A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Online public language policing as a biopower: Enforcing and challenging language norms and language ideologies in Finnish Facebook language discussion groups




SubtitleEnforcing and challenging language norms and language ideologies in Finnish Facebook language discussion groups

AuthorsPajunen, Henni

Publication year2024

JournalApples: Journal of Applied Language Studies

Journal name in sourceApples - Journal of Applied Language Studies

Volume18

Issue3

First page 22

Last page44

eISSN1457-9863

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.47862/apples.141099

Web address https://doi.org/10.47862/apples.141099

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/471003839


Abstract

The pervasive integration of the internet and social media into contemporary society has provided ordinary language users with a far-reaching and ever-vigilant surveillance tool that can be used to monitor, regulate, and control social norms, including language norms. When the target of this regulation is language, the practice is known as language policing. By categorizing and analyzing micro-level, community-based language policing practices in posts and comments from three Finnish Facebook language discussion groups, this article examines language policing as a form of biopower. It serves as a mechanism through which ordinary language users can police written Standard Finnish, control each other's language usage, reproduce dominant language ideologies, and, conversely, challenge them. Using a theory-driven content analysis approach and drawing upon the concepts of shaming types developed by Murumaa-Mengel and Muuli, as well as Foucault's theory of biopower, the analysis reveals two distinct techniques. Firstly, it demonstrates that normation occurs through language policing practices such as denunciatory, recreational, pedagogic, and participative approaches. These practices serve to reinforce established language norms and are in line with standard language ideology. Secondly, the analysis highlights the technique of normalization, in the forms of reflective and normalizing language policing practices. These offer a more critical view of codified language norms and are more accepting of norm-deviations, aligning with more critical language ideologies.


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Last updated on 2025-27-01 at 19:46