Network language of LOL-trasyanka: playing on the edges of substandard

Abstract

The article studies the issues of formation and functioning of substandard variant of national languages on the Internet. Rather new phenomenon of “humorous” use of the mixed Belarusian-Russian speech of trasyanka in network communities of the Belarusian segment of the Internet is considered. Creolized polylogues of Belarussian-speaking communities on social network “VKontakte” is a source of language material. The objective of the article is to reveal discursive and pragmatic specifics of use of substandard variant of the Belarusian trasyanka in communicative practices of Belarussian-speaking network communities. Importance of the analysis of code shifting in the context of its ideological refraction, in terms of its role in formation of discursive preferences of “present moment” is grounded. The assumption is made that under the conditions of the fragmented space of Internet communications socially and ideologically marked variants from the substandard periphery of language can be used as one of instruments of local group identification and stratification of network communicative space. The concept of LOL-trasyanka as a special network version of the mixed Belarusian-Russian speech is proposed, its main language, discursive and pragmatic characteristics are marked out: ironical errativization, deviant speech practices, domination of genres of a comic discourse, specific functional repertoire. It is noted that unlike oral trasyanka with its Russified Belarussian basis, in LOL-trasyanka grammatically and phonetically “adapted” Russian speech is more often used. It is shown that LOL-trasyanka with intentionally exaggerated, parody code mixture is used by participants of network communities for creation of an ironic and grotesque discourse with social and critical orientation.