however this study has
choice of what media content to demonstrated that value
present to the world as news about transmission has also continued
us and entertainment that portray through social media as values and
our way of life is ours to make” (p. experiences are passed down to
622). Therefore, both the others as posts, comments, on
construction (shaping) of popular social media fora. Precisely, there
culture and its transmission are is the emergence of new linguistic
achievable on social media. styles on most social media sites
METHODOLOGY especially on Facebook and
A total of 40 Facebook pages, 20 Twitter. For example, rather than
blogs, and 20 Twitter accounts insisting on standard spelling of
were content analyzed. The words, many users guided by the
following variables were the units sound of words (vocal
of analysis: convenient spellings, pronunciation) go for either
slangs, emoticons, and acronym- abbreviated usage or shortened
generated words. To supplement version of such words without any
the findings made through content regard for standard usage, as long
analysis, the researchers as meaning is shared. For example,
interviewed about 12 social media brother is written as broda, good
users, to better understand what (gud), message (msg), need (nid),
motivates their online use of any of because (bkkos), etc. Some social
the studied variables. media users argue that this is a
Limitations of the Study habit imported from text messaging
Engaging in a totally online field on cell phones with its restriction
work in a country where high speed on number of characters, which
Internet on broadband and wireless forces users to maximize space
networks is still a leisure for only a usage. This habit is also imposed
few, proved to be an ordeal. on such users who access the
Internet through mobile devices

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such as cell phones and iPads. Using language or more precisely

Strangely, even when they access linguistic style as a major
the Internet on desktops and parameter in this study, we could
laptops, they continue such habits. deduce that through social media
This confirms that meaning and there is an emergence of a new
culture flow from the society to linguistic style in the virtual world.
social media and vice versa. In addition, since language is an
However, on blogs users conform important component of culture, by
more to standard linguistic styles extension we can assert that
and spellings than to these evolving through social media a new culture
online styles. This is is being generated in the virtual
understandable perhaps since blogs world, which cuts across
are not often written in a haste; geographical frontiers. Below are
besides, blogging is a more formal some examples of these emergent
and serious form of writing. styles based on one of the study‟s
units of analysis: convenient
spelling.

Standard spellings Convenient spellings Standard Convenient spellings

used on some social spellings used on some social
sites sites
things tins tings tinz Life Lyf

Before b/4 Birthday betday bday

Are r re People Pple
The d Work wrk wk
Laughs laffs Nothing nthing nthing

with wt When Wen

Need nid Have Ve
That dat dt d@ And Nd

Brother broda bro bros Forgot 4got

Thanks tanx tnx, tx Lovely Luvly

Your ur Fine Fin
You u Thank tank tnk
Think tink For 4
Congrats congrts Great Grt
Really rilly Hope Hp

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This dis That Dat

Through thru What Wat
Always always Messge Msg
There dere Happy hapi happi
The d Amen Amim
Good gud Other Oda
Back bck Love Luv

This list is hardly exhaustive. This chairmen, what are they really
new linguistic style does not doing or are they not supposed to
consider accuracy of language use; address these issues?
neither do the users pretend to Instead of any preoccupation with
conform to the standard usage of accuracy, users rely on the sound or
English language. Look at some pronunciation of words, to convey
comments/posts found online: meaning. Often times the basic
1) Luv takes in everytin! consonants in the standard spelling
hate segregates! lust of a word or its sounds are used to
hides unda luv! luv prove form words.
no rite or wrong! luv Apart from space maximization,
shapes tot and attitude bt users claim to prefer this emergent
not behaviour! style for speed of typing whether
2) Dis r d reasons y we v on cell phones or other devices.
dis political ofice Could this stem from this
holder's, wia r our generation‟s usual inclination for
counsellors, local govt easy and less demanding ways of
chairmen, wht r dy rili doing things? Other users asserted
doin,or r dy nt supose 2 that they enjoy the freedom of not
adres dis issues? being tied to any form of
In the first sentence, notice the standardization in use of language.
spelling of the underlined words. For some still, it is fun to create
The second sentence which may something new and different from
hardly be understood by people the orthodox styles.
who have not been exposed to this The adoption of many acronym-
style of writing reads thus in generated words and symbols are
standard English: These are the also very prevalent on wall posts
reasons why we have these political and comments of many social
office holders, where are our media users, irrespective of their
counselors, local government

