A GENRE-ORIENTED STUDY OF COMMUNICATION PRACTICES IN SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS

Abstract

The expansion of digital technologies has fundamentally reshaped contemporary communication processes. Social networking platforms have emerged as powerful spaces for information sharing, social engagement, and public interaction. Consequently, distinctive communicative genres have developed that differ considerably from traditional forms of written and oral discourse. This study aims to examine the genre-specific characteristics of communication on social networking platforms and to identify the linguistic, structural, and pragmatic features that define digital interaction. The research employs discourse and genre analysis of communication practices observed on widely used platforms, including Instagram, Telegram, and Twitter. The findings indicate that social media communication is marked by brevity, multimodality, interactivity, and hybridity. These characteristics facilitate the development of innovative digital genres such as posts, comments, stories, and hashtag-based discourse. The study concludes that communication in social networks represents a dynamic genre ecosystem integrating features of both written and spoken language.