LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 26:4 April 2026
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Selvi M. Bunce, M.A., Ed.D.
         Nathan Mulder Bunce, M.A., Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Honorary Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

Celebrate India!
Unity in Diversity!!

HOME PAGE

Click Here for Back Issues of Language in India - From 2001

Poetic Encounter
Available in https://www.amazon.in/dp/B09TT86S4T

Poems
Naked: the honest musings of two brown women
Available in https://www.amazon.in

Decrees
Available in https://www.amazon.com

BOOKS FOR YOU TO READ AND DOWNLOAD FREE!

REFERENCE MATERIALS

BACK ISSUES

  • E-mail your articles and book-length reports in Microsoft Word to languageinindiaUSA@gmail.com.

  • PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES GIVEN IN HOME PAGE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LIST OF CONTENTS.

  • Your articles and book-length reports should be written following the APA, MLA, LSA, or IJDL Stylesheet.

  • The Editorial Board has the right to accept, reject, or suggest modifications to the articles submitted for publication, and to make suitable stylistic adjustments. High quality, academic integrity, ethics and morals are expected from the authors and discussants.

Copyright © 2025
M. S. Thirumalai

Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
11249 Oregon Circle
Bloomington, MN 55438
USA
Custom Search

A Sociolinguistic Study of Acronym Usage Across Generations: Identity, Efficiency, and Register Negotiation

Varshitha R. S. and
Dr. Sreejana S.

Abstract

Acronyms have become increasingly prominent in digital, academic, and professional communication. While often associated with technological convenience, their usage reflects broader sociolinguistic patterns across generations. This study examines acronym usage as a marker of generational identity, communicative efficiency, and register negotiation. Rather than interpreting generational differences as linguistic decline, the paper argues that acronym use represents structured adaptation shaped by context, audience, and communicative purpose.
Drawing on sociolinguistic and register-based frameworks, the analysis explores how acronyms function differently in formal and informal settings. Generational variation is understood as a process of identity positioning and contextual adjustment rather than fragmentation. Particular attention is given to multilingual Indian contexts, where acronyms intersect with code-mixing practices and hierarchical communication norms.
The study suggests that acronyms serve not only as tools of brevity but also as instruments of social alignment and boundary marking. By situating acronym usage within identity and register theory, this paper contributes to discussions on intergenerational communication and contemporary discourse practices.

Keywords: acronym, sociolinguistic pattern, identity, communication

Introduction

Acronyms have become a central feature of contemporary communication across digital platforms, academic environments, and professional spaces. Although abbreviation has long existed in written discourse, the visibility and frequency of acronym usage have significantly increased in recent decades. Expressions such as “FYI,” “ASAP,” “LOL,” and “FAQ” now function not only as tools of brevity but also as markers of communicative style and generational affiliation.

Generational differences in acronym usage are often discussed in popular discourse, where younger cohorts are portrayed as heavily reliant on abbreviated digital language, while older generations are viewed as more aligned with conventional or formal expression. However, such interpretations oversimplify the sociolinguistic dynamics underlying acronym use. Rather than representing linguistic decline or fragmentation, generational variation may reflect adaptive strategies shaped by communicative efficiency, audience awareness, and identity positioning.

In professional and institutional settings, acronym usage becomes particularly significant. The choice to use or avoid abbreviations often depends on context, hierarchy, and expectations of formality. Acronyms may signal familiarity and alignment within peer groups, yet appear inappropriate or ambiguous in formal communication. Thus, acronym usage involves ongoing negotiation between efficiency and clarity, informality and institutional authority.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Varshitha R. S.
I Year CSE Student
Kumaraguru College of Technology
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
subashini.25cs@kct.ac.in
&
Dr. Sreejana S.
Assistant Professor and Head
Department of Languages and Communication
Kumaraguru College of Technology
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
sreejana.s.sci@kct.ac.in

Custom Search
  • Click Here to Go to Creative Writing Section

  • Send your articles
    as an attachment
    to your e-mail to
    languageinindiaUSA@gmail.com.
  • Please ensure that your name, academic degrees, institutional affiliation and institutional address, and your e-mail address are all given in the first page of your article. Also include a declaration that your article or work submitted for publication in LANGUAGE IN INDIA is an original work by you and that you have duly acknowledged the work or works of others you used in writing your articles, etc. Remember that by maintaining academic integrity we not only do the right thing but also help the growth, development and recognition of Indian/South Asian scholarship.