Digital Rhetoric: Exploring Language Styles in Instagram Captions of English Majors

  • Devi Melisa Saragi
Keywords: Consultative Style, Casual Style, Intimate Style, Formal Style, Instagram Captions, Language Style

Abstract

This study aims to examine (1) the types of language styles employed by English Department students at HKBP Nommensen University Medan in their Instagram captions. The research is grounded in Martin Joos' Theory (2010) and adopts a qualitative research design. The data consist of Instagram captions written by English major students at HKBP Nommensen University, collected through documentation and questionnaires. The analysis follows the interactive model by Miles, Huberman, and Saldana (2014), which includes three stages: data condensation, data presentation, and drawing or verifying conclusions. The findings reveal that: (1) four types of language styles—formal, consultative, casual, and intimate—are used by these students in their captions. The most commonly used styles are casual, formal, and consultative; and (2) five main reasons motivate the use of these language styles. These include expressing emotions such as happiness, sadness, anxiety, and doubt; communicating for purposes like celebrations, fostering relationships, promoting self-love and confidence, and sharing well-wishes; following social media trends; and reflecting on their educational background. As English Education students, they often apply their language skills to craft effective and engaging captions that resonate with their audience.

Published
2024-12-31