In the digital age, it’s critical to craft communication that fits the context.

Like it or not, algorithms now decide whose messages get heard. “If you want to communicate effectively,” says Adam Aleksic, “you need to be exactly aware of what that medium is doing.”

Aleksic is a linguist, author, and educational content creator with millions of followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. His latest book, Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language, explores how the platforms we use create new contexts that require new ways of communicating. “Every medium uniquely affects how we communicate, and we adapt our speech to these media,” he says. In the same way that we tailor communication for the contexts of the office, the gym, or the bar, digital platforms — and the algorithms that drive them — require the same contextualized communication. “You have to appeal to [the] algorithm,” he says.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Aleksic and host Matt Abrahams examine how words are born, change meaning, and spread in the digital age. Their conversation highlights practical ways to be more intentional with the words we choose by considering the medium, understanding the context, and adapting communication accordingly.

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:14) - Language, Labels, & Identity
(04:33) - What Is Algospeak?
(05:39) - Generational Language Gaps
(07:56) - Communicating for Multiple Mediums
(10:38) - Mastering Virality & Engagement
(12:05) - Semiotics & Going Viral
(13:51) - The Evolution of “Like”
(15:02) - Hedging, Ambiguity, & Power Dynamics
(17:40) - Actionable Takeaways on Communication
(18:51) - Grammar: Rules, Context, & Changing Norms
(20:54) - The Final Three Questions
(26:46) - Conclusion

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