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Article published In:
Internet Pragmatics
Vol. 6:1 (2023) ► pp.107–128

Parallel digital monolingualism

A Canadian case study of language ideologies and hashtags in multilingual digital discourse

| Carleton University
This paper examines the role of hashtags in the formation of affinity spaces linked to divergent linguistic cultures in the Canadian digital context. The linguistic cultures tend to accommodate certain language ideologies, which manifest through distinct forms of practical and discursive consciousness. The coexistence of divergent linguistic cultures that address shared topics in different ways is labelled “parallel digital monolingualism,” a form of multilingualism that has not been accounted for in previous research. This multilingualism exists because of the transfer of offline experiences (which, in Canada, are based on language and geography) into the affordances of digital contexts.
Keywords: digital discourse, Canada, language ideology, hashtags, multilingualism, affinity space, French, English
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Two solitudes and parallel monolingualism in Canada
  • 3.Communities, hashtags, and language ideologies
  • 4.Hashtags and multilingualism
  • 5.Data and method
  • 6.Findings
  • 7.Discussion
  • 8.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 9 December 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ip.00087.ves
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