Code-Switching as Digital Identity Performance:
Gendered Expression on Indonesian TikTok
Keywords:
code switching; digital identity; TikTok; gender; social pragmaticsAbstract
This research examines the practice of code-switching in Indonesian TikTok video content as a linguistic strategy that plays a role in the formation of digital identity and gender representation. Through a descriptive qualitative approach with multimodal discourse analysis, this study analyzes 30 TikTok videos produced by users aged 15-30 who explicitly mix Indonesian and English. The findings indicate that code-switching is used strategically for emotive functions, meaning reinforcement, contemporary communication style, and as markers of social and gender identity. Additionally, code-switching also serves to attract attention, strengthen the memory of bilingual audiences, and reflect the ideological and symbolic dynamics in the digital society. Women tend to use code-switching with a more expressive and affective style, while men more often use code-switching to convey assertive or humorous messages. These findings emphasize that code-switching in social media is not merely a linguistic phenomenon, but a complex performative practice that is laden with social, cultural, and political meanings in an algorithmic and polarized digital space.
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