Messaging Culture Transforms Communication: A New 'Digital Dialect' Emerges Among Youth

WISE NEWS PRESS / ISTANBUL, TURKEY — Nov. 12, 2025

Experts state that written messaging is overwhelmingly preferred over video and voice calls, especially among younger generations, not just for practical reasons but due to the profound sense of control it provides. The message offers a control space over both time and expression, allowing the individual to determine when to respond, what tone to use, and how explicit to be.

Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Öznur Karakaş Kırmızısakal of Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication's New Media and Communication (English) Department, assessed the evolving nature of communication language.

A New 'Digital Dialect' is Formed

Dr. Kırmızısakal noted that the concentration of written communication in digital environments has both simplified and accelerated the language. This speed has led to the widespread use of abbreviations, onomatopoeia, and hybrid languages.

"The fluid use of abbreviations like 'nbr' (ne haber/what's up), 'slm' (selam/hello), 'ok', or English words within Turkish sentences, indicates the formation of a new 'digital dialect,'" she said.

Messaging applications have transformed the nature of daily interaction by liberating communication from its temporal and spatial boundaries. Communication has moved from being an action tied to a specific time or place to a continuous but interrupted flow, giving rise to a culture of 'always being reachable' in both personal and public relationships.

Language Reunites with Gestures

The speed and informality of written communication have transformed language use. Dr. Kırmızısakal observes:

"It led to grammar, punctuation, and even word choice being redefined in more emotional, gestural, and visual forms. Emojis, GIFs, voice notes, or reaction buttons have partly taken the place of written words, creating a hybrid form where language reunites with gestures."

Messaging applications have also blurred the line between public and private spheres. Personal chats, professional correspondence, political debates, and emotional sharing are intertwined on the same interface, transforming the individual's self-representation and even their silence into a meaningful communicative gesture.

Written Messaging Clearly Dominant Among Youth

Research supports this trend. A 2011 US study found that 60% of university students preferred written messaging over calling. More recently, a 2020 study of undergraduate students in Pakistan found similar results, with 83% of communication within that group conducted via written messages.

Dr. Kırmızısakal emphasized: "The reason is not merely practicality, but the sense of control provided by written communication. The message offers control over both time and expression; the individual determines when to respond, what tone to use, and how explicit to be."

Written Communication: The Modern Human's Control Space

Written communication has become the format that responds to the modern human's need for both speed and control. Unlike face-to-face or voice conversations, which demand immediacy and openness, writing creates a distance between what is intended and what can be said. This distance functions as an emotional buffer or a protective boundary for the individual.

"The preference for writing is not merely convenience; it is also a way for the modern individual to preserve their privacy and emotional rhythm," Kırmızısakal stated.

Digital Gestures as a New Language of Emotion

The concept of "sincerity" is also shifting. Written messages, delayed responses, and even silences can become part of the emotional connection. Messaging grants the individual a space to regulate and express their own emotions, meaning the form of sincerity changes, but the essence does not entirely disappear.

Dr. Kırmızısakal concludes that emojis, GIFs, stickers, and voice notes can be read as the gestural language of the digital age. These tools embody the abstractness of writing, giving concrete visual and auditory forms to emotions. "The issue is not just the change in communication forms, but the transformation of the individual's experience of time, space, and selfhood."

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