One might argue that this is a feature of many languages and to an extent, that's true. But, English is a bit different due to its history as a language that has often gone through permutations among professional circles as well as regional circles and class circles, on such an international scale

So, what -- you're saying I guess that it's now evolving in internet circles as just another facet of the language? Fair enough, but what I was talking about, and sadly everyone who has replied to me has been niggling, was that the way people type and talk on the internet has been leaking into speech (so out of 'internet circles') for about 10-15 years now. People use memes in conversation, people use phrases popularized on the internet within the last decade in normal conversation without a trace of irony. Mostly as shortcuts, or internal references with loaded meaning. I'm not a linguist unfortunately, but I'm pretty sure the speed of this, absent an obvious external source, is relatively unprecedented. Shakespeare's time was one of paramount upheaval for the English language and it still wouldn't have approached this scale at all -- surely.

So that's my reply to everyone in the thread. Cheers.