After conquering the Internet, cats are now taking on linguistics! Since the advent of social media, cats have become a topic central to online communication, and the multitude of cat-related accounts now online has made this a world-wide phenomenon. Through cat-inspired varieties of language, we have developed a genre of cat-inspired vocabulary. And on our special social media accounts for our cats, we take on their identities, as we post, write, talk, and chat - as our feline friends. This innovative book provides linguistic analyses of the cyber 'Cativerse', exploring online language variation, and explaining key linguistic concepts - all through the lens of cat-related communication. Each chapter explores a different sociolinguistic phenomena, drawing on fun and engaging examples including memes, hashtags, captions and 'LOLcats', from platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Innovative yet accessible, it is catnip for all 'hoomans' interested in how language is used online.

A fun entrance point to linguistics, this accessible book uses online cat discourse to introduce a wide range of concepts.

About the Author
Edith Podhovnik specialises in regional and online language variation and teaches in a media studies related degree programme in Austria. Proficient in several languages, she has taught in Austria, the UK, USA, and Russia, and is a member of ISLE and BAAL. She currently has two cats.


Book Information
ISBN 9781108825634
Author Edith Podhovnik
Format Paperback
Page Count 200
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 520g
Dimensions(mm) 228mm * 153mm * 19mm