The Lexicon of Campus Life: A Study of Acronyms and Abbreviations Use in Social Media Texting Among Jordanian Students at Jadara University

Authors

  • Nashat Alshaboul

    Department of English Language and Literature/ Translation, School of Arts and Languages,Jadara University, Irbid  21110, Jordan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i8.10350
Received: 4 June 2025 | Revised: 26 June 2025 | Accepted: 3 July 2025 | Published Online: 29 July 2025

Abstract

Digital communication has fundamentally reshaped the linguistic habits of young adults, particularly university students who engage extensively with social media platforms. Within this context, the use of acronyms and abbreviations has emerged as a defining characteristic of online discourse, serving not only communicative efficiency but also socio-cultural functions. This study aims to investigate the types, frequency, motivations, and communicative implications of abbreviation use among undergraduate students at Jadara University in Jordan. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combined data from a structured online survey completed by 200 students with qualitative content analysis of text message samples provided by 50 participants. The survey collected demographic details, social media usage patterns, and self-reported attitudes toward abbreviation use, while the content analysis examined the real-life deployment of these linguistic forms in digital contexts. Findings revealed a high prevalence of abbreviation use across platforms, particularly on WhatsApp and Snapchat, with "LOL," "BRB," and course-related codes like "MKT101" being the most common. Motivations included efficiency, informality, identity expression, and trend-following. Qualitative data underscored the contextual fluidity and occasional ambiguity in abbreviation use, while also reflecting creativity and social bonding. These results highlight the dynamic interplay between digital communication, language economy, and identity construction. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of youth sociolinguistics and digital literacy in Arabic-English bilingual settings, with implications for educators, linguists, and communication practitioners.  

Keywords:

Acronyms; Abbreviations; Social Media; Digital Communication; Language Evolution; Sociolinguistics

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How to Cite

Alshaboul, N. (2025). The Lexicon of Campus Life: A Study of Acronyms and Abbreviations Use in Social Media Texting Among Jordanian Students at Jadara University. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(8), 206–216. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i8.10350

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 8 (August 2025)

Article Type

Article

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Copyright © 2025 Nashat Alshaboul

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.