PBS Idea Channel Explores Whether There Are Internet Dialects

PBS Idea Channel host Mike Rugnetta explores whether there are specific Internet dialects. Specifically, Rugnetta argues that certain shared social practices might in fact cause Internet dialects in places like Tumblr.

We consider ourselves natives of INTERNETLAND, which made us wonder if there’s such a thing as an internet dialect. Not pronunciation, per se (since we type in these here parts), but a common way of communicating through word choice, vocabulary, and how these words are arranged and used. So what is Standard Internet Speak? Acronyms, emoticons, and hashtags? Purposeful misspellings and abbreviations? IS IT EVEN A THING?!?!?