It was Twitter, in fact, who invented the hashtag, a system of cross-linking topics with the use of the “#” symbol before a key term, such as #LosAngeles for all conversations concerning the city of angels, or #LeftShark when referencing the awkward costumed back-up dancer from Katy Perry’s Super Bowl performance who somehow captured the heart of America. Hashtags give our conversations context, measure the moment, and give individual tweeters the opportunity to gain notice on the main stage of public thought.
All that we know. But all rules for language shall be broken, amended, and given new purpose by human creativity. Sometimes hashtags add emphasis, or emotion. “Stuck in line at the DMV #OverIt.” Sometimes they convey a second meaning–playful irony, or self mockery. “Knitting a Tea Cozy #YOLO.”…
