Why does change happen?

Language is inherently dynamic and constantly evolving. Change occurs due to various social, cultural, geographic, and personal factors.
Technological progress is one of the primary drivers of language change. As new technologies emerge, they bring new words, phrases, and ways of communicating. With the advent of the internet and SMS, for instance, digital language phenomena like acronyms (LOL, BRB), initialisms (IMO, BTW), and emoji are being adopted into everyday language.
Demographic shifts and population movements result in language change. As people migrate and mix with other cultures, they influence and are influenced by the languages of those cultures. This interaction leads to the introduction of new words and phrases.
Social and cultural change, including new ideas, values, norms and societal structures, necessitate new means of expression, giving rise to language change. Any change in societal movements, politics, or phenomena can lead to language adaptation.
The influence of powerful groups or institutions can cause language change. Government, businesses, and the media can introduce new terms and phrases that become widely used.
Natural phonetic changes also contribute to language evolution. The sounds of words can change over time due to ease or speed of pronunciation. This leads to alterations in spelling and pronunciation.
Language change can occur to fill linguistic gaps, where existing words or phrases aren’t sufficient to express specific meanings. People creatively use language to fill these gaps, leading to new vocabulary or grammar structures in the language.
Changes in spelling over centuries reveal modifications in language. Dictionaries, grammar guides and other reference materials are constantly updating to reflect these changes.
Some changes occur simply due to language play and creativity. This type of change is evident in puns, rhymes, and neologisms (new words or phrases) and is often seen in advertising, arts, and literature.
The influence of other languages through borrowing is a significant source of language change. English, for instance, has borrowed thousands of words from different languages throughout its history.

In summary, language change is multifaceted and always ongoing, influenced by diverse global forces including technology, social change, population movement, and natural evolution. This understanding is key to the analysis of how and why language evolves over time.