Linguistic Uncertainty and Engagement in Arabic-Language X (formerly Twitter) Discourse

This preprint examines how linguistic uncertainty influences engagement in Arabic-language discourse on X (formerly Twitter). Using a dataset of 16,695 tweets related to Lebanon, the study analyzes how uncertainty markers relate to different forms of interaction, including likes, reposts, and replies. The findings identify what the paper terms the uncertainty–reply asymmetry effect, where posts expressing uncertainty tend to generate disproportionately higher conversational engagement. The paper contributes computational approaches for analyzing large-scale non-English digital communication and provides insights into engagement dynamics in Arabic-language social media discourse.