Abstract:
This research deals with language usage patterns in X (Formerly Twitter)-based
role-playing communities, focusing on how role-players construct their linguistic
identities and adapt to platform-specific constraints. The problem in this research
arises from the lack of studies on how social media platforms influence linguistic
behavior in digital role-playing spaces. While previous research has explored
online identity construction, few have examined how role-players navigate
multilingual interactions and adapt to X’s (Formerly Twitter) limitations, such as
the 280-character limit and threaded conversations. The aim of this research is to
analyze language usage patterns in role-playing communities and investigate the
role of platform-specific features in shaping linguistic adaptation. The study was
conducted in the ssefnum (@munvess) X (Formerly Twitter) role-playing
community, with data collected over a one-month period (12 November 2024 – 12
December 2024). The source of data includes 1875 tweets and 15 participant
interviews. The techniques for collecting data involve corpus-based tweet analysis
and structured Google Forms interviews. The tweets were analyzed using
discourse analysis to identify recurring linguistic patterns, while interview
responses were categorized through thematic analysis to explore participant
motivations behind their language choices. The findings reveal that role-players
exhibit structured linguistic conventions, including code-switching, abbreviations,
and action markers to enhance engagement. 67% of participants engaged in
bilingual code-switching, alternating between English and Indonesian for
emphasis and immersion. Additionally, X (Formerly Twitter)’s constraints
influenced language adaptation, leading to the use of abbreviations, omitted
grammatical structures, and threaded storytelling. This study contributes to
sociolinguistics and digital communication by offering insights into how online
communities develop linguistic norms and adapt to technological limitations.
