SPEECH ACTS IN WHATSAPP CHATS: A CORPUS PRAGMATICS APPROACH USING ANTCONC

Abstract

The increasing reliance on instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp has introduced new paradigms of communication, particularly among university students. This study investigates the realization of speech acts—such as requests, apologies, thanks, and opinions—in WhatsApp chats, using a corpus pragmatics approach. A medium-sized corpus comprising more than 12,000 words was developed using real-life university student conversations. AntConc software was employed to analyze the patterns and frequencies of speech acts within the digital dialogues. The results demonstrate a strong adherence to politeness principles, frequent use of informal markers, and high pragmatic sensitivity, even in brief or emoji-rich messages. This research reaffirms that digital platforms are not merely informal or superficial but are meaningful spaces of structured, socially aware communication