Linguistic Inflation

—Study on Phenomena, Causes, and Effects from a Sociolinguistic Per-spective

Abstract

"Linguistic inflation" refers to the "devaluation" caused by the mismatch between linguistic form and meaning, representing a new trend in sociolinguistic research. Through quantitative analy-sis of data from mainstream domestic online platforms, this study reveals manifestations of lin-guistic inflation at lexical, syntactic, and symbolic levels, summarized as the generalization of in-timate terms, excessive stacking of modal particles, and the widespread use of emojis. The re-search finds that this phenomenon arises from the combined effects of social structure, psycho-logical needs, technological development, and linguistic dynamism. While it enhances emotional expression, it also leads to issues such as informational ambiguity and superficial social interac-tions. To address these challenges, strategies such as strengthening linguistic norms, promoting diversity, and regulating the online environment are proposed. The study aims to provide theo-retical support for the healthy development of language and to advance the depth of sociolin-guistic research.