Exploring the Relational Identity Constructions of Wechat Group Message Senders: An Address Form Perspective
Keywords:
Address Form; Relational Identity Construction; Wechat Group Message; Online.Abstract
Address form refers to an essential category in communication, which copes with how people address others. Wechat group message fulfills essential function in online communication, while chatting, the message sender plays a pivotal role through specific address forms. Previous research has delved into how online address forms serve its purpose in building communicator’s relational identity (e.g., online/off-line education and online business). However, online chatting on the most frequently used social media platform has been underexplored. To fill the niche, this empirical study would collect data from Wechat group chatting in reality, so as to investigate what kind of online address form would the message sender tend to employ, and delve into how the use of address forms help with the relational identity construction of Wechat message senders. The results showcased: (1) Wechat message senders employ nine basic address forms when sending group messages, which play a significant role in building and maintaining different relations. (2) Three relational identities from the closest to the furthest of Wechat message senders are constructed, i.e., the close relational identity, the additional relational identity, and the social relational identity. The exploration would be of great importance to pragmatics, especially in the aspect of construction of pragmatic identity; it exerts inspirational influences in further probing into the use of online address forms.
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