Effects of Social Media Language on the Written English of Students: a Case Study of University of Calabar Students

AbstractThis study investigates the effects of social media language on the written English of students of the University of Calabar. With the rapid growth of social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram, language use among students has become increasingly informal, characterized by abbreviations, acronyms, slang, and other non-standard linguistic forms. The study was prompted by the observable influence of these social media expressions on students’ formal writing, including spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. The objectives of the study were to examine the level of students’ addiction to social media, determine how the use of social media language affects their written English, and identify the implications of these effects on academic performance. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study, and data were gathered through questionnaires administered to selected students of the University of Calabar. Findings revealed that excessive exposure to social media language negatively impacts students’ writing proficiency, leading to frequent use of informal abbreviations, poor grammar, and reduced adherence to standard writing conventions in academic work. The study concludes that while social media can enhance communication and access to information, its language practices can erode students’ competence in formal English writing if left unchecked. It therefore recommends that lecturers, parents, and educational institutions sensitize students on the appropriate contexts for language use and encourage greater emphasis on grammar and writing skills in academic settings.