DIGITAL DISCOURSE AND PRAGMATICS IN ONLINE COMMUNICATION.

Abstract

The present study has demonstrated that digital communication represents a dynamic and rapidly evolving form of discourse shaped by technological advancement and the widespread use of social media platforms. Unlike traditional modes of communication, digital discourse is characterized by interactivity, immediacy, multimodality, and the integration of both spoken and written linguistic features. These characteristics have transformed the ways individuals exchange information, express opinions, and negotiate meaning in online environments. As a result, digital discourse has become an important area of investigation within contemporary linguistics and pragmatics.

The research findings reveal that pragmatic strategies play a central role in ensuring effective communication on social media. Users continuously employ linguistic and pragmatic mechanisms in order to maintain social relationships, express attitudes, and achieve communicative goals in environments often limited by brevity and lack of physical interaction. Among the most significant strategies identified in this study are politeness strategies, implicature, and contextual cues.