Browsing by Subject "Questioning language choice"

This MA-thesis explores the phenomenon of questioning language choice on TikTok’s FIN/ENG multilingual content. Traditionally monolingualism has been viewed as the standard and while attitudes towards multilingualism have become much more accepting and appreciative, the negative stigma attached to e.g., code-switching can still today result in surprisingly strong reactions towards the mixing of languages. Yet, as a result of globalization and the increasingly central role information technology plays in modern-day communication, features of multilingual speech have become somewhat common in every-day interactions. While studies dedicated to investigating the various aspects of multilingualism already exist in the field of computer mediated communication, the ‘in flux’ nature and constant development of new social media platforms creates demand for further examination of the subject. The content catering, algorithm driven, social media platform of TikTok has gained considerable global popularity in the recent years, yet little to no research on its linguistic content exists. Thus, this thesis seeks to begin addressing this research gap by answering the following research questions: (1) What kind of comments are used in questioning language choice on TikTok’s multilingual content? (2) What kind of…(A) categorizable patterns emerge from comments that question language choice on TikTok’s multilingual content? (B) impoliteness features are used in comments that question language choice on TikTok’s multilingual content? (3) Can the act of questioning language choice be considered as negatively marked online behavior? To explore these questions, the data for this study—TikTok comments that exhibit the function of questioning language choice in response to FIN/ENG code-switching—were manually gathered from TikTok by using the platform internal search function and by engaging with all content associated with FIN/ENG multilingual speech. This resulted in 75 comments which were subsequentially anonymized and transcribed. Qualitative close analysis was carefully performed on the transcribed comments in search for emergent patterns and features across the data. Additionally, the data was also combed for instances of face threatening acts (Brown and Levinson 1987) and impoliteness strategies (Culpeper 1996) and compared to the key elements found in negatively marked online behavior. The findings of this study indicate that comments questioning language choice on TikTok’s multilingual content are above all multifunctional. Patterns of emergent features reveal that the comments are often delivered through acts that are face threatening and deploy a variety of impoliteness strategies that either limit the multilinguals’ independence or meet them with rejection, thus qualifying as negatively marked online behavior. Reoccurring themes in the data tap into identity and revolve around evoking shame, addressing nation(ality), claiming discomfort, pejorative use of ‘finglish’, questioning functionality, and inviting other users to observe the multilinguals’ language use in response to their code-switching. Though these findings are not directly generalizable to all online questioning of language choice, they do provide a comprehensive dissection of the act of questioning language choice in response to FIN/ENG multilingual speech exhibited on the little studied platform of TikTok. This thesis proposes that more research into the platform specific intricacies of TikTok is necessary, especially to understand the impact of its algorithmic agency in community grouping, identity construction, and mediating of online communication.