Linguistic Variations in WhatsApp Chats of Multilingual South Karnataka Natives: A Case Study on Chats Generated by Engineering Student Groups
摘要
This paper presents the interplay of multilingualism and computer-mediated communication within engineering education student community. Focusing on WhatsApp interactions among Computer Science & Engineering students, the study explores how students leverage their multilingual repertoires in informal online peer communication. Employing a qualitative case study approach, WhatsApp chat logs from student groups are analyzed to identify linguistic phenomena such as code-switching, code-mixing, transliteration, and Non-Standard Tokens (NSTs). The analysis encompasses both academic discourses related to computer engineering coursework and personal exchanges. Findings reveal the dynamic linguistic strategies employed by multilingual students in a technology-rich educational environment, offering insights into evolving communication patterns and the sociolinguistic landscape of young adults transitioning to professional roles.