Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

225. Speaking Fluent Internet: How Algorithms Are Changing the Way We Speak

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Aug 26, 2025

Adam Aleksic, a linguist and the mind behind The Etymology Nerd, delves into the influence of algorithms on our communication styles. He highlights how social media alters language, creating new contexts that demand adaptive speech. The conversation reveals the evolution of words like 'like' and emphasizes the importance of understanding medium-specific grammar. Aleksic also discusses strategies for engaging communication, showcasing how awareness of our digital environment can enhance our connection with diverse audiences.

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INSIGHT

Algorithms Create New Cultural Labels

Algorithms function as a new communication medium that shapes which words and labels become real.
Platform labels change identities and creative production by making new categories like 'hyperpop' or 'cottagecore'.

ANECDOTE

Creators Invent 'Unalive' To Evade Censorship

Creators avoid censorship by altering words like 'unalive' instead of 'kill' to prevent suppression.
This practice even affects school essays where students use platform-derived phrasing.

INSIGHT

We Speak For People And Algorithms

Speakers perform for multiple audiences: the immediate person, an imagined wider audience, and the algorithmic infrastructure.
This 'audience design' shapes accents, tone, and word choices across media.

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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
(02:34) - Language, Labels, & Identity
(04:53) - What Is Algospeak?
(05:59) - Generational Language Gaps
(08:16) - Communicating for Multiple Mediums
(10:58) - Mastering Virality & Engagement
(12:25) - Semiotics & Going Viral
(14:11) - The Evolution of “Like”
(15:22) - Hedging, Ambiguity, & Power Dynamics
(18:00) - Actionable Takeaways on Communication
(19:11) - Grammar: Rules, Context, & Changing Norms
(21:14) - The Final Three Questions
(25:54) - Conclusion

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