What is Atwitter?
Atwitter, as a term, can have several meanings depending on the context in which it is used. In general, ‘atwitter’ refers to a state of excitement or nervous anticipation, often associated with social media platforms such as Twitter. It implies being in a state of heightened awareness or attention, eagerly awaiting news, updates, or responses.
Origins of Atwitter
The term ‘atwitter’ derives from the combination of ‘a-‘ meaning ‘in a state of’ or ‘to be in’, and ‘twitter’ which refers to the social media platform. Therefore, being ‘atwitter’ can mean to be in a state characterized by Twitter, such as being actively engaged or connected to the platform.
Examples of Atwitter
1. Fans of a celebrity might be atwitter waiting for their latest tweet or announcement.
2. Investors could be atwitter before a major earnings report that could impact stock prices.
3. News organizations may be atwitter covering a breaking news story in real-time on Twitter.
Case Studies
One notable case of people being atwitter was during the 2016 US presidential election. Millions of users were constantly refreshing their Twitter feeds for the latest updates, causing the term ‘atwitter’ to trend on the platform.
Statistics on Atwitter
According to a study by Pew Research Center, Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms for news consumption, with 59% of users getting news from the site. This contributes to the constant state of being ‘atwitter’ among users eager for the latest information.
