Language Online: Investigating Digital Texts and Practices

In Language Online, David Barton and Carmen Lee explore the evolving landscape of digital communication. This extensively updated second edition reflects the latest research and developments, addressing key contemporary issues such as online aggression, digital activism, and the growing impact of AI on human communication. It also examines how digital communication has shaped and been shaped by global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and incorporates multimodal discourse.

With case studies from diverse geographical contexts, languages, and platforms, the book illustrates how digital language practices vary across cultures. This edition places greater emphasis on the intersection between online and offline communication, highlighting how digital interactions are deeply integrated into everyday life.

Written in a clear and accessible style, Language Online balances theory with practical analysis, providing valuable insights into the relationship between language and digital technologies. Complete with discussion topics and real-world examples, this is an essential read for students and scholars of new media, literacy, and multimodality in language and linguistics.

David Barton was Emeritus Professor in the Department of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University, UK. He is co-author of Academics Writing: The Dynamics of Knowledge Creation (2019) and Researching Language and Social Media (2022).

Carmen Lee is Professor in the Department of English at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is the author of Multilingualism Online (2017) and co-author of Researching Language and Social Media (2022).