An Analysis of Speech Acts in Digital Communication: A Study of the Footy Meme posting Facebook Group
Keywords:
speech acts, pragmatics, Facebook, memes, digital communicationAbstract
This study explores how language is used in digital communication, particularly in meme-based interactions on social media. In recent years, platforms such as Facebook have become spaces where users express opinions, emotions, and reactions in a fast and informal way. However, the communicative functions behind these comments are not always clearly understood. Based on this issue, the study aims to identify the types of speech acts used in comments within the Footy Memeposting Facebook group and to determine which type appears most frequently. This research applies a quantitative descriptive method. The data were collected from selected posts and the comments were classified based on the speech act theory proposed by John Searle, including assertive, directive, expressive, commissive, and declarative. The findings reveal that assertive speech acts were the most dominant because users frequently stated opinions, defended arguments, compared players, and provided claims supported by statistics or personal views. Expressive speech acts also appeared frequently through sarcasm, mockery, praise, laughter, and emotional reactions. Directive speech acts were found in the form of questions, challenges, and requests for clarification. Meanwhile, commissive and declarative speech acts appeared less frequently, suggesting that meme-based communication rarely involves commitments or institutional language use. Overall, this study highlights that digital meme interaction is largely opinion-driven and interactional in nature, reflecting authentic language practices in online communities.
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