In the ever-evolving landscape of human communication, few phenomena have been as transformative as the emergence of what linguist Adam Aleksic terms “algospeak.” His debut book, Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language, presents a fascinating exploration of how algorithms are reshaping not just what we say, but how we think about language itself. As someone who has built a following of over two million as @etymologynerd, Aleksic brings both academic rigor and internet-native insight to this critical examination of our digital linguistic revolution.
The book opens with a striking anecdote about the word “unalive”—a term that emerged from TikTok’s censorship algorithms and somehow found its way into a Kurt Cobain museum exhibit, sparking public outrage. This example perfectly encapsulates Aleksic’s central thesis: we’re witnessing an unprecedented acceleration in language change, driven by the invisible forces of social media algorithms rather than the traditional, organic evolution of human speech communities.
The Mechanics of Digital Language Evolution
Whac-A-Mole Linguistics
Aleksic’s metaphor of “linguistic Whac-A-Mole” brilliantly captures how users constantly create new words to circumvent algorithmic censorship. The process is cyclical and relentless: platforms ban words, users invent alternatives, platforms catch on and ban those too, prompting yet more linguistic creativity. This isn’t entirely new—Aleksic traces similar patterns back to 1980s bulletin board “leetspeak”—but the speed and scale are unprecedented.
The author demonstrates remarkable attention to detail in documenting this phenomenon. His analysis of words like “seggs” (for sex), “unalive” (for suicide or kill), and the evolution of emoji substitutions reveals the sophisticated ways users navigate platform restrictions. The discussion of how Chinese protestors developed “Kongish”—a blend of Cantonese and English—during the 2019 Hong Kong demonstrations shows how these linguistic innovations serve purposes far beyond mere platform compliance.
The Attention Economy’s Linguistic Demands
Perhaps the book’s strongest section examines how the pursuit of attention shapes language. Aleksic reveals how content creators systematically modify their speech patterns—developing what he calls “influencer accents”—to maximize viewer retention. His personal anecdotes about obsessing over video analytics and modifying his own speaking style add credibility to his analysis while maintaining the engaging, slightly self-deprecating tone that characterizes his online presence.
The discussion of attention-grabbing linguistic strategies is particularly insightful. Aleksic breaks down the mechanics of hooks, emotional language, and second-person pronouns with the precision of someone who has successfully deployed these techniques himself. His explanation of why phrases like “no because” became viral discourse markers demonstrates how algorithmic pressures create new grammatical patterns that then migrate to offline speech.
Cultural Appropriation in the Digital Age
The Complex Politics of Viral Language
One of Aleksic’s most important contributions is his analysis of how social media accelerates linguistic appropriation, particularly from African American English (AAE). The book traces how words like “slay,” “tea,” and “periodt” travel from marginalized communities through various filter bubbles before being stripped of their original cultural context and repackaged as “internet slang” or “Gen Z language.”
This section reveals Aleksic’s commitment to social responsibility without becoming preachy. He acknowledges the complexity of these issues while clearly articulating why context matters. His discussion of how ballroom culture’s vocabulary became divorced from its origins in Black and Latino LGBTQ+ communities of the 1980s is both educational and sobering.
The author’s treatment of incel language propagation is particularly compelling. By tracing how extremist terminology moves from 4chan to Reddit to TikTok through memes and irony, Aleksic illustrates how dangerous ideologies can spread through seemingly harmless linguistic trends. His analysis of how words like “Chad,” “sigma,” and “mewing” entered mainstream vocabulary demonstrates the porous boundaries between different online communities.
Identity Construction in the Algorithm Age
The Commodification of Self-Expression
Aleksic’s exploration of how algorithms shape identity formation represents some of his most sophisticated thinking. His discussion of aesthetic microlabels—the explosion of “-core” suffixes that categorize everything from “cottagecore” to “goblincore”—reveals how platforms create increasingly granular categories for both recommendation optimization and marketing purposes.
The author effectively argues that what appears to be greater diversity and self-expression actually represents a new form of constraint. By examining how terms like “preppy” completely shifted meaning through algorithmic amplification and fast-fashion marketing, he shows how corporate interests can hijack and redirect linguistic evolution.
His analysis of generational labels is equally sharp. Aleksic demonstrates how concepts like “Gen Z” and “millennial” function less as meaningful demographic categories and more as algorithmic classification systems that encourage tribal identification and commercial targeting.
Strengths and Limitations
What Works Well
Aleksic’s greatest strength is his ability to make complex linguistic concepts accessible without dumbing them down. His writing maintains the energetic, slightly breathless quality of his social media content while demonstrating genuine scholarly depth. The book successfully bridges academic linguistics and internet culture in ways that feel natural rather than forced.
The author’s use of original survey data—particularly his polling of middle school teachers and parents—adds empirical weight to his observations. His international perspective, examining how algorithmic language changes affect Spanish, French, Arabic, and other languages, prevents the analysis from being too Anglo-centric.
Areas for Improvement
While Aleksic’s personal anecdotes generally enhance the narrative, occasionally they feel indulgent rather than illuminating. Some readers might find his frequent references to his own TikTok success distracting from the broader linguistic arguments.
The book sometimes lacks sufficient historical context for its claims about the unprecedented nature of current changes. While Aleksic acknowledges that language has always evolved through technological and social pressures, he could have done more to distinguish what’s genuinely new from what’s simply accelerated.
Additionally, while the author touches on potential solutions or alternative approaches to algorithmic language governance, these discussions feel underdeveloped. Readers seeking actionable insights about how to navigate or resist these changes may find the book somewhat fatalistic.
The Broader Implications
Language as Technology’s Mirror
Aleksic’s fundamental insight—that language increasingly reflects the priorities and limitations of the technological systems through which it flows—has profound implications beyond linguistics. His analysis suggests that as more human communication becomes mediated by algorithms, our very capacity for expression becomes shaped by commercial and technological imperatives.
The book raises important questions about linguistic autonomy and cultural preservation in an age of platform capitalism. If algorithms reward certain types of speech and suppress others, what happens to forms of expression that don’t optimize for engagement? Aleksic touches on these concerns but doesn’t fully explore their implications.
A Vital Contribution to Digital Humanities
Despite its limitations, Algospeak by Adam Aleksic represents a significant contribution to our understanding of how technology shapes human communication. Aleksic has produced a work that’s simultaneously entertaining and intellectually rigorous, accessible to general readers while offering genuine insights to specialists.
The book succeeds in making visible processes that usually remain hidden behind corporate algorithms and user interfaces. By documenting and analyzing these changes as they happen, Aleksic provides an invaluable snapshot of a linguistic moment that’s already evolving past recognition.
For anyone interested in language, technology, or contemporary culture, Algospeak by Adam Aleksic offers essential reading. While the book may not provide all the answers about our algorithmic future, it asks the right questions and equips readers with frameworks for understanding the forces reshaping human expression.
Recommended Similar Reads
For readers interested in exploring related themes, consider these complementary works:
- Because Internet by Gretchen McCulloch – A broader examination of how the internet changes language
- The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell – Explores contemporary communication patterns and psychological impacts
- Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil – Analyzes algorithmic bias and its societal effects
- Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport – Offers strategies for thoughtful technology engagement
- The Shallows by Nicholas Carr – Examines how digital technology affects cognition and attention
Algospeak by Adam Aleksic stands as both a warning and a celebration of human linguistic creativity, reminding us that even as algorithms shape our words, we retain the power to shape our algorithms through the choices we make as speakers, creators, and digital citizens.