Because Internet

Author Gretchen McCulloch
Narrator Gretchen McCulloch
Publisher Random House
Run Time 8 hours and 1 minute
Format Audio
Genre Computing and Information Technology, Gift books, Grammar, syntax and morphology, Humour, Impact of science and technology on society, Linguistics, Science: general issues, Social media / social networking, Technology: general issues, Usage and grammar guides.

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE ACCLAIMED NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER.

Because Internet is for anyone who's ever puzzled over how to punctuate a text message or wondered where memes come from. It's the perfect book for understanding how the internet is changing the English language, why that's a good thing, and what our online interactions reveal about who we are.

Language is humanity's most spectacular open-source project, and the internet is making our language change faster and in more interesting ways than ever before. Internet conversations are structured by the shape of our apps and platforms, from the grammar of status updates to the protocols of comments and @replies. Linguistically inventive online communities spread new slang and jargon with dizzying speed. What's more, social media is a vast laboratory of unedited, unfiltered words where we can watch language evolve in real time.

Even the most absurd-looking slang has genuine patterns behind it. Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch explores the deep forces that shape human language and influence the way we communicate with one another. She explains how your first social internet experience influences whether you prefer 'LOL' or 'lol', why ~sparkly tildes~ succeeded where centuries of proposals for irony punctuation had failed, what emoji have in common with physical gestures, and how the artfully disarrayed language of animal memes like lolcats and doggo made them more likely to spread.

'McCulloch is such a disarming writer - lucid, friendly, unequivocally excited about her subject - that I began to marvel at the flexibility of the online language she describes, with its numerous shades of subtlety.' New York Times

(c) Gretchen McCullock 2019 (P) Penguin Random House LLC 2019

Critics Review

Because Internet…illustrates how many of us feel about English in the online age… It is hard not to be moved by her McCulloch is an engaging writer who clearly adores her subject

Sunday Times

Covers the backstory of how tildes became the punctuation mark for ~whimsy and sarcasm~…and when we started repeating certainnnnn lettersssssssss for emphasis

Buzzfeed

A fascinating analysis

Observer

McCulloch offers a compelling snapshot of a world in flux, from which readers will learn a lot about language, the internet and themselves

Financial Times

In prose at once scholarly and user-friendly, McCulloch unpacks the evolution of language in the digital age, providing a comprehensive survey of everything from the secret language of emojis to the appeal of animal memes.

Esquire

McCulloch is such a disarming writer – lucid, friendly, unequivocally excited about her subject

New York Times

Rather than obsessing about what the internet is doing to language, [Because Internet] largely focuses on what can be learned about language from the internet. . . . McCulloch’s book is about the birth of a new medium.

Economist

McCulloch’s book is a good start in guiding readers to consider the wild language of the internet as a thing of wonder—a valuable feature, not a bug.

Wall Street Journal

An effervescent study of how the digital world is transfiguring English

The New Yorker

A compelling narrative rich with examples from her own online activities, a healthy dose of humor, and plenty of cat memes… the breadth of topics covered—from conversation analysis to meme culture to the development of texting as we now know it—makes this book useful, engaging, and enjoyable.

Science

About xigxag

Enjoy the best audiobooks on xigxag, an innovative, user-friendly audiobook platform that makes it easy to find, purchase, and enjoy your favorite books in audio format. xigxag’s flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less – affordable prices and the best audiobook deals with no subscription required. Give the perfect gift with our audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

xigxag’s commitment to sustainability and ethical practices ensures a guilt-free listening experience from an exceptional digital book platform – an exciting alternative to big tech. Enjoy audiobooks from the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service and a leader in audiobook innovation.

Search effortlessly, read honest audiobook reviews evaluating both the book and the narration, and discover hidden gems. Download or stream top audiobook titles anytime, anywhere and get the best possible listening experience on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Experience the future of audiobooks today.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up to get tailored content recommendations, product updates and info on new releases. Your data is your own: we commit to protect your data and respect your privacy.

Find your favourite titles