GRADABILITY EXPRESSIONS IN INTERNET LANGUAGE: AN ACADEMIC ANALYSIS OF LINGUISTIC FEATURES
Abstract
This article provides an academic analysis of gradability expressions (the property of adjectives and adverbs to express different degrees of a quality) in internet language. It examines aspects such as hyperbole and exaggeration (including the non-literal use of "literally"), the deployment of emojis and emoticons as markers of degree, intensification through repetition and letter elongation, as well as the emergence of novel intensifiers and lexical innovations like "fire" or "extra." The article analyzes these phenomena through the lens of linguistic theories, including pragmatics, semiotics, phonology, sociolinguistics, lexical evolution, and discourse analysis, shedding light on the unique characteristics and functions of gradability in online communication.
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