International Journal of Philology

Features of language functioning and communication in social networks

Svitlana Heyko, Olena Lauta
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Abstract

The article analysed the features of communication in social networks, as well as the essential characteristics and existing classifications of hate speech and support speech. The need for a deeper understanding of these phenomena is due to their impact on society, communication norms and the need to develop effective mechanisms for countering aggression in the network. The purpose of the study was to identify, analyse and systematise communicative strategies for expressing hate speech and support in social networks. The methodology included content analysis of texts, structural and semantic modelling and sociolinguistic observation. The results of the study showed that the language of social networks is a hybrid, which is characterised by informality and brevity such as simple sentences, agrammatisms, abbreviations; multimodality such as the use of emojis, memes, images; hypertextuality and compression such as use of hashtags, links; impact of technical limitations: character limits stimulate creativity; adaptation to censorship: modification of words to bypass moderation algorithms. Hate speech is implemented through strategies of sarcasm, manipulation, the opposition “friend-stranger” and the use of modified vocabulary to bypass censorship. Supportive speech is mainly expressed through strategies of emotional support, informational assistance and the use of verbal and nonverbal markers (likes, retweets, hashtags). The interaction of polar discourses of hostility and support in the digital environment reflects the adaptation of communicative practices to the conditions of online communication and moderation algorithms. The study found that these discourses often exist in parallel spaces (for example, in replies to the same tweet). A common strategy for both is the use of the opposition "friend-stranger". Supportive speech often arises as a reaction to hate speech, forming a mechanism of collective resistance

Keywords

hate speech; supportive speech; Internet; online interaction; networking platforms; discourse strategies

Suggested citation
Heyko, S., & Lauta, O. (2025). Features of language functioning and communication in social networks. International Journal of Philology, 16(3), 61-73. https://doi.org/10.31548/philolog/3.2025.61
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