CONSTRUCTING IDENTITY IN DIGITAL DISCOURSE: THE ROLE OF CODE-SWITCHING AND EVALUATIVE LANGUAGE IN INTERACTION ON X

Authors

  • Aisha Saleem (Corresponding Author) Assistant Professor, Faculty of Languages and Literature, University of Central Punjab, Lahore Author
  • Maryam Javaid Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Languages and Literature, University of Central Punjab, Lahore Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63878/jalt2109

Keywords:

Identity construction; Computer-mediated communication; Code-switching; Evaluative language; Slang.

Abstract

This study examines how identity is constructed and negotiated in digital discourse through slang, code-switching, and evaluative language on X (formerly Twitter). Grounded in Voloshinov's (1986) concept of evaluative accentuation and in Bucholtz and Hall's (2005) sociocultural approach to identity, the study adopts a qualitative discourse-analytic framework. A purposive sample of 50 posts (5,750 words) and their associated comment threads was collected across diverse thematic contexts, with 35 posts selected for in-depth analysis. The findings reveal that linguistic and paralinguistic resources, including hybrid language use, emojis, humour, and sarcasm, function as strategic semiotic tools for expressing stance, negotiating social relations, and performing identity. Code-switching constructs hybrid identities, while slang and evaluative expressions signal alignment and group belonging. Importantly, comment interactions demonstrate that identity is co-constructed through dialogic engagement. Future research should further explore larger datasets, cross-platform comparisons, and multimodal features to examine identity construction in diverse digital contexts.

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Published

2026-04-28

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 2 (2026): Journal of Applied Linguistics and TESOL (JALT)

Section

ENGLISH

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