Characteristics of Lexical and Phraseological Usage in Lao Social Media: A Case Study of Formal and Informal Contexts

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the characteristics of lexical and phraseological usage in both formal and informal contexts on Lao social media. We collected 1,000 lexical items and phrases from Facebook and online novels on the Joylada application, then randomly sampled 278 for analysis based on sociolinguistic theories of online language. Our findings indicate that lexical and phraseological usage can be categorized into two main characteristics: formal usage (46.04%) and informal usage (53.95%). Both contexts display the use of original word forms (e.g., onomatopoeia, new compounds) and innovative word forms (e.g., foreign loanwords, acronyms, symbols). A notable discovery is the prominent use of foreign loanwords and acronyms across both contexts. This reflects a trend toward the standardization of informal language on Lao social media, providing crucial information for the future development of the Lao language in the digital age.