EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION AND CODE-SWITCHING: A DIGITAL SOCIOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF INDONESIAN SOCIAL MEDIA USERS

Abstract

Code-switching, or the use of more than one language within a single interaction, is a common feature of bilingual communication that is often discussed in terms of linguistic form, yet in digital spaces such as X or Twitter, it also shapes how meaning, tone, and self-presentation are constructed. This study examines how Indonesian social media users shift between Indonesian and English, focusing on how does language choice in code-switching function in shaping meaning, tone, and self-presentation on X (Twitter) among Indonesian users. Guided by this question, the analysis draws on selected tweets and applies Gumperz’s We-Code and They-Code (1982) framework alongside Caldwell-Harris’s concept of the Emotional Distancing Effect as a supporting perspective (2014). From a sociolinguistic point of view, the findings show that language choice operates as a resource for identity performance, where Indonesian tends to signal closeness, shared identity, and group belonging, while English is often used to create distance or present a more controlled tone. These shifts are shaped by context, audience, and platform norms, allowing users to influence how their messages are received so that an utterance may come across as more personal, more neutral, or more expressive depending on the language used. Code-switching also serves affective purposes, including expressing, negotiating, and managing emotions, especially in moments that are intense or negatively charged, where anger appears most frequently, and these shifts may occur either consciously or without full awareness. In relation to bilingual emotionality, switching languages allows users to express feelings while maintaining a certain level of control, which suggests that emotion is not only internal but also shaped through language choices that respond to social context and audience expectations. Overall, code-switching functions as a sociolinguistic practice through which users negotiate meaning, adjust social distance, and perform identity within digital interaction, while also opening possibilities for further research on different user groups and interaction patterns.