Voices in the Virtual: Constructing Linguistic Identity in Digital Spaces

The emergence of digital spaces has fundamentally reshaped how humans interact and communicate. The research paper explores the intricate dynamics of language and identity in the online environment in the Indian context. The influence of the Internet and digital spaces has provided unprecedented opportunities to express their linguistic identities in diverse ways. The paper examines how digital platforms allow individuals to construct their linguistic identities, a process shaped by social interaction, platform constraint, and social interaction. Code-switching, online slang, and manipulation of registers highly influence the formation of the digital persona or image of oneself, also known as digital self-fashioning does not come without complexities. With the help of Social Identity theory and Goffman’s dramaturgy, the paper highlights the social construction of the linguistic selves. Through the analysis of the case studies and the theoretical framework, the paper discusses the process of linguistic identity development in digital space and its impact on social dynamics, cultural representation, and individual expression.