Chatspeak: Where History Meets Social Media
Olivia Brodbar
Throughout the last two decades, the rise of social media and normalization of constant technology in one’s life has had major effects on everyday linguistic patterns and vocabulary. Many people view this as a decline in language or a step back in intellectual progression, when in reality the metamorphosis of language has been happening for thousands of years. Chatspeak is a multiplayer card game based around the juxtaposition between historical references and topics to contemporary language popularized through various technology and social media.
Chatspeak takes these phrases, terms, and visuals and creates a connection between the current and the past. This idea is integrated into the design of the game by modernizing the classical style of playing cards, emulating the illustrative pattern work in a contemporary way and using both serif and san serif typefaces to create texture. The goal of the game is not to criticize or condemn the use of this language or its blatant popularity and integration into society, but rather to embrace it and blend it with historical contexts in order to create both a humorous and educational experience for the players. Chatspeak is designed to work conveniently within various social situations by being portable, and is intended for an array of audiences. Ideally, a round would include a diverse group of players, further fostering the intended unity of education and fun that Chatspeak aims to offer.