Examining Gender Differences in Social Media Language
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Abstract
This study investigates how gender influences pragmatic language use across three major social media platforms: Twitter, Reddit, and WhatsApp. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach combining discourse analysis and frequency-based coding, the research examines the use of hedges, boosters, apologies, emojis, and mitigation strategies by male and female users. Results reveal that gendered communication patterns persist online but vary significantly by platform and context. Women used more affiliative and indirect forms, such as hedging and visual softeners, especially in private and semi-private conversations. Men showed greater reliance on directness and assertiveness, particularly in anonymous or debate-oriented environments. However, users of both genders demonstrated flexibility, shifting styles depending on audience and interactional goals. These findings contribute to current discussions on digital pragmatics, offering nuanced insights into how gendered identities are linguistically negotiated in technologically mediated settings.
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