Internet Slang
Does Changing Words Change How We Feel?
'Emoi,' 'pien,' 'kusa,' 'sore na'... Every time a new word is born on the internet, our ways of feeling and expressing change little by little. This question re-examines whether changing words truly changes our 'ways of feeling' themselves. It is an attempt to test the idea of linguistic relativity — that language shapes thought and emotion — using the familiar example of internet slang. When a new slang term appears, do we truly become able to feel 'new emotions'?
The view that when new slang is born, emotions that were previously 'unverbalizable' get names, allowing us to feel those emotions more strongly and clearly.
The view that words follow changes in emotion after the fact, and that fundamental ways of feeling do not change even if words change. Slang is merely a 'variation in expression.'
The view that words and emotions influence each other mutually. New words gradually shape emotions, and changes in emotion in turn give birth to new words — a cyclical relationship.
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How did you feel when you first learned the word 'emoi'?
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Have you ever felt that learning a new slang changed the way you express your emotions?
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Without the word 'kusa,' how would you have expressed laughter?
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Have you ever had an experience where changing words actually seemed to change your 'way of feeling'?
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If the word 'emoi' didn't exist, how do you think you would have conveyed that emotion?
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Do you think that when words change, ways of feeling also change? Or do you think ways of feeling change first and words just catch up?
This topic is not about dismissing internet slang as 'just wordplay,' but about exploring together how words and emotions intertwine. Please share moments when you felt 'my way of feeling changed because the words changed.'
- Linguistic Relativity
- The hypothesis that the structure and vocabulary of a language shape the speaker's thinking and perception of the world. Also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
- Verbalization of Emotion
- The process of giving a name to vague emotions, making them clearer and easier to share. Slang accelerates this process.
Is there a slang word you learned recently that made you think 'this fits perfectly'? What word was it?
If the word 'kusa' didn't exist, how do you think you would have expressed the feeling of 'I laughed'?
When the other person is describing an emotion using new slang, try to imagine 'If that word didn't exist, what words would the other person have used to express it?'
- Has the birth of 'emoi' actually increased opportunities to feel 'emoi'?
- Does changing words also change how we feel about love or friendship?
- If AI creates new slang, how will our ways of feeling change?
- Is it words that change our 'ways of feeling,' or is it social change?