INSTAGRAM
ABOUT
ABOUT
2025
18-25 JUNE
Linguistic Inflation
(Wang, Cheng and Hun, 2025)
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
With the rise of the Internet and countless buzzwords, people increasingly use simpler, exaggerated expressions of emotion or politeness. Over time, this widespread usage weakens the emotional impact of these words. What once conveyed genuine affection now feels generic and lacks depth.
This phenomenon, known as "linguistic inflation," mirrors monetary inflation in economics which means words lose their value, and our expressions become less meaningful, even if they seem more familiar. As old words fade and new ones emerge, language grows more casual but less impactful.
This film is produced as part of Experimental Cinema Module.
SYNOPSIS
Today, many people are choosing simpler, exaggerated terms for expressing emotions or politeness to communicate quickly. This widespread use gradually reduces the emotional intensity of these words. What once conveyed genuine affection now serves as a generic greeting, lacking the impact it once had. This generalization in language leads to a kind of “linguistic inflation,” where emotional expressions become increasingly lightweight. As words lose their value, our expressions become less meaningful, even if they seem more familiar. While this may create a sense of closeness, it can also make our emotions feel hollow and hinder genuine connections.