Friendship in Anonymity: Linguistic, Semantic, and Typographic Markers in an Online Student Community

Abstract

This study explores the semantic patterns of online friendship as they unfold in digital discourse within Cyprus, where two linguistic varieties coexist—Cypriot-Greek (CG) and Standard Modern Greek. Using an ethnographic approach, the research examines how friendship is expressed in writing through CG Textese—an informal, hybrid linguistic code shaped by Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC). By analyzing orthographic and typographic conventions, transliterations, trans-scriptings, accent simulations, and code-switching, this study investigates how students navigate the phonological complexities of CG in online interactions within a student forum where anonymity is preserved. Grounded in sociolinguistic and sociosemiotic theories, the research situates CG Textese within broader ideological, educational, and cultural identity frameworks, highlighting its role in digital orality and social bonding. The findings shed light on the interplay between local linguistic identity and global digital influences, revealing how anonymity, multimodal practices, and linguistic creativity shape contemporary digital discourse and the construction of friendship in virtual spaces.