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other differences. Common applied only to English speaking

examples include: users, most social media users
OMG (oh my God), irrespective of their lingua or other
UWC (you are welcome), backgrounds use the emoticons.
HBD (happy birthday); The emoticons thus seem to enjoy
LOL, (variously interpreted as universal readings as users of all
laugh out loud, laughing out loud, lingua background learn to know
lots of laughter, lots of love), the various emotions they convey
TGIF, (thank God it is Friday), by clicking on the icons. Some

 Happy
WULLIP (wishing you long life examples are:

 Sad
and prosperity)
LLNP (long life and prosperity),
@ (used to refer to a person) etc. These emoticons are derived by
On slangs, a few recurrent ones writing a combination of some
include: winks, dude, swaging, keyboard characters, which the
guys, sagging, babe, don, flex, etc. processing system of the user‟s
Online prosumers studied also use device automatically converts to
profusely various emoticons (icons the desired emoticon, or by simply
that depict all manners of emotions clicking on a list of icons displayed
and state of the mind). While the by the device. As illustration, the
results derived from the other units following combination of
of analysis in this research could be characters mean:
:-) happy :-( sad ;-) winking =-O surprised
<3 heart :‟( crying :-\ undecided :-D laughing
o_O confused X-( mad :-/ smirk :-I poker face
:-[ embarrassed O:-) angel :-* kissing :O yelling
B-) cool :-$ money mouth ;-! Foot in mouth :-X lips are sealed
:-P tongue sticking out
CONCLUSION consistent exposure to the emergent
We therefore, infer that social linguistic styles and slangs,
media interactions contribute members of the virtual world are
significantly to the production and indoctrinated in reading their
circulation of popular cultural meanings. Given that these styles
expressions in the virtual world. flow from other offline experiences
Social media achieve this, among such as texting on mobile phones
other ways, through the into social media platforms, we
construction and popularization of could also deduce that popular
slangs and new linguistic styles, media shapes social media
which are understandable to most contents. In addition, since some
online users across borders, thus online users also imbibe these new
leading to a global culture. Through styles of writing and export them to

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their offline situations such as by the society, which they

mobile texting, even classroom and influence. Again, we confirm with
examination settings, as testified by research findings that the social
some interviewed users, the study media have continued the
consented that social media in turn traditional mass media function of
shape popular culture. Therefore, transmitting cultural heritage across
we could not but support Lee borders, if language expressed as
Loevinger‟s postulation of a linguistic styles/slangs is still
reflective social media that mirror acceptable component of popular
societal values and are influenced culture.
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AUTHORS’ INFORMATION
Obiageli Pauline OHIAGU is a Mass Communication lecturer who holds a Ph.D in
Communication Studies and specializes in New Media Studies, Public Relations,
and Advertising. She was a visiting doctoral research fellow at the University of
Wisconsin, USA and a 2011-2012 Fulbright grantee, after obtaining her first degree
with a first class honours (Summa Cum Laude) in Mass Communication from the
University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Ogbonnaya OKORIE holds a joint Ph.D in Development and Anthropology as
well as a Master of Arts in Cultural Anthropology of the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, USA. Dr. Okorie also holds a Master of Philosophy in Agricultural
Extension and Rural Sociology and Bachelor of Agriculture of the Obafemi
Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, where he teaches both undergraduate and
postgraduate courses. Okorie is a recipient of many academic awards including
MEO Fellowship USA, Eugene Havens Fund‟s Research Grant, USA, and World
Council of Social Sciences‟ Fellowship. Others include Vilas Research Grant of the
University Wisconsin-Madison USA, Brown International Advance Research
Institute‟s Fellowship, USA, and Social Science Research Council‟s Grant, USA.

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