Understanding Language Evolution, Social Media, and Journalistic Forms

Semantic Change of Words

Words change their significado (meaning) over time. There are words that embody new meanings or lose meaning, virtually disappearing (e.g., farrier ["vet"] or alfayate ["tailor"]).

Causes of Semantic Change

Linguistic Causes

Sometimes, semantic change occurs by ellipsis, i.e., the omission of a term which transfers its significado to another. Other times, it is caused by the substitution of some words by others due to the use of metonymy.

Historical Causes

These changes are caused by various reasons: political, social, or cultural transformations; the evolution of science; the emergence of new realities; and so on.

Social Causes

These are, for example, those motivated by social class prejudice or when certain words, being deemed inappropriate (taboo words), are replaced by others (euphemisms).

Social Media: Definition and Functions

Social media unveils information and opinions to a large number of people at the same time, utilizing technologies that make it possible.

Functions of Social Media

• Information: News, features, documentaries, and interviews.
• Entertainment: Series, soap operas, movies, or sports contests.
• Formation: Transmitting knowledge and opinion through symposia, gatherings, debates, and testimonies from politicians, intellectuals, artists, or everyday people.

Journalistic Genres: Information & Opinion

Journalistic genres are the different ways the press conveys information and opinion.

Informative Journalistic Genres

These include facts that have occurred: news, reportage, interviews, and chronicles.

Opinion-Based Journalistic Genres

These express the commentary, interpretation, and perspective of the journalist or writer on current events. The main ways the press adopts for expressing opinions are varied:

Editorial

A short text that reflects the ideological line of the newspaper on a current topic. The writing is direct and usually follows a structure of title, expression, and closing.

Column

Written by prestigious writers, it is usually a fixed section, and its authors are regular contributors. It represents the opinions and viewpoints of the person who signs it. Features include:

• Varied content.
• Utilizes colloquial expressions alongside a learned vocabulary, literary, and socio-cultural references.

Critique

Analyzes a work of art or culture, offering praise or censure. It must incorporate solid data and arguments without falling into encyclopedism.

Occasional Collaborations

Written by prestigious individuals whose opinions may sometimes go against the newspaper's ideological line. The author is responsible for their content. They use a cultivated register and provide elaborate, documented information and reviews.

Letters to the Editor

A fixed section where readers express their opinion on various subjects, generally related to news published in the newspaper. They often use colloquial language, are spontaneous, and written in the first person.

Digital Forums

Online platforms where readers post comments and opinions about published news items or topics suggested by the newspaper.