“A linguist explores how the internet is redefining our vocabulary. No cap—this bruh slaps and slays.” - Adam Grant, author of Think Again

“Incisive and funny, this is a page turner from start to finish. Algospeak is a must read for anyone seeking to understand how we communicate today.” - Taylor Lorenz, author of Extremely Online

“Packed with fascinating facts, of-the-moment observations and a sparkling voice, Algospeak is a gift to any language nerd.” - Amanda Montell, author of The Age of Magical Overthinking and Cultish

From the rise of leetspeak and words such as “unalive” to the trend of adding “-core” to different influencer aesthetics, the internet has brought about an unprecedented linguistic upheaval. We are entering an entirely new era of etymology, driven by the invisible forces behind social media algorithms. And with over 7 billion internet users uploading more than 2.5 quintillion bytes of media every day, the volume of potential new words is astonishing.

In Algospeak, online etymologist Adam Aleksic sheds light on the origins of words we don’t realize come from unexpected sources – from incel culture, from users trying to bypass content moderation algorithms, from marketing language invading our personal lives. New slang emerges and becomes viral overnight. Accents are shaped or erased on YouTube. Grammatical rules, loopholes, and patterns surface and transform our interactions, social norms, and habits.

An energetic, astonishing journey into language and the internet, Algospeak reveals the larger social story of how language influences us, just as much as we influence it.

Pages: 256, Dimensions: 16.1x16.1cm