Language change online #justkidding   
Minna Palander-Collin
University of Helsinki

In this talk I will first explore research on language change focusing on the impactof periods of extensive contact. Earlier research has highlighted periods ofupheavals as fertile ground for rapid language change as speakers come into contactwith a lot of people in weak-tie networks. Weak ties in general are important inlanguage change, and I will compare and contrast this type of physical contactbetween speakers with current online environments where English is used globally bynative and non-native speakers alike. It seems that online media such as Twitterbreed and spread linguistic innovations; as a case in point I will focus on thepragmatic marker #justkidding in online communication.