Power, Dominance and Homosocial Solidarity in Young Men’s Cyber Talk (Kuasa, Dominasi dan Perpaduan Homososial dalam Interaksi Siber Remaja Lelaki)

Azianura Hani Shaari, Shahrul Nazmi Sannusi

Abstract


Men and women speak differently as their linguistic behavior reflects their gender identity and signifies their position in the society. This article discusses the conversational style of men in the online communication environment, using the Kiesling’s framework of men’s language. A documentation of naturally occurring conversations on Facebook was made over a 12-month period whereby data is categorized and analysed using Content Analysis, WordSmith Tools 5.0 and MS Word Advanced Find Function. Purposive sampling was employed in selecting the participants. The sample consisted of 60 males and 60 females to allow for comparison. Language produced by the male participants, however, remained as the central issue of the analysis as well as discussion. If Kiesling’s framework discusses men’s language from the western sociocultural perspectives, findings of the present research indicated a list of variables of men’s discourse in the specific context of the Malaysian online communication environment. Apart from that, the findings have demonstrated some culturally-embedded elements of power, dominance, and homosocial solidarity as well as a strong use of masculine speech forms in this specific context of male’s interaction. Finally, the findings have also suggested some significant aspects of men’s discourse in the specific context of the Malaysian online communication environment.

 

Keywords: Power; dominance; homosocial solidarity; men’s language; online communication environment

     

Abstrak

 

Lelaki dan wanita bertutur secara berbeza disebabkan tingkah laku bahasa yang mencerminkan identiti jantina dan menandakan kedudukan mereka dalam masyarakat. Kertas kerja ini membincangkan tentang gaya perbualan lelaki dalam persekitaran komunikasi dalam talian di Malaysia. Dapatan kajian dianalisis dengan menggunakan kerangka bahasa lelaki yang disarankan oleh Kiesling. Dokumentasi perbualan yang berlaku secara semula jadi di Facebook telah dibuat dalam tempoh 12 bulan di mana data dikategorikan dan dianalisis menggunakan kaedah analisis kandungan, WordSmith Tools 5.0 dan MS Word Advanced Find Function. Kaedah persampelan bertujuan telah digunakan dalam memilih peserta. Sampel kajian terdiri daripada 60 lelaki dan 60 perempuan untuk tujuan perbandingan. Bagaimanapun, bahasa yang dihasilkan oleh peserta remaja lelaki kekal sebagai isu utama analisis serta perbincangan. Jika rangka kerja Kiesling ini membincangkan bahasa kaum lelaki daripada perspektif sosial and budaya barat, hasil kajian ini menunjukkan senarai pembolehubah wacana remaja lelaki dalam konteks persekitaran komunikasi dalam talian di Malaysia. Selain itu, hasil kajian telah menunjukkan beberapa elemen budaya terpendam seperti kuasa, dominasi dan perpaduan homososial serta penggunaan perkataan maskulin dalam interaksi khusus kaum remaja lelaki di Malaysia. Akhir sekali, dapatan kajian ini juga telah mencadangkan beberapa pembolehubah penting wacana remaja lelaki dalam konteks persekitaran komunikasi dalam talian di Malaysia.

 

Kata kunci: Kuasa; dominasi; perpaduan homososial; bahasa remaja lelaki; interaksi atas talian

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