Social networks such as mxit, facebook, twitter and wattsup are communication networks that are internationally based and unify people from different backgrounds and regions of the world. It has become popular amongst the youth of today and infact some elders as well.
These networks have developed and evolved into formidable ways of communication of the 21st century. They develop and change along with the use of technology and the rapid development of technology. For example when mxit started off it merely was basic interaction with people who invite you or are invited to speak to you and could not share videos and pictures, but now you can, along with many other features. The frequent usage of these social networks has developed a “new” language, as well as new ways of using language: a different style towards the already existing types of language. This consists of words, which have been shortened so as to minimize time and space as a means to cope with the demands of these applications. For example, a word such as “LOL” which is most popular amongst these social networks is short for “Laugh out Loud”. These have implications for language use and ultimately the practice of multilingualism in the South African context, where now it is not only about competing languages (that is the 11 official languages) but also about the emergence of ‘new varieties’ within these competing languages. The emergence carries implication for educators because pupils in school are prone to use these varieties in academic work. The use of proper grammar might be at risk, which will lead the next generation of youth to have a poor quality writing style.
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