Language Ideologies and Identities on Facebook and TikTok : A Southern Caribbean Perspective

✍ Scribed by Guyanne Wilson

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2024
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 98
• Series: Elements in World Englishes
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This Element examines the ways in which Caribbean content
creators use elements of Caribbean Englishes and Creoles in their
performances of identity in image macro memes and TikTok videos. It
also examines the ideologies that underlie these performances. The
data comprises memes from Trinidadian Facebook pages, as well as
videos by Guyanese, Barbadian, and Trinidadian TikTokers, and was
analysed using the multimodal method designed by Kress. For meme
makers, identity is understood as a system of distinction between
in-groups and out-groups, and language and other semiotic features,
notably emojis, are used to distinguish Trinidadians from other
nationalities, and groups of Trinidadians from one another. TikTokers
establish their Caribbean identity primarily through knowledge of lexis,
but this works in concert with other linguistic features to create
authentic identities. Social media content is underpinned by the
tension between the acceptance and rejection of standard language
ideologies.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Title page
Copyright page
Language, Ideologies and Identities on Facebook and TikTok: A Southern Caribbean Perspective
Contents
1 Setting the Scene
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Language in the Caribbean
1.2.1 Features of Caribbean Creoles
1.2.2 Language, Identity, and Ideology in the Caribbean
1.3 Language and Social Media
1.4 Researching Memes and TikTok Videos
1.4.1 Data Collection
1.4.2 Ethical Aspects of Social Media Research
1.4.3 Data Analysis
2 Identities and Ideologies in Facebook Memes
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Language and Identity in Memes
2.2.1 Trinidadian Identity on Its Own
2.2.2 Trinidadian English/Creole versus British or American English as Part
of Identity
2.2.3 Trinidadian Identity versus Other Caribbean Identities
2.2.4 Different Groups of Trinidadians
2.3 Language Ideologies in Memes
2.4 Conclusion
3 Identity and Ideologies in TikTok Videos
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The Letter of the Day Is . . .
3.3 ‘I’ Is for . . . Identity
3.3.1 Identity in Writing
3.3.2 Beyond the National: Ethnic Identities in Stephon Felmine’s Videos
3.3.3 Non-linguistic Acts of Identity in the LoD Videos
3.4 Ideologies in TikTok Videos
3.5 Conclusion
4 Indexing Identity, Enregistering Ideology
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Indexing Identity
4.3 Enregistering Caribbean Englishes and Creoles
4.4 Closing Thoughts
References
Acknowledgements

✦ Subjects

Sociolingüística; Sociolinguistics; Análisis del discurso; Discourse Analysis; Análise do discurso; Cambio social; Mundança social; Social Change