Individual and group identity on Twitter

Abstract

In this paper we distinguish between individual and group Twitter accounts and attempt to uncover the mechanisms and strategies that Twitter users employ to shape their social identity. One of the most recurring features is the use of colloquial language. Indeed, we highlight in this paper that this feature is the norm on Twitter and is, thus, one of the constitutive elements of the social identity of Twitter users. Other features that further define their Twitter identity include the use of intensification and emotive language as well as the expression of modality. These mechanisms contribute to the colloquial nature of the discourse on Twitter which is effective in reducing the (psychological) distance between participants. With reference to both individual and group accounts, we examine the impact of these different features on the way Twitter users present themselves to others and how these mechanisms help them to attain their discursive goals.