Heteroglossia in Social Networks: Discovering the Identity Performance and Linguistic Repertoire through Romantic Text-Messaging in Telegram

This paper aims to investigate how the linguistic repertoire is exploited in the performance of identity in Telegram via prose and poem genres by applying the Bakhtin’s concept of heteroglossia. The research focused on text-messages sent and received by the key participant of this study in the form of prose and poem in order to highlight the way of performing the identity and linguistic repertoire during this romantic relationship. Qualitative analysis of the key participant detailed the role of heteroglossia of the interlocutors. The study revealed how heteroglossia could emerge by text-messaging in the Telegram. In addition, it recognizes the requirement for further sociolinguistic studies in order to distinguish the performance of the identity in the cyberspace, in particular in social networks like Telegram.