Semiotic Analysis of Internet Buzzwords (2022-2025)

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the post-pandemic era featuring the release of social emotions, the penetration of short-video platforms, and the dominance of online discourse by Generation Z from 2022 to 2025, Internet buzzwords have exhibited distinctive characteristics in production and dissemination. Taking Peirce’s triadic sign theory as the core analytical framework, this paper conducts a systematic semiotic study of Internet buzzwords in this period. According to the nature of the relationship between signs and their objects, Internet buzzwords are classified into three categories: iconic signs, indexical signs, and symbolic signs, with a detailed analysis of the transformation and blending among these three types. On this basis, this paper dissects the semiotic functions of Internet buzzwords from three dimensions: emotional expression, social reflection, and identity construction. It finds that Internet buzzwords transform individual private emotions into public signs, serving as a “pressure valve” for social emotions; they complete a leap from direct objects to dynamic objects, acting as a “barometer” reflecting social reality; relying on the communal sharing and differentiation of interpretants, they become an “identity card” for young people to construct identity and demarcate group boundaries. This study reveals the inherent semiotic logic and cultural connotations of Internet buzzwords in this period, expands the application of semiotic theory in the field of online popular culture, and also provides a semiotic tool for public opinion analysis, understanding contemporary social mentality and youth culture.