Veebikeelel

Veebikeelel (web language) refers to the language style used in online communication. It describes the register and norms of Estonian as used on the internet, including social media, forums, chat apps, and blogs. As a sociolinguistic phenomenon, veebikeelel reflects how written Estonian adapts to rapid production, informal interaction, multilingual input, and multimodal communication such as emojis and memes.

Core features include orthographic simplifications and abbreviations, code-switching with English, loanwords, and a tendency toward informal punctuation and capitalization. Spelling often mirrors pronunciation or speed of typing, and expressions, hashtags, and emoticons function as meaning-bearing signals. The style is platform dependent: microtext on social feeds, longer conversational forms in forums, and quick replies in messaging apps.

Veebikeelel varies by user age, education, region, and social context, with younger speakers typically using more slang and emojis. It can influence informal Estonian and, in some cases, adjacent spelling and syntax norms, though it remains distinct from formal standard Estonian. Researchers study its emergence, diffusion, and effects on literacy, language policy, and digital identity, while platform design and moderation shape what is considered acceptable online language.