REGISTER ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL MEDIA LANGUAGE AND ACADEMIC WRITING: A COMPARATIVE APPROACH

Abstract

Language users, in our contemporary world, fail to put into cognisance the distinctive linguistic features that characterise each communicative event, often blurring the lines between situational contexts. This is partly owing to exposure to diverse language varieties and the prevalence of digital communication such as texting, and social media. This study undertakes a comparative register analysis of language use on social media platforms and in academic writing, with a view to examining the idiosyncratic features of each of these genres of writings which will enable language users adapt linguistic features to suit these disparate contexts. Using Biber and Conrad’s (2009) analytical framework, the study focuses on aspects such as vocabulary, syntax, and tone, seeking to identify patterns of language use that are unique to each register or shared across contexts. Findings reveal that while the distributions of prepositions and conjunctions are almost similar in both the registers of academic writing and social media messages, the register of social media messages makes use of linguistic features such as pronouns, verbs and adverbs more than the register of academic writing, thereby disclosing that the conversational properties of informal tone, personalisation, action-dependence and emphasis are more prominent in social media language. By exploring the intersections and divergences between social media language and academic writing, this research aims to inform strategies for adapting language to context, ultimately enhancing clarity, coherence, and overall effectiveness of communication.