THE ROLE OF PARALINGUISTIC FEATURES IN THE EXPRESSION OF SPEECH ETIQUETTE IN DIGITAL MEDIA

Abstract

This thesis examines the linguocultural features of speech etiquette in English and Uzbek mass media, with particular attention to politeness strategies, addressing forms, and paralinguistic resources in traditional and digital media. The study aims to identify similarities, differences, and transformations in the realization of speech etiquette under the influence of digitalization and globalization. Comparative linguocultural, pragmatic, and discourse analysis methods are employed to examine selected English and Uzbek media texts and examples of digital communication. The findings demonstrate that speech etiquette in both languages reflects culturally specific patterns of interpersonal communication. English media tend to employ more direct and neutral forms of address, while Uzbek media demonstrate a stronger use of honorifics, kinship terms, and culturally established expressions of respect. The study also reveals that digital communication has expanded the resources of speech etiquette through usernames, abbreviations, emojis, punctuation, and other paralinguistic elements. These resources may support, strengthen, modify, or, depending on context, undermine politeness. The research concludes that digital media do not eliminate traditional speech-etiquette norms but transform their forms of realization and interpretation within different linguocultural environments