SOCIAL NETWORKS AS A SPECIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF LINGUISTIC UNITS

Abstract

The rapid development of digital technologies has transformed social networks into one of the most influential environments of modern communication. As a result, social media platforms have become a unique space for the functioning, transformation, and dissemination of linguistic units. The present study examines social networks as a special communicative environment that affects the semantic, pragmatic, and functional characteristics of language units. The research focuses on the ways linguistic units acquire new meanings, undergo semantic shifts, and perform various communicative functions within digital discourse. Particular attention is paid to the role of context, evaluation, irony, and users’ communicative intentions in the interpretation of linguistic units in online interaction. The study is based on the analysis of linguistic material collected from social media discourse and employs descriptive, semantic, pragmatic, and discourse-analytical methods. The findings demonstrate that social networks create favorable conditions for the emergence of new linguistic forms, contextual reinterpretation of existing expressions, and the intensification of pragmatic meaning. Furthermore, the digital communication environment accelerates language change and contributes to the development of innovative linguistic practices. The study highlights the significance of social networks as a dynamic linguistic space where language units function not only as means of communication but also as instruments of evaluation, identity construction, and social interaction.