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Twitter language is a mix of official terms and user-generated jargon used for social interaction. It includes acronyms, hashtags, and phrases like “tweet” and “retweet.” The 140-character limit, real-time nature, and international use influence the language. Twitter maintains a glossary of common terms.
The Twitter language is a collection of acronyms, phrases and language conventions used on the Twitter online social networking service. The language is a blend of official terms and user-generated jargon. The language of Twitter is very different from the language used on other social networking sites.
Much of Twitter’s core language comes from elements of the service itself. A “tweet” is the official term for a message posted on Twitter and a person who tweets is known as a “Tweeter” or “Twitterer”. Following someone on Twitter means subscribing to that person’s tweets. A direct message (DM) is a private message between tweeters.
Twitter emphasizes social interaction, so much of the language is used to interact with other users. The “@” symbol before a username is used to refer to another Tweeter, a practice known as quoting. Tweeters also “retweet” other posts they find interesting. In a tradition known as “Follow Friday,” Twitter users will introduce their followers to other Tweeters.
Twitter users have proven to be an inventive bunch and have shaped much of the Twitter language on their own. The retweet, abbreviated RT to post, was in common use long before it became an official feature. A hashtag, named for the # symbol before a keyword, #Iran for example, has caught on as a convenient way to tag and find tweets about similar topics. The letters “OH” before a message indicate that a Tweeter is sharing something you heard.
Twitter language can also be an international communication tool. Conventions like the hashtag aren’t specific to English, so tweeters from all backgrounds can use them. Some Twitter tools can even automatically translate tweets.
The 140-character limit, widespread use of smartphones, and the real-time nature of the service have greatly influenced the language. Journalists, politicians, and even educators, among others, often use abbreviations and slang in their Tweets that would never be accepted elsewhere. Shortcuts like “wk” for “week” and “4” instead of “for” are commonly used to save space and time.
The Twitter language also includes words and phrases transformed from English to take on new meaning in a social networking context. Tweeters, for example, are elite tweeters who often have hundreds of thousands of followers. Other examples include tweetaholic, tweavesdropping and dweeting. Twitter maintains a glossary of common terms on its website, and many other sites maintain their own dictionaries of the latest terms in the Twitter language.
