This episode explores how social media algorithms are changing language, particularly among younger generations. Linguist Adam Aleksic discusses the emergence of new words like "unalive" as euphemisms to bypass algorithmic censorship on platforms like TikTok. Against the backdrop of algorithmic influence, Aleksic highlights how the structure of social media accelerates the spread of slang, using the "Rizzler" song as an example of how repetition and trending metadata drive engagement and popularize words like "rizz" and "gyat." More significantly, he points out that algorithms create echo chambers and niche communities, commercializing identity through labels like "cottagecore," and also enable the spread of harmful ideologies, such as incel rhetoric, through seemingly innocuous slang. Aleksic also addresses the appropriation of slang from marginalized communities, noting how words from Black and queer culture are often diluted and misrepresented online. Despite these concerning trends, Aleksic suggests that these patterns follow historical precedents and that awareness of etymology and algorithmic influence is crucial to understanding the evolving landscape of language.
