ИСТИНА

The talk aims to shed light on some of the recent developments in the language of the internet: namely, the growing number of new terms and various types of neologisms which have appeared over the past decades, offering an overview of these new formations. An attempt has been made to systematise some peculiarities of Netspeak as a complex linguocultural and sociolinguistic phenomenon. It transpires that the majority of neologisms are blends; however, prefixation and suffixation are also encountered. Besides, certain features of e-spelling and e-punctuation are discussed. These aspects of English reveal their dual nature on the Web, as, on the one hand, internet users tend to simplify orthographic rules and the way stops have been traditionally used in English, while on the other hand spelling and punctuation are used creatively in order to show various emotions in an attempt to simulate the spoken form of the language. As for the linguocultural aspect of Netspeak, authoritative scholars note that if generally a person’s privacy is respected and protected (especially in the British society), on the internet the tables are often turned, and people may reveal the most intimate details of their lives in social media. The sociolinguistic characteristics of Netspeak are manifested in its being an effective means of influencing people’s opinions and altering their attitudes, especially with the latest technological breakthrough in the use of AI (artificial intelligence). The analysed material shows that the emergence of the World Wide Web has boosted the capacity of English for expanding its linguistic apparatus, and the changes brought about by the continuous evolution of the electronic medium of communication should be thoroughly studied and understood.