From “welcome to my channel” to “please like, share, & subscribe”: A conversational analysis of the opening and closing strategies of Filipino Youtube vlogs
Article
In the field of communications much is still to be known about Filipino vlogs. And yet vlogs are subject to much public discourse. Anchored in Jessica De Boeck’s (2015) work, this study determines the purposes that vlogs serve in this computer-mediated communication by examining the opening and closing strategies in 10 Filipino YouTube vlogs. Generally, the results of the study are constitutive of De Boeck’s findings. However, Filipino vlogs have interesting additions to these identified strategies. For the opening strategies, some Filipino vloggers identify their viewers by denoting names to their fan base. They also include short clips or video previews, which I argue as “digital markers.” And as for the closing strategies, some Filipino vloggers operate the discourse marker “so” as a final closing strategy. Lastly, the topic shading forecasts vloggers’ arrangement and framing. By and large, the vlogs’ employed strategies are deemed to provide a profound sense of involvement, engagement, and belongingness.
The language of hookups: A conversation and self-presentation analysis of Tinder chats
Article
Tinder, a location-based real-time dating application, has significantly influenced the shift in people’s attitudes toward sexual expression and the existing hookup culture.
Using conversation and self-presentation analysis, this research aimed to explore hookups’ communicative patterns and examine how self-presentation manifests in Tinder chats. Some of the determinants of successful and failed hookups are also provided.
Exchanges among some 20 interactants reveal this discursive pattern of hookups: (1) It’s a Match; (2) Opening Sequence; (3) Screening; (4) Transferring to Other Social Networks; (5) Sending Down to Fuck (DTF) Signals; (6) Compromising; and (7) Confirming and Closing.
Interestingly, the performative roles of sex positions play a big part for gay participants. Many of the heterosexual participants, however, still follow the traditional scripting of hookups. Apparently, a hookup is not possible if there is no agreement as to the “where” and “when” of sexual activity. Meanwhile, the predominant image present in hookup-motivated chats is being “provocative” and a “good catch.”
