Spanish Second person singular (2PS) forms in the digital marketing of fast-food companies: a multinational and bimodal approach
Document Type
Paper Presentation
Presenter Language
English
Research Area
Language variation in digital spaces, Sociolinguistics
Location
MBSC Omaha Room 304
Start Date
19-10-2024 9:30 AM
End Date
19-10-2024 10:00 AM
Abstract
The majority of the research on second-person singular (2PS) address forms in Spanish has concentrated on their meaning within the interaction between the speaker and addressee. However, there is limited knowledge about the usage and meaning of these forms in the absence of an addressee, such as in advertising. Furthermore, the exploration of such situations in digital environments, such as on websites and in social media, remains even more scarce.
Grounded in Bamberg’s (1997) notion of positioning, this paper explores how multinational companies employ 2PS forms to position themselves in relation to their virtual addressee. The study focuses on the websites and social media accounts of four multinational fast-food companies operating in Mexico, Argentina, and El Salvador, each of which exhibits distinct 2PS usage practices.
The analysis involved 1,834 tokens containing 2PS forms (tuteo, voseo, and ustedeo) and infinitival imperatives. Employing a cluster analysis approach, the study aimed to identify underlying usage patterns of 2PS forms across various corporate, national, pragmatic, commercial, and navigational contexts. Additionally, it compares the distribution of 2PS forms on corporate websites and social media accounts to determine whether modality significantly affects the 2PS forms present in each national and corporate context.
The findings reveal a prevalence of informal 2PS forms in the commercial contexts found on the homepages and menu pages of websites, reflecting how companies strategically position their (imagined) audience in a stance of “cool solidarity” (Kiesling, 1997). In the noncommercial text, variation in 2PS form emerged, reflecting the often-competing goals of such text. Additionally, a high prevalence of infinitival imperatives was found on noncommercial buttons, potentially demonstrating an avoidance of positioning altogether. Significant differences were found in the 2PS forms present on the Salvadoran social media accounts, demonstrating how modality can affect how corporations position their imagined interlocutor.
This paper adds to the expanding research on 2PS variation by demonstrating that corporations use different 2PS forms strategically to market themselves to imagined customers and employees, varying by national context and digital modality.
References
Bamberg, M.G. (1997). Positioning Between Structure and Performance. Journal of Narrative and Life History, 7, 335-342.
Kiesling, S. F. (2004). DUDE. American Speech, 79(3), 281–305.
Spanish Second person singular (2PS) forms in the digital marketing of fast-food companies: a multinational and bimodal approach
MBSC Omaha Room 304
The majority of the research on second-person singular (2PS) address forms in Spanish has concentrated on their meaning within the interaction between the speaker and addressee. However, there is limited knowledge about the usage and meaning of these forms in the absence of an addressee, such as in advertising. Furthermore, the exploration of such situations in digital environments, such as on websites and in social media, remains even more scarce.
Grounded in Bamberg’s (1997) notion of positioning, this paper explores how multinational companies employ 2PS forms to position themselves in relation to their virtual addressee. The study focuses on the websites and social media accounts of four multinational fast-food companies operating in Mexico, Argentina, and El Salvador, each of which exhibits distinct 2PS usage practices.
The analysis involved 1,834 tokens containing 2PS forms (tuteo, voseo, and ustedeo) and infinitival imperatives. Employing a cluster analysis approach, the study aimed to identify underlying usage patterns of 2PS forms across various corporate, national, pragmatic, commercial, and navigational contexts. Additionally, it compares the distribution of 2PS forms on corporate websites and social media accounts to determine whether modality significantly affects the 2PS forms present in each national and corporate context.
The findings reveal a prevalence of informal 2PS forms in the commercial contexts found on the homepages and menu pages of websites, reflecting how companies strategically position their (imagined) audience in a stance of “cool solidarity” (Kiesling, 1997). In the noncommercial text, variation in 2PS form emerged, reflecting the often-competing goals of such text. Additionally, a high prevalence of infinitival imperatives was found on noncommercial buttons, potentially demonstrating an avoidance of positioning altogether. Significant differences were found in the 2PS forms present on the Salvadoran social media accounts, demonstrating how modality can affect how corporations position their imagined interlocutor.
This paper adds to the expanding research on 2PS variation by demonstrating that corporations use different 2PS forms strategically to market themselves to imagined customers and employees, varying by national context and digital modality.
References
Bamberg, M.G. (1997). Positioning Between Structure and Performance. Journal of Narrative and Life History, 7, 335-342.
Kiesling, S. F. (2004). DUDE. American Speech, 79(3), 281–305.