The use of rhotacism in the digital space: a sociolinguistic approach analysis

Abstract

This article analyzes the use of the phonological phenomenon of rhotacism in the digital space, focusing on social media in the cities of Cuiabá and Cáceres. The research investigates how this linguistic variant manifests itself in online interactions and its impacts on regional linguistic identity. Based on theoretical references such as Amaral (1982), Bagno (1999), Calvet (2002), Stuart Hall (2006) and Marroquim (1934), the study adopts a sociolinguistic approach to examine a corpus composed of posts from the pages “Xômano que mora logo ali”, “Cáceres Mil Grau” and “Kbeca Pensante”. The results indicate that rhotacism plays a significant role in the digital environment, reinforcing the appreciation of local linguistic identity and promoting a sense of cultural belonging among speakers in the region.