The New Literacy studies on Twitter: Online Self-Representation and Intertextuality

ABSTRACT

Living in a globalized and globalizing era inevitably leads people to engage in virtual worlds which manifests to the online identity. This study emphasizes on language as a means of communication (Discourse Analysis) which is done in networked technologies (CMC). More specifically, this research stands upon the ‘New Literacy Studies’ as the part of CMC. This study, moreover, focuses on language-identity relationship and intertextuality in Twitter accounts. Online identity researched in this study varies from sex, occupation, religion, companies and nation. Besides, intertextuality deals with the interconnection of a text among other texts.

The objectives of this study are (1) to understand the semiotic resources used in Twitter accounts, and (2) to comprehend the intertextuality within an account seeing from its self-presentation and posted tweets. The use of semiotic resources includes online writing system and non-text features as images, video and emoticons. Semiotic resources also contribute in meaning-making within an online communication. To know the intertextuality, a language-based analysis on users’ Bio and posted tweets is done.

Descriptive qualitative is employed in this study as Norton (2010) states that identity is often researched qualitatively. Moreover, it is done as the data belongs to qualitative data as well. Purposive sampling technique is applied in this study; it is in order to provide rich and various perspectives (Dörnyei, 2007). This study, further, takes CMC as an approach deriving from Discourse Analysis. As the object of the study, Social Networking Sites namely Twitter is chosen.

Based on ten Twitter accounts studied, it is revealed that identity can be valued from the use of language, writing systems and semiotic resources in one’s account. Identity studied in this research ranges across sex, occupation, religion, companies and nation. The use of semiotic resources includes the use of images and writing systems concerns on the use of emoticons. Moreover, intertextuality can be measured through the use of hyperlink and hashtag once tweeting.