Millennials Talking Media

Book excerpt: Friends don't let friends skip leg day. You shall not pass! I'll be back. The way we read these lines-whether or not you picture Gandalf, hear the deep monotone of the Terminator, or smile--makes it clear that media consumption affects our everyday lives, language, and how we identify as part of a group. Millennials Talking Media examines how U.S. Millennial friends embed both old media (books, songs, movies, and TV shows) and new media (YouTube videos, videogames, and internet memes) in their everyday talk for particular interactional purposes. Sylvia Sierra presents case studies featuring the recorded talk of Millennial friends to demonstrate how and why these speakers make media references and use them to handle awkward moments and other interactional dilemmas. Sierra's analysis shows how such references contribute to epistemic management and frame shifts in conversation, which ultimately work together to construct a shared sense of Millennial identity. Building on contemporary work in media studies, Sierra weaves together the most current linguistic theories regarding knowledge, framing, and identity to create a book that will be of interest to Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Z alike.