Communicative Functions of Hashtags

Laucuka Aleksandra ()
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Laucuka Aleksandra: The University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

Economics and Culture, 2018, vol. 15, issue 1, 56-62

Abstract: Despite the initial function of hashtags as tools for sorting and aggregating information according to topics, the social media currently witness a diversity of uses diverging from the initial purpose. The aim of this article is to investigate the communicative functions of hashtags through a combined approach of literature review, field study and case study. Different uses of hashtags were subjected to semantic analysis in order to disclose generalizable trends. As a result, ten communicative functions were identified: topic-marking, aggregation, socializing, excuse, irony, providing metadata, expressing attitudes, initiating movements, propaganda and brand marketing. These findings would help to better understand modern online discourse and to prove that hashtags are to be considered as a meaningful part of the message. A limitation of this study is its restricted volume.

Keywords: hashtags; social networks; pragmatics; communicative functions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:vrs:ecocul:v:15:y:2018:i:1:p:56-62:n:6

DOI: 10.2478/jec-2018-0006

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