ARABIC LEXICAL CHANGE IN THE DIGITAL ERA: NEOLOGISMS, SEMANTIC SHIFTS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA ADAPTATION

Abstract

This study examines Arabic lexical change on social media, focusing on lexical innovation, linguistic adaptation, and the sociolinguistic practices that accompany the development of digital Arabic. The study employs a narrative literature review with a systematic search and screening procedure covering studies published between 2015 and 2025. Relevant literature was identified through academic databases using search terms related to Arabic lexical innovation, digital Arabic, neologisms, Arabish, and semantic shift. The selected literature was analyzed thematically to identify patterns of direct borrowing and Arabization, digital neologism formation, semantic change, and the use of Arabish and emerging digital varieties. The findings show that social media has accelerated the incorporation of foreign lexical items into Arabic through phonetic transliteration, semantic translation, and morphological adaptation. At the same time, Arabic speakers have developed neologisms such as منشور (manshūr), متابع  (mutābiʿ), and تغريدة  (taghrīdah) to express emerging digital practices. Existing Arabic words may also acquire new meanings in digital contexts, while Arabish, characterized using Latin letters and numerical representations, reflects patterns of digital communication and identity. Overall, Arabic demonstrates substantial lexical adaptability while maintaining an ongoing tension between standard Arabic norms, colloquial usage, and global digital communication